Just prepping myself for this little job.  Any tricks that will help me get the bumpers off and back on my 81 successfully?

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

Go ahead and buy new retainers....you'll wind up twisting at least half of the studs off the old ones. 

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Sledgehammer. That'll successfully remove those stubborn bumpers. 

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GEN III 5.7L "LS6" Engine swap
TKO500 5 spd.

 With only slight touch-up afterwards....

I'm not 100% sure if the '80-'82 cars used the stud/nut type bumper cover retainers, or if they used the stainless steel strips with screws.... I know that a some the replacement retainers ARE of the strip/screw type(that dint quite sound rite, did it?).

At any rate, the upper, outer corner fasteners will be the hardest to get to. Small hands and lottsa patience will be good to have...which prollly means you'll need someone to help, Dave....

In looking at parts suppliers, it appears that the replacement retainers do use the stud/nut type fasteners...
So..be prepared to twist at least half of them off....and be prepared to either replace them, OR...you can knock out the broken studs from the retainers(carefully, so you don't bend the retainers),, drill the square holes out where the studs were, and replace with nuts & bolts. The nuts & bolts approach, while it will save some $$$, it adds a lot of time to re-installing the retainers/bumper cover, unless you tack-weld the bolts to the retainer.
Are we having FUN yet?





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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Shoot, I was just going to use a sawz-all.

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

 You'll probably break it anyway, so just buy new ones and put them on the correct way, with all new fasteners.

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Click on image for full view

just thought I'd throw in that I started to remove the retainer strip you guys are talking about and to my surprise the nuts all came loose like nothing, I thought to myself " Nice "

Just a teaser I'm sure but sure hoping everything else goes as well

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Still haven't started the breakdown process.  I hate to put the car "up on blocks" after just getting back on the road this year.  Probably get back to it in late spring/early summer.

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

that's why you need to break down and buy another one, so you can drive one while the other is being worked on.  Its only money!

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  Now "THAT'S" a statement I can agree with!

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Click on image for full view

Here is a very important tip!! DO NOT use any type of penetrating oil anywhere or lubricants with Teflon on the project. If you get any on the body it absorbs into the fiberglass and you will never get paint or primer to stick. If lubricants with Teflon are used anywhere near your project the Teflon becomes airborne and clings to the fiberglass. Always use products that read body shop safe. Now for the rear bumper speaking from experience. If you looked across the top of my bumper from the side of the car it was perfectly straight or flat if that's a better word. Well after removal to paint and reinstalled it it is wavy and can't get it straight. Removing all the original retainers most broke or twisted. Make sure you buy good quality retainers. If I had to do it again I would not remove the rear bumper. It ended up that after the paint, wet sanding and buffing it is impossible to get the compound out between the bumper and the body! Just my 2 cents worth of info!! Good luck!

|UPDATED|10/19/2014 5:10:25 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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OK, Rodney brings up an excellent point.  My bumper is in great shape, no waviness.  Am I in serious risk of getting waves when I reattach it?  If so I may just leave it on and putty over the joint between the body and bumper (Sarge, like they did to yours before you had them remove the body work).  I really like the joint there but I like the straightness of my bumper more so if it's a risk of either or, I'll leave the bumper on and get rid of the joint.

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

Hold on....unless you have a replacement Fiberglas bumper, you cannot putty a factory bumper to the Fiberglas body.

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