Is the smile/rubber on the bumper supposed to be rigid?

[david05111]

My car sat for like 25 years and one of the things I’ve run into is the “smile” on the front bumper sort of flaps in the wind. Toward the middle, the front of it lifts up in the wind.

Now, I think the screws holding it in place are probably rusted to pieces, but I haven’t taken the bumper apart to confirm. But I don’t know if the issue is because the screws/mounting is bad or if the rubber piece has gotten floppy and needs replacement.

Can anyone tell from this?

[austria3]

To me it looks more like you front bumper did have some kind of contact (see scratches on top of bumper an broken fog light glas) which pushed the bumper downwards. Leading the smile to open a gap.

You might want to open the four screws behind the front rubber holding the bumper and see if you can lift the bumper a bit.

[david05111]

Originally Posted by austria3

To me it looks more like you front bumper did have some kind of contact (see scratches on top of bumper an broken fog light glas) which pushed the bumper downwards. Leading the smile to open a gap.

You might want to open the four screws behind the front rubber holding the bumper and see if you can lift the bumper a bit.

You might be right. I’ll have to have a closer look at it.

It was my dad’s car, and it sat for decades before he passed away and I inherited it. I know that at some point very early in his ownership, a woman he was seeing at the time hit something with it. It bent one of the headlight housings. I was told at one point that the gouges seen in the bumper were caused while pulling it into a garage at one point, but I have no idea if that’s accurate.

The fog light was just broken out of carelessness at one point and the picture I posted came from right after I got it and cleaned it up. I’m the glass has since been replaced.

I’ve intended to take the bumper off and have it repaired/resprayed anyway. Was just looking to see if I could solve the smile beforehand, but you’re right. That might be part of the issue

[911 Rod]

To answer your question no it shouldn't flap around. Tight pretty much water proof seal that is hard to lift up.

[david05111]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

To answer your question no it shouldn't flap around. Tight pretty much water proof seal that is hard to lift up.

It’s awfully pliable, like well worn leather. But it has no cracks or anything. It just feels like rubber in decent shape, but I thought it might have been designed to be more rigid

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

To answer your question no it shouldn't flap around. Tight pretty much water proof seal that is hard to lift up.

This. It should not lift up easily.

[rokemester]

I reconditioned all of the rubber bits on my 87 Carrera after I bought it years ago. Just do it over, over, over and over and then some more and every few months ever after. Consider it spending quality time with your baby.

[deckard]

the rubber smile is not just rubber only. it has a thin steel strip inside of it along the length. that is what is either damaged or rusted and is causing your lifting and not the rubber itself.

[Winter]

Originally Posted by deckard

the rubber smile is not just rubber only. it has a thin steel strip inside of it along the length. that is what is either damaged or rusted and is causing your lifting and not the rubber itself.

This. There is some metal inside the smile, so it should not be “floppy”. My old ‘75 had a distressed smile that had rust issues with the embedded metal, and when removing the smile for replacement, it was possible to feel a “crunchiness” from the rust. But it was still somewhat rigid and not floppy, and while warped from the rust, it wouldn’t have flapped around in the wind at speed.


Are you sure it’s not just warped from possible internal rust?

[fanaudical]

Be sure to look at the bumper impact absorbers as you are removing the bumper. Sometimes the mounting studs get broken which add to the bumper droop.

Also look for little bubbles on the smile surface - this is an indicator that rust has taken over the steel inside.

[david05111]

Originally Posted by Winter

This. There is some metal inside the smile, so it should not be “floppy”. My old ‘75 had a distressed smile that had rust issues with the embedded metal, and when removing the smile for replacement, it was possible to feel a “crunchiness” from the rust. But it was still somewhat rigid and not floppy, and while warped from the rust, it wouldn’t have flapped around in the wind at speed.


Are you sure it’s not just warped from possible internal rust?

I'm pretty sure it's not rusting. I haven't seen any bubbles in it, but I'll be sure to check as soon as I have the car back. It's having some minor work done on an oil line at the moment. When I get it back, I'm going to set aside an afternoon to take the bumper off and poke around a bit

[911 Rod]

Did they make cheap aftermarket ones?

[david05111]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

Did they make cheap aftermarket ones?

I'm not sure, but I'm sure this one is real. It's been on the car for probably 30 years, in a garage

[david05111]

Took a few pictures. It does look like there may be some bubbling in the smile itself, so maybe that’s part of the issue.

But the screws that hold it on the bumper are destroyed. Three of them down the middle don’t even have the smile attached anymore, and are just barely even there anymore.

My plan is to take off the bumper, remove all the hardware, see what needs replacing and what needs work, put new hardware in, and try this smile. If it doesn’t work, I’ll order a new one.

[LucaScali]

It's supposed to be flush against the bumper. Looks like the bumper may not be mounted properly.

[Winter]

There’s some rust for sure, but sort out the attachments, any issues with your bumper and run it while keeping an eye out for a good used one. Good luck!

[david05111]

Ok yeah, the smile is completely toast. Took a pic when I was having a look at the horns and it’s rusting through the other side.

Is the fitment on the bumper with regard to the valance normal?

[eastbay]

That bumper valence fit is not good.

Without a picture from the side of the car from bumper height it is hard to say what the issue is, but the bumper does look pushed down in your pics. There is a lot of adjustability in the bumper and valence fitment.

Aftermarket smiles are a hard plastic not like the oem rubber.