TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:02 am

The left side of my front bumper got pushed into the body, creating a crease in the bumper. What is the correct way to repair this?:

bang the crease down while pulling the bumper back into position; or

cut the bumper into two pieces at the crease and weld it back together?

Thanks.

Bill

Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:04 am

Photos please.

Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:45 pm

Yes, a picture would help.

Did the 'Metal Surgeon' cease posting here? That guy is good and likely would have a good answer.

Imagining the damage minus a picture, I would think that stretched metal needs to be shrunk some to go back where it was, not just getting banged down while tugged back from where it came. Paint will be sacrificed, for sure.

The real problem is that if you need a dolly under the creased area, there is no room with the bumper on the car. Did the nose get any damage?

Many years ago, I had a twin Maple outside one of my early shops, the trunks of which straightened many a bent bumper for an A or B/C. The angularity of the divergent trunks was shallow and just right for an asymmetrical bumper shell and the bark was forgivingly soft.

OR, here's another possible solution:

http://www.stoddard.com/shop/shopdisplayproducts.a...26+356C%29

Or..... "nerf bars"? :wink:

Wed Nov 28, 2012 8:27 am

Thanks, guys. I'll post a picture of the bumper in a day or two.

Bruce, the bumper is off the car and I am going to strip it anyway, since this is a complete resto.

Wed Nov 28, 2012 8:24 pm

One thing to check while off the car is the bracket mounting "pods" inside the bumper shell. They take a beating, get rusted and now are available again if really bad and need to be replaced.

If the bumper fit well before the damage, I'd take a piece of cardboard and trace the good side, measuring and marking the middle of the bumper and the traced shape. Cut out, that allows comparison by flipping from one side to the other while straightening off the car.