Parts Wanted 71-72 front urethane bumper

[dtmasoGT5]

Everyone - any leads on a decent restorable 71-72 urethane front bumper would be helpful. I've studied the repair process in some of the more well documented forum articles on the site. I just took delivery of a used one from Colorado, but successful, lasting restoration looks questionable. So, looking for one that is definitely salvageable. Thanks!

 

[Steve McMahan]

Well, I was gonna save this for myself, but if you’re interested, this is a recent notification I received from the Ontario, Ca Pick Your Part yard, I’m not in town so I can’t get there to look. But maybe next week:

 

[dtmasoGT5]

Wow, thanks, Steve. You're quick, but that's a 73. Looking for a 71-72.

 

[Steve McMahan]

It’s listed as a 72

 

[dtmasoGT5]

Wish it was because it looks decent. But the vin confirms it - first digit is a 3.

 

[72MustangSprint]

Wish it was because it looks decent. But the vin confirms it - first digit is a 3.

It’s def 73

 

[Steve McMahan]

Well, my 73’s front and rear bumpers are in need of replacement. I’ll see if they’re still on it next week.

 

[dtmasoGT5]

Eventually I'll compile a thread on the restoration - but for now, what's your impression?

1) Overall the surface isn't that bad - I've seen worse - but cant figure out if this is essentially "straight"


2). There is a notable bulge on the top of the passenger side that was very hard. I took a chance thinking it was dented and could pound it out. Took a dead-blow to it and managed to knock out what turned out to be a lot of rust forming on the sub frame beneath the urethane. The bulge is still there but is pliable. When pushed in it comes right back out - so the urethane "memorized" the bulge, and unless it's reaffixed to the sub frame it probably won't lie flat again. And I wouldn't trust it to stay flat once finished.


3). Here you can more prominently see the wavy-ness across the top.


4). You can see here how high the bulge is, above and below.

5). One of a couple small tears lower mount points


6). Another small tear


7) Here one can see there it might have a sligt twist to it, but I'm not sure it's not natural - as I don't have another straight bumper to compare it with.


8). Wavy-ness more obvious here, no?


10). Wave here is apparent



11) Video of the bump
View attachment IMG_2490.MOV

What's the consensus? Salvageable or keep looking?

 

[Sheriff41]

Pretty rough looking but definitely salvageable. It all depends on how much effort you want to put into it.

 

[dtmasoGT5]

Thanks. Yeah, it looks like a lot of work. Still looking for a better one though.

 

[c9zx]

I agree with Sheriff. It is always a trade off of money or time. I'd put some heat and pressure on the hump and see what happens. The rest is not a hard fix, it will take some time and patience. Good luck with whatever you choose to do. Chuck

 

[basstrix]

I bought the bumper in this picture. Not sure it's any better than what you have, but I'll pull it out and take some pictures if you're interested. I believe it has some rust in the area where yours shows to be bare steel.

 

[dtmasoGT5]

Yes - please send detailed photos or, better yet, a couple short videos when you can - Christmas comes first, however!

 

[basstrix]

Yes - please send detailed photos or, better yet, a couple short videos when you can - Christmas comes first, however!

PM'd you a link to the pics on a shared drive. Let me know if you have any interest and we'll go from there.

 

[6972boss]

I have a nice one. Came with the 73 I just bought. Send me an email [email protected]

 

[dtmasoGT5]

has to be 71 or 72

 

[Flatback72]

Eventually I'll compile a thread on the restoration - but for now, what's your impression?

1) Overall the surface isn't that bad - I've seen worse - but cant figure out if this is essentially "straight"


2). There is a notable bulge on the top of the passenger side that was very hard. I took a chance thinking it was dented and could pound it out. Took a dead-blow to it and managed to knock out what turned out to be a lot of rust forming on the sub frame beneath the urethane. The bulge is still there but is pliable. When pushed in it comes right back out - so the urethane "memorized" the bulge, and unless it's reaffixed to the sub frame it probably won't lie flat again. And I wouldn't trust it to stay flat once finished.

3). Here you can more prominently see the wavy-ness across the top.


4). You can see here how high the bulge is, above and below.

5). One of a couple small tears lower mount points


6). Another small tear


7) Here one can see there it might have a sligt twist to it, but I'm not sure it's not natural - as I don't have another straight bumper to compare it with.


8). Wavy-ness more obvious here, no?


10). Wave here is apparent



11) Video of the bump


What's the consensus? Salvageable or keep looking?

To me your bumper looks like it has taken a hit to the front at some stage and which has "flattened" the angle. I say that because the one currently on my car looks similar, it's been pushed back about an inch in the centre and the unnatural backwards bend has caused slight distortions elsewhere on the the surface. The angle of these bumpers should be pretty much the same angle of the grill. I've been lucky because the paint on mine is pretty good so it's not completely noticeable that it is damaged.

I was fortunate enough a few years ago by a minor miracle to find another bumper here in Australia (pic below), it's currently out at a shop being stripped and painted to suit my car, though I'll be keeping my old one as a serviceable replacement if I somehow one day damage the good one.

 

[dtmasoGT5]

To me your bumper looks like it has taken a hit to the front at some stage and which has "flattened" the angle.

You’re absolutely correct, Flatback. Just recently I fit the bumper to the car and it became apparent.



I expect that, another bumper I’m waiting on (thanks to 6972boss), will be less problematic. There was/is that gorgeous green NOS bumper for sale on FB Marketplace, but they never responded to me.

Fingers crossed, and I’ll keep everyone posted.

 

[Flatback72]

You’re absolutely correct, Flatback. Just recently I fit the bumper to the car and it became apparent.

I expect that, another bumper I’m waiting on (thanks to 6972boss), will be less problematic. There was/is that gorgeous green NOS bumper for sale on FB Marketplace, but they never responded to me.

Fingers crossed, and I’ll keep everyone posted.

Wonderful that the 7173 community has come through for you to get you a new bumper! If you are reusing the main bracket I would be checking that out for damage as well when you disassemble the bumper from the bracket. I noted recently that brand new main brackets are available for our cars. I didn't need to worry about my old bracket because the bumper that I sourced came with a good straight one.

One thing about these bumpers is there is a thinner edge along the top which is susceptible flexing if accidentally handled and that can crack the paint (I found that out the hard way). On the bumper that is soon to go on my car I made a little addition to remove the potential for flex from that area. During the test fitment of the bumper I found that there was a finger width of clearance between the top edge of the bumper and the bottom edge of the grille. So I bought a small length of PCV pipe about 1.75" diameter to mimic the radius on the bumper's top inner edge, cut some strips from the pipe, then laid a bead of Sikaflex 227 (paintable body sealer adhesive) along the inner edge and glued the pipe strips onto the bumper. Once dried I did a test fit on the car; still plenty of clearance between the grille, it's impossible to see the modification from the outside, and the thin edge of the bumper that used to flex easily with a little bit of a push barely flexes at all now even with a very strong push. The bloke who is doing the prep and paint (with a flex agent in the primer and paint) of my new bumper looked at my mod and said "well, that's a good idea!"

 

[dtmasoGT5]

Very clever, Flatback.
Thanks.