'86 Carrera Rear Bumper

Rot 911 · 10-29-2003, 10:38 AM

I have decided that I will not be putting back on the big, heavy rubber pads or the rub strips on my rear bumper after the engine rebuild. So I need to fill those holes up. The bumper is aluminum and I will be repainting it. My initial thoughts were to just rough up the holes with sandpaper and fill them with JB Weld. Any better ideas?

KTL · 10-29-2003, 11:03 AM

Plastic plugs:

They're just like these in the solid nylon black, locking variety:

I got them at Ace Hardware in the fasteners aisle, per the recommendation of my buddy Mark. Painted them with some touch up paint and you'd swear they were made for the car!

Rot 911 · 10-29-2003, 11:15 AM

Kevin, your bumper is what gave me the idea, but if I fill the holes in it will be completely smooth when I paint it. If I use the plugs then I will have even more than you do because I also took off the black rub strips.

KTL · 10-29-2003, 11:25 AM

I know what you mean Kurt. I wanted to fill in the holes too. But if you remove the rubber strip, what will cover the big flat washers and the locknuts for fastening the bumper? This is why I kept the rubber strip.

My buddy Mark has a black car, and the lack of the strip doesn't seem to stand out as much. On my car it looks like a work-in-progress without the strip.

Rot 911 · 10-29-2003, 11:35 AM

Damn, good point. Hadn't thought of that! Good thing I have this board to keep me straight!

JonT · 10-29-2003, 11:39 AM

So how do you remove the big ol bumper stops? Easy or difficult? Instructions? Thanks

Rot 911 · 10-29-2003, 11:42 AM

They are just bolted on behind the bumper. Assuming the nuts aren't rusted, just unscrew the nuts and pull the pads off. My pads were stuck to the bumper and I needed to use a rubber mallet to break them loose. Took about 10 minutes start to finish.

85Gold · 10-29-2003, 12:59 PM

Glad I had my rubber pads last weekend when the car behind me decided to get a real close up view of my Whaletail at a stop light. We were both stopped and she just crept up until she hit me!! Big ugly pads = no damage. Just another take on removal.

Peter

85Gold · 10-29-2003, 01:08 PM

I am glad I had my big UGLY pads last weekend when a car decided it wanted to get a real close look at my Whaletail at a stoplight. We were both stopped and she just drifted forward and HIT me in the rear. BIG UGLY PADS = no damage. Just another take on removal.

Peter

seqcgr · 10-29-2003, 01:36 PM

I just removed mine and the black rubber strips. I took the bumper shocks off and had them drilled out then I used carriage bolts to hold the bumper in place. I was only able to use a total of 2 bolts because of the curve of the bumper but it seems to be holding well. Car goes in for paint this winter so I was just going to let the body shop fill in the holes.

JonT · 10-29-2003, 01:50 PM

whats the weight savings from removing bumpers? 15lbs maybe? sounds like it's primarily for looks.

mm86911 · mm86911's Garage

Two words - RUF Style

seqcgr · 10-29-2003, 02:34 PM

With RUF bunpers you lose the accordians and some of us like those!

Rot 911 · 10-29-2003, 04:38 PM

Yes it is mainly for looks. And yes RUF bumpers are nice, but this way I don't have to buy another bumper.

Jeff Alton · 10-29-2003, 07:21 PM

I had mine welded by a local race car builder and then I faired them sanded and painted the bumper.

Jeff

cowtown · 07:46 PM

I stripped down to bare metal, then used body filler and repainted. I'm using some plastic caps from Ace over the 4 nuts while I figure out what I want to do about them. It looks a little goofy, but so does the rest of the car

Chris Bunker · 10-30-2003, 06:55 AM

Hey Kevin-
From the picture of your rear bumper it looks like you've modified the ends of the rubber strips. Did you put the chamfers on the ends nearest the license plate?
I'm not at home (away on business) so I can't check my SC, but I thought mine butted up flush with the rubber bumpers.
If you did, how'd you do it and get it to look so nicely done?

Thanks,
CB
78 SC

Wil Ferch · 10-30-2003, 08:28 AM

Hey Cowtown...
why not fab some sort of "D" ring that mounts to the bolts that stick out...like a pull-eye for the tow truck that pulls you out of the sand on a racetrack. Maybe even paint it red.
---Wil Ferch

KTL · 10-30-2003, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chris Bunker
Hey Kevin-
From the picture of your rear bumper it looks like you've modified the ends of the rubber strips. Did you put the chamfers on the ends nearest the license plate?
I'm not at home (away on business) so I can't check my SC, but I thought mine butted up flush with the rubber bumpers.
If you did, how'd you do it and get it to look so nicely done?

Thanks,
CB
78 SC

Those strips are shaped as they were originally made as far as I know. The first time I pulled the bumper, they were tough to get off, so I don't think anybody modfied them? The shape looks original. One thing though. The ends don't sit down on the bumper completely flat. They stick out maybe 1/16"-1/8". Hardly noticeable though.

Good idea on the D-ring Wil.

trader220 · 10-30-2003, 10:35 AM

What do you do for plate lights ?