Joe West
05-29-2005, 08:24 PM
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 18:32:08 -0800
From: "N. Joseph Potts" <pottsf@email.msn.com>
Re: <VV> Bumper and chin air dam
I recently installed rechromes from Clark's over my new paint job. No
scratches, I'm pleased to report. The rear went on without difficulties, but
the front presented problems, which I solved as follows.
The center bracket (bought refinished from them with the bumper) wasn't
quite the right shape. I called them up about this, and this was one of
those things that's VERY difficult to handle with speech/words. A picture .
. . you know the rest.
Anyway, they told me to bend it, and since the piece was a stamping
less than 1/4 inch thick, was able to do so with my vise and a big mallet.
Solved THAT problem quite effectively, but there was another.
After I had bolted up the center and the left side, I found the bumper
stuck out away from the car on the right so far that I couldn't engage the
bracket bolt to jack it down into place. Now, my car DID have damage on the
right front, and I suspect its geometry will never be exactly right, but
here's what I did.
I leaned a piece of plywood against the (concrete block) wall of my
house, aimed the car carefully, and idled up against the wall/plywood. Don't
try this at home if said home isn't masonry. Anyway, I gave it a little
gas/clutch, set the parking brake, and shut the engine down. From there, I
had no trouble engaging the bracket bolts, and after I tightened them and
backed away from the house, the bumper stayed in place (under tremendous
tension, I had no doubt).
If you tap the bumper with something metal now, it rings! (Just kidding
there.) This inelegant fix was quite effective. Both bumpers and their
finishes are holding up well in the hot, saline, vote-counting atmosphere of
South Florida.
Joe Potts
Miami, Florida USA
1966 Corsa coupe 140hp 4-speed with A/C
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 18:32:08 -0800
From: "N. Joseph Potts" <pottsf@email.msn.com>
Re: <VV> Bumper and chin air dam
I recently installed rechromes from Clark's over my new paint job. No
scratches, I'm pleased to report. The rear went on without difficulties, but
the front presented problems, which I solved as follows.
The center bracket (bought refinished from them with the bumper) wasn't
quite the right shape. I called them up about this, and this was one of
those things that's VERY difficult to handle with speech/words. A picture .
. . you know the rest.
Anyway, they told me to bend it, and since the piece was a stamping
less than 1/4 inch thick, was able to do so with my vise and a big mallet.
Solved THAT problem quite effectively, but there was another.
After I had bolted up the center and the left side, I found the bumper
stuck out away from the car on the right so far that I couldn't engage the
bracket bolt to jack it down into place. Now, my car DID have damage on the
right front, and I suspect its geometry will never be exactly right, but
here's what I did.
I leaned a piece of plywood against the (concrete block) wall of my
house, aimed the car carefully, and idled up against the wall/plywood. Don't
try this at home if said home isn't masonry. Anyway, I gave it a little
gas/clutch, set the parking brake, and shut the engine down. From there, I
had no trouble engaging the bracket bolts, and after I tightened them and
backed away from the house, the bumper stayed in place (under tremendous
tension, I had no doubt).
If you tap the bumper with something metal now, it rings! (Just kidding
there.) This inelegant fix was quite effective. Both bumpers and their
finishes are holding up well in the hot, saline, vote-counting atmosphere of
South Florida.
Joe Potts
Miami, Florida USA
1966 Corsa coupe 140hp 4-speed with A/C