What would you do??

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Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
521
Reaction score
66
Location
Upstate NY
My Car
71 Mach 1, 351c 4v, C6 trans, grabber blue with white interior
I noticed that the original urethane bumper on my 71 had a few paint cracks as well as a little chipped area. I wanted to get those areas repaired so I called a local 'restoration' shop figuring he would be the most familiar with working with the urethane, paint matching etc.. I've seen his work at local car shows and it looked very nice. Never seen any complaints or heard anything negative. I talked to him and he seemed friendly enough and knowledgeable of painting the urethane.

Beginning of June I take the bumper off and bring it over to him. I mention to him that, if possible, I would like to have the bumper back so I can go to a car show on Jule 4th weekend. He didnt indicate that would be be a problem. At that point, If he couldnt fit it into the work schedule or didnt want to do a small job, he could have just mentioned it to me and I would taken it to another shop!

Since I hadnt heard from him, I stopped in right before 4th of July. He seemed bothered to see me for some reason and mentioned something about still matching the paint. I wait a couple more weeks and give him a call. Somehow we are 'disconnected' after I mention my name and I call back. He says something about just sending it out to be media blasted. This after having the bumper for a month and a half!

As of now, I've put on a chrome bumper so I can a least drive the car, which doesnt look to bad, actually.

I'm not a body shop person so I could be wrong, but does it really take this long to repair small issues in a urethane bumper? Can they be just repaired in spots ( sanded, repainted ) as opposed to stripping the whole bumper and doing a total restoration on it? I'm still wondering if it will really be done correctly since the urethane and paint can still have cracking/ chipping issues if not done right. 

My plan as of now is to let him call me so I dont seem to be 'bothering' him. Dont know if he will call me back or not.

Do I just forget about it and live with the chrome one? I also dont want to pay some exorbitant price for a fix that maybe could have been done  less costly. Or, do I pay whatever the cost comes out and then keep the bumper? Since they are hard to find and this will be in good condition, sell it on ebay to get my money back?

Just wondering what peoples opinions are and if anyone has run into the same situation. I'm glad I just took the bumper to him and not have the car sitting over there.

thanks!

 
I can't speak to his treatment towards you, sounds like bad customer service or just a grumpy owner. That said it is a reputable shop? If they know what they are doing and use the correct paint/additives it will hold up. I myself like the early urethane bumpers. I would be more concerned if he was just going to sand down the cracks and repaint, then I think you would have issues. From my experience with most body shops is they tend to over promise and under deliver on timelines. The big question here is whether or not it is a reputable shop.

 
Personally i would have asked for a firm price when i dropped it off. Secondly i would not have accepted no answer when you asked if he can complete by 4th July. When i took it in i would have asked what date he could complete by. In business some jobs overrun especially with cars. I wouls call into his shop and say i dont want to put any pressure on you all i want to know is the cost and a expected completion date. Once i know those two things i will not bother you again. Then i would tell him why you took the work to him and inflate his ego by telling him how good he is and how good his work is and the examples you have seen at differant shows. Get the guy onside and he may be a bit more amiable and forthcoming.

 
I think the guy is giving you terrible service and communication. With that said, my '73 bumper needed some gouges repaired and the whole bumper needed to be stripped and repainted. The urethane is very difficult to get the newer paints to stick too, and my body shop ended up repainting it about 3 times, all on the shops dime. I would go by the shop and ask how the project is coming. It may be the guy just doesn't want to admit he's having problems with it. You should get a better feel for what's happening when you're face to face. Worst case, pick up your bumper and go somewhere else.

Steve

 
My opinion is he does not not know what he is doing. There are material that 3-M makes for doing the repairs on crack in the bumpers. It is not easy and requires skill. To media blast a bumper is 15 min. He just does not want to do the job. BTW in 1973 Ford put an Argent front bumper on any car that had non factory paint color. They did not want to have to hassle with getting paint with the elastomer for odd colors. I have one and the build sheet says to install an Argent bumper. Ford had the elastomer for Argent and not a problem.

Every car has rubber bumpers today and not nothing special or new to a body shop. Fixing cracks can be a PIA.

 
My body shop also had a hard time with my 73 front bumper. They said they redid it 3 times. They had to have the PPG paint rep come out and help mix the paint. This was back in 2010 and the bumper is holding up well except for the nick and crack I did in the garage.

 
I would definitely not give it up as they are not being reproduced, so they are kinda valuable.

If you wanna stick with the chrome one make sure to get the other one back anyway and store it.

This being said, a shop that will not take my calls or avoid me in any other way will know my wrath. That's just no way to do business. Admit you screwed up or that you can't do it and be a man about it. But don't hide your mistake or lack of talent by avoiding me like a coward.

Anyone can screw up but it takes a crook to hide it or avoid the consequences.

 
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