Author Topic: Repo bumper fitment issues  (Read 5069 times)

Offline wart1de

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Repo bumper fitment issues
« on: April 05, 2011 - 08:20:41 PM »
My body shop just fitted the repo front and rear bumpers I got from Year one to my 73 Cuda and they look terrible. The chrome is very good however they just don't fit properly.

The front bumper doesn't follow the shape of the front of the car. The drivers side is in close with the grill while the passenger side has a 1/2" gap.

The rear bumper looks like its twisted. The passenger side fits ok but on the drivers side, the top of the bumper hits the body and it looks like its on a angle. This is highlighted when looking at the bumper guards. The filler on the passenger side looks like it sits into the valance about an extra 1/2" over the drivers side.

I have attached a few photos. The back ones arn't that clear unfortunately.

Has my panel shop done bad job or are these bumpers just rubbish?

1973 Plymouth 'Cuda
1980 Ford Falcon XD ESP
2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon




Offline 572b1cuda

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2011 - 09:11:18 PM »
its hard to tell from the pics , how did your old bumpers fit? what brand are they because i am considering buying a rear for my car.

Offline jimynick

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2011 - 09:19:47 PM »
I shouldn't think the "panel shop" screwed up here, because it's extremely difficult to get the panels to align properly if the car is "wrong" for want of a better description. It doesn't show well, but is that a bumper bolt peeking out on the bottom of the bumper under the rt h/light? If it is, then I suspect either a bent or poorly adjusted bumper arm and you can bend that to bring the corner in. As for the rear, if the bmpr seems twisted, simply un-twist it. I'm not being a smartass here; the blades are thin and you can pad and anchor one end in a decent size vise and using a cloth strap wrench, apply enough torque to clean up a 1/2" tweak easily. In a perfect world none of this twisting and bending would be necessary, but when re-fitting old cars- alls fair in love and war. Good luck  :pullinghair:

Offline wart1de

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2011 - 06:52:22 PM »
its hard to tell from the pics , how did your old bumpers fit? what brand are they because i am considering buying a rear for my car.

Sorry, i'm not sure what brand they are but afaik Year One only sell 1 brand. Good chrome, price was ok but fitment is at this stage questionable and the bar looks a little wavy from the top.

The car is a 73 and it previously had the 73 bumpers and brackets so I can't really compare. I bought all brand new 72 bumpers, bumper guards and mounting brackets. The brackets are genuine Chrysler items so I assume they are correct.

I guess i'll have to put more pressure on the people doing the work to fix them up, hopefully without damaging the chrome. Damn car is sending me broke.

Thanks for the comments
1973 Plymouth 'Cuda
1980 Ford Falcon XD ESP
2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

Offline FY1Cuda

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2011 - 07:44:59 PM »
The back one doesn't look that bad in the picture although the ends look a little close to the paint.  If it is twisted, you can tell by taking it off but keeping the brackets on.  When set down, the brackets should both sit firmly on the ground without rocking.  If there is a little twist you can put one bracket in a vice and gently twist the other bracket with a large wrench or other lever.  You can also put shims between the brackets and cross member (high or low) to effect a change.
If you stand directly over the front of the car and look down at the bumper, it should be parallel to the header, both top and bottom edges.  And obviously the grill edge should be parallel to the bottom edge of the header panel.  I would take the bumper carefully off (lots of tape on the ends), remove the vertical bolt at the back end of the brackets if they're there and loosen the 1/2" bumper bolts enough that they can be moved a little and then slide the brackets out so the four ends are all equidistant from the header.  You can then see if the bumper wants to fit in the correct position.  At that point you should be able to tell if the shape of the bumper is wrong or that maybe the brackets are bent.
Good luck
« Last Edit: April 06, 2011 - 08:05:03 PM by FY1Cuda »

Offline 72rtchallenger

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2011 - 08:43:29 PM »
on my 72 challenger ,the ones i bought from year one  fit perfect ,,did they take the bumper brackets off? maybe they installed them wrong,,its very easy to do,,i had to correct mine when i was installing as i put them on wrong and left and right are different and there is some adjustments that can be done with the brackets,,just a thought   :2cents:
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Offline shadango

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2011 - 08:31:53 AM »
I bought a front bumper last season from Mopardave and am extremely pleased with the quality and fit....it took some fenagling to get it just perfect....maybe your shop guys arent given enough TLC?


Offline Moparinho

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2011 - 06:07:46 PM »
as for my opinion it's not necessarily a bad quality parts issue.  Did you replace the rear quarters ?  When you get new panels a little trim is always required.    It's seems like they didnt' mock-up the car with bumbers installed before starting with the paint job.
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Offline wart1de

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2011 - 07:59:32 PM »
The panel shop had another go at fitting them. This the best they've come up with and they don't want to spend anymore time on it. They keep claiming the bumper itself isn't very good and i'd be better off getting an original bumper and rechroming it but that isn't exactly cheap and i'd rather not do that without knowing for sure that an original would fit better.

Here are some photos of how it is now. Are those gaps between the bumper and the body typical? Are there any tricks for bringing the bumper in closer?

As stated, this a repo 72 bumper with genuine 70-72 brackets on a 73.
1973 Plymouth 'Cuda
1980 Ford Falcon XD ESP
2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

Offline Moparal

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #9 on: May 04, 2011 - 08:06:14 PM »
Is the drivers side a repo quarter panel?  The top edge kinda looks like it is not level but more of an angle.  The pass side makes a square top angle compared to the drivers top edge

Offline wart1de

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #10 on: May 04, 2011 - 08:32:45 PM »
Is the drivers side a repo quarter panel?  The top edge kinda looks like it is not level but more of an angle.  The pass side makes a square top angle compared to the drivers top edge

Good spotting, yes it is a Goodmark quarter panel.
1973 Plymouth 'Cuda
1980 Ford Falcon XD ESP
2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

Offline Moparal

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #11 on: May 04, 2011 - 08:35:01 PM »
In that case, the bumper may be ok, there is a difference between the 2 quarters.  The front bumper brakets looked like they needed adjustment in my opinion.  Tweak tweak, scratch.   Usually happens that way to me anyways :thumbsup:

Offline AARuFAST

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2011 - 08:47:43 PM »
My son is restoring a 70 Barracuda and the rear bumped does not fit.
Because the repo bumper on the right side is twisted and bent. The finish across the top is lousy.
Better to have an original rechromed than buy the distorted, twisted thin repo bumper

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Offline Moparal

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2011 - 08:51:32 PM »
AARuFAST   look at the pics of his quarters

Offline wart1de

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Re: Repo bumper fitment issues
« Reply #14 on: May 04, 2011 - 09:18:18 PM »
The quarters line up everywhere else and I can live with that angled top edge but the 3/4" gap between the back of the body and the bumper is kinda annoying - especially when the rest of the car looks a million dollars.
1973 Plymouth 'Cuda
1980 Ford Falcon XD ESP
2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon