Making it fit....better!
 

I am in the process of fitting an RSR style fiberglass rear bumper to my SC coupe. While the bumper "basically" fit well, I did have to pull out the rear of the fenders slightly. After getting the bumper mounted, I decided that I did not like the match up at the wheel wells and went to work. The first picture is the way it came to me and the second is after much grinding, filling, sanding, etc. Please excuse the paint as I am still in the prime and sand stage. Once painted and with the beading pieces I think it should look pretty good!

As delivered:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291244827.jpg

Now:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291244869.jpg

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!

Doyle

Nice fit.

Try to stay away from spot putty and standard body filler. I like this stuff even though it is hard to sand. It does not shrink where the spot putty and bondo do. This is for small depressions and scratches.

USC 26004 ICING ® Pourable / Brushable Polyester Finishing Putty, 30 oz. Can - Stores and Prices

Nice job, Fred. How did you get the lip of the bumper end to match the radius of the wheel well? Looks like you might have taken a thin slice out of the middle of the 'flat' area on the bumper bead to narrow it . . .

Keep us posted on progress and pics, will you?

Dale

A better fit.........
 

All,

Actually, I filled in the back side of the bumper lip with fiberglass and chopped glass filled body filler. Once it had hardened, I used a belt sander to shape the wheel well both inside the wheel well and outside going down the bumper towards the ground. I ground off the orginal fiberglass and gel coat going into the new glass placed inside. Once I got it shaped, I switched to a sanding pad using various grades of paper. Of course, it helps to be a little bit lucky to get the shapes right the first time so you don't have to go back and build it up again! I have some very small spots that will need some regular spot putty, but they are very small. When I take the bumper off for the final finishing on the inside, I am going to brush in one last layer of fiberglass cloth to act as a final strengthening layer. The work is not very hard, just tedious as you have to build a little and let it dry for a few hours and then repeat. Hopefully I will be done by the end of this weekend and I will be able to post the final pics. Well, not final, final but final in primer! I figure if you don't have time to do it right up front, when will you? Patience is your friend!

Glad to see someone do this backside fill and sand. That is exactly what I plan on doing to my FG bumper in the near future... have to get the susp in 1st ;)

-Michael

Which manufacturer was this bumper from? Would you buy from them again? I'm looking to purchase RUF YB bumpers and trying to find who has the best glass.

Thanks,
Mike

Good job Fred. I was just curious who you bought the bumper from? I intend to put glass bumpers on my SC, only I,m not as talented at glass work as you. Hopefully I can find some that fit without modification.

Bumper source....
 

I bought the rear bumper and a front valence from GT-Racing in Colorado. The front valence was a perfect fit. I suspect that the mold for the rear RSR style bumper came off of an original RSR metal bumper. If what I have learned is correct, the wheel well flares are slightly different than the SC flares which is why the RSR bumper does not match up correctly. Would I buy from GT-Racing again? Absolutely. Joel (the owner) is a pleasure to work with and did a good job of getting the parts to me well boxed and in a timely manner. The price was "middle of the road" compared to other fg vendors. I have read threads here on PP where a rear or front bumper had to be sectioned by 1-2" to make it fit. What I am doing is small potatoes compared to that work. Good luck to all on your projects!

Rear bumper project..........
 

I finally finished reshaping the new fiberglass rear bumper to match my fenders. On the right side, the face of the wheel well flange was simply too wide. On the left side, it was too wide and curved out too much. By filling in the back side of the bumper at each end with fiberglass and bondo with chopped glass fibers, I was able to use a belt sander, a block sander and a battery powered finishing sander to reshape the bumper to match the cars fender shape. Here are some pictures of the finished product.
Right side:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1293668932.jpg

Left side:


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1293668963.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1293669004.jpg

Sometime after the first of the year, the car is going in for a bare metal repaint in it's original black metallic color. I guess that the lesson learned here is that any fiberglass part is going to need some work to make it fit "just right".

Rear view:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1293669106.jpg

it's a bit of art work to make all those curves flow together, especially with black paint

Very nice work. Where in Georgia are you I'm in Marietta. Would love to see your car in person.

One more picture..........
 

Rear bumper with the tag and tag lights installed. Now, after a month, my SC is ready to go back on the road for a few days before going to the paint shop.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1293834951.jpg

Nice job Fred. I wish there were other choices for front bumpers. I really don't care for most of them. But the rear is awesome.