Bummed out crooked bumper look

[skids]

It can't be just my car anymore. My left front bumper is crooked. Fender mount side is tilted up. But, now I focus my attention on left side front bumpers on every mid year I see. I see quite a few that are tilted up, some a straight. whaddayall think? Factory problem? Too many kingsburys in 64? Just thought it was strange to see some bumpers tilted and others not.

 

[Ken]

From what I understand, that's the hardest part - lining up the bumpers. It takes quite a bit of back-and-forth adjustment before you get it to where you feel is acceptable.

 

[skids]

Thats true. I spent days trying to correct it, but just cant level out bumper. Nothing appears bent. Took numerious measurements and all dimensions from left and right side are real close. Maybe bumper itself is tweaked.

 

[IH2LOSE]

Skids post a picture of it

 

[skids]

how do you get pics here?

 

[67HEAVEN]

how do you get pics here?

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48428

Let us know if you have questions.

 

[studiog]

It can't be just my car anymore. My left front bumper is crooked. Fender mount side is tilted up. But, now I focus my attention on left side front bumpers on every mid year I see. I see quite a few that are tilted up, some a straight. whaddayall think? Factory problem? Too many kingsburys in 64? Just thought it was strange to see some bumpers tilted and others not.

Thats because 64's were never meant to have a front bumper. That was the first thing I took off when I had one back in 1969. Now I'm older and wiser... well older anyway. :L

 

[BarryK]

I got my '65 coupe in March. lass than a month later some idiot sitting in front of me at a redlight put his car in reverse and backed straight into the front of my brand new restored car.
Went back into the restoration shop. After 6 weeks and it was done the restorer told me the absolute worst part was getting the bumpers aligned correctly. took him two days on that alone just to make sure they were as perfect as possible. Other than trying to get proper alignment on midyear coupe doors he says it's one of his least favorite jobs because of the hassle of it.

 

[skids]

Nope--didnt catch on yet! Getting pics here, that is.

 

[Ken]

Took numerious measurements ...

I don't think measuring works; you gotta get a couple o' pairs of eyeballs to help you while you adjust them - makes it a lot easier.

 

[JohnZ]

I did mine a couple of months ago as part of my prep for Flight Judging. Loosened ALL the attachments, used a 54"-long piece of 1"x 2" to lay across the top surface of both bumpers (taped in one location on each side), and then taped a 24" carpenter's bubble level, centered, on top of the 1"x 2". Put the car up on the lift with the bumpers at eye level and used two threaded tripod jacks, one under each bumper, to adjust the height of each side to get a level, straight line across the top of both bumpers. Once I had it the way I wanted it, I tightened all the attachments - looks great! Took about four hours.

 

[skids]

Thanks John, Sounds like a good solid plan. I do believe though my left bumper is bent. So, I need to compare it with a good one. Thanks for input. I will use your plan. Still cant get my pics. displayed though. Guess I need directions on how, but geared towards someone like me thats pretty much a computer operator reject.

 

[IH2LOSE]

Email them to me and I will post them for you

 

[67HEAVEN]

skids,

Here are some of the photos. The rest were very dark.

 

[IH2LOSE]

Great color
If you go on the passenger side and measure the tip of the bumper to the wheel opening and then do the same thing on the drivers side it may bee the bumper on the passenger side is set too far back.

If you cant raise the centers any further see if you can lower the sides. the dont look so bad to me from the pictures it just seems the passenger is tweeked abit.

Good Luck

If you want to dress the front end up a little Spray some satin black inbehind the grill area to black out that area.make sure you mask thing out so you dont end up with over spray on that beutifull paint job

 

[skids]

Thanks for posts 67, and IH2lose. Actually paint job is good, but body prep could have been better. Previous owner had it painted. I figured drivers side was the tweaked one. Shouldn't both bumpers be "level", normally?

 

[JohnZ]

Yes, they were level within about 1/4" across the front peak line when they left St. Louis, but they used a pretty exotic clamp fixture (which my group supplied) to hold them level while all the fasteners were installed and torqued. When they're re-installed in the field, they're usually "eyeballed", and not everyone takes the trouble to do it to specs.