US spec 123 bumper mod, removing all rubber end trim
US spec 123 bumper mod, removing all rubber end trim
For the last couple weeks ive been trying to resolve some of the rust issues on my DD 240 sedan. The car is not too bad, but needs floor pan repair, and fender work.
I gave the car to a trusted body guy who is working on a plan for me regarding the rubber bumper ends-
It is my opinion that all the rust that kills the front and rear fenders on 123 chassis (outside of wheel well rot) comes from the rubber bumper ends bracketry, which has a crappy finish, rusts, and transfers rust into the body.
Example-
Perfectly good fender sandwiched against a piece of rusty garbage, added bonus is the bracket also traps debris to accelerate rust-
looks ok from 20 feet-
but behind the bumper-
debris and rust against the fender-
telltale signs of damage from this situation-
The rot starts around the holes, and travels down the fender seam, and end result is the fender is in a bad way.
Here is how bad the damage actually turned out to be-
rear-
rear rubber trim bracket-
transferred rust from that piece of crap trim bracket-
fronts-
Beautiful job on the welding and on the finish product.
Looking at your car, I now wonder if you can do a plastic covered bumper and how it would look like. That is using an appropriate bumper to cover up.
Now of course that will not solve your minimal attached parts to prevent rust to the sheet metal issue by adding more attachment points.
hummm, i have thought about this since i pulled the bumpers off of my 82 coupe. Looking at the bumpers off of the car, i think i want to cut them down to look like old vw bumpers, and cut the mounting brackets way down to tuck the bumper closer to the car and delete the rubber trim. ill see if i cant get some pics of the bumpers and have the woman photo shop them for me tonight so you can see what im talking about. but i think its a great idea! maybe if your idea looks better then what i had in my head i might borrow it! lol
I think if one were to remove the rubber end caps and weld extra material to the bumper so it wrapped around on either side that might look pretty good
(09-26-2013, 12:02 PM)DeliveryValve Beautiful job on the welding and on the finish product.
Looking at your car, I now wonder if you can do a plastic covered bumper and how it would look like. That is using an appropriate bumper to cover up.
Now of course that will not solve your minimal attached parts to prevent rust to the sheet metal issue by adding more attachment points.
(09-28-2013, 12:58 PM)1911diesel hummm, i have thought about this since i pulled the bumpers off of my 82 coupe. Looking at the bumpers off of the car, i think i want to cut them down to look like old vw bumpers, and cut the mounting brackets way down to tuck the bumper closer to the car and delete the rubber trim. ill see if i cant get some pics of the bumpers and have the woman photo shop them for me tonight so you can see what im talking about. but i think its a great idea! maybe if your idea looks better then what i had in my head i might borrow it! lol
(09-28-2013, 02:32 PM)sassparilla_kid I think if one were to remove the rubber end caps and weld extra material to the bumper so it wrapped around on either side that might look pretty good
(09-26-2013, 12:02 PM)DeliveryValve Beautiful job on the welding and on the finish product.
Looking at your car, I now wonder if you can do a plastic covered bumper and how it would look like. That is using an appropriate bumper to cover up.
Now of course that will not solve your minimal attached parts to prevent rust to the sheet metal issue by adding more attachment points.
(09-28-2013, 12:58 PM)1911diesel hummm, i have thought about this since i pulled the bumpers off of my 82 coupe. Looking at the bumpers off of the car, i think i want to cut them down to look like old vw bumpers, and cut the mounting brackets way down to tuck the bumper closer to the car and delete the rubber trim. ill see if i cant get some pics of the bumpers and have the woman photo shop them for me tonight so you can see what im talking about. but i think its a great idea! maybe if your idea looks better then what i had in my head i might borrow it! lol
(09-28-2013, 02:32 PM)sassparilla_kid I think if one were to remove the rubber end caps and weld extra material to the bumper so it wrapped around on either side that might look pretty good
Chrome can be chemically removed by places that do any kind of plating I think
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=removing+chrome+plating
You might be able to hammer it off, since the chrome is hard and the aluminum is soft. But then you will have a hammered finish bumper :p
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
^^^
the idea of dropping the bumper in a container full of soda overnight and scraping off the chrome next day is really appealing to me, gotta say.
That link doesn't specific what kind of soda in that method, but Im sure I can research the most acidic type out there. Lots of good ideas in that link
Might do a test on a small ruined chrome piece and see what happens
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
I know bottom-of-the-barrel packing tape adhesive will eat it too but takes a while
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
My boss told me a story about one time his brother in law was doing some construction at a coca cola bottling plant and while they were there a container of super coke concentrate got spilled, and by the time all of the stuff was gathered to clean up the spill it had already eaten through the concrete floor
smoothed fenders painted and finished!
rear screw holes repaired and painted!
no side holes for rubber trim mounting in the body now, front and rear!
now to play with the bumpers
collapsing the shocks did the trick, looks way better
still needs end treatment to look perfect, might look fine without that rubber strip though, but first to play with the rubber ends
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
After seeing what happened to purplecomputer, I wouldn't collapse the shocks but maybe recess the mounts?
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
(10-23-2013, 12:23 PM)Simpler=Better After seeing what happened to purplecomputer, I wouldn't collapse the shocks but maybe recess the mounts?
(10-23-2013, 12:23 PM)Simpler=Better After seeing what happened to purplecomputer, I wouldn't collapse the shocks but maybe recess the mounts?
(10-23-2013, 01:21 PM)JB3(10-23-2013, 12:23 PM)Simpler=Better After seeing what happened to purplecomputer, I wouldn't collapse the shocks but maybe recess the mounts?
his accidents are a perfect example of how useless the bumper is anyway IMO honestly, unless you hit another older benz. Most accident pictures from the front people post show the bumper slipping underneath the car in front, headlights, hood, and grill taking the hit.
plus, since this is a NA 240, im more likely to get rear ended.
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
(10-23-2013, 01:21 PM)JB3(10-23-2013, 12:23 PM)Simpler=Better After seeing what happened to purplecomputer, I wouldn't collapse the shocks but maybe recess the mounts?
his accidents are a perfect example of how useless the bumper is anyway IMO honestly, unless you hit another older benz. Most accident pictures from the front people post show the bumper slipping underneath the car in front, headlights, hood, and grill taking the hit.
plus, since this is a NA 240, im more likely to get rear ended.
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
YOU GUYS TALKIN' BOUT ME?!?!?
bumpers suck. they dont do anything anyway.
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
We talk about you a lot. Mostly when we're reviewing the surveillance footage.
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
I have to agree the front bumpers are useless in rear ending today's type of cars. You would need to reinstall your Moose bar.... but I think it's on lgreeley's car...
Anyways a few weeks ago I did a boneheaded maneuver in my TDI and slid into the rear of a Scion. This is where 5 MPH bumpers did it's job in keeping both cars unscathed. But man it felt like I did a huge amount of damage.
The other day I had the front end off for some maintenance and driveline repairs, I could clearly see the worn off paint on how the shocks were compressed by the impact. I thought it was pretty neat to see that.
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(10-23-2013, 11:34 PM)DeliveryValve I have to agree the front bumpers are useless in rear ending today's type of cars. You would need to reinstall your Moose bar.... but I think it's on lgreeley's car...
Anyways a few weeks ago I did a boneheaded maneuver in my TDI and slid into the rear of a Scion. This is where 5 MPH bumpers did it's job in keeping both cars unscathed. But man it felt like I did a huge amount of damage.
The other day I had the front end off for some maintenance and driveline repairs, I could clearly see the worn off paint on how the shocks were compressed by the impact. I thought it was pretty neat to see that.
.
(10-23-2013, 11:34 PM)DeliveryValve I have to agree the front bumpers are useless in rear ending today's type of cars. You would need to reinstall your Moose bar.... but I think it's on lgreeley's car...
Anyways a few weeks ago I did a boneheaded maneuver in my TDI and slid into the rear of a Scion. This is where 5 MPH bumpers did it's job in keeping both cars unscathed. But man it felt like I did a huge amount of damage.
The other day I had the front end off for some maintenance and driveline repairs, I could clearly see the worn off paint on how the shocks were compressed by the impact. I thought it was pretty neat to see that.
.
Both cars had some abrasions on the bumper skin paint. Luckily no permanent ripples on the plastic. It basically looked like someone parallel parking in a tight city spot.
I have yet to do it, but a little rubbing compound should clean it up.
Bumper attachment is simple, one large bolt all the way through.
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so ended up attaching the rear bumper. After thinking about it, since this is a 240, id like to retain those shocks I think.
Here is what I did to mount up after that tab was missing-
welded 3/16ths U's to the shocks, and bolted top and bottom
here is how the rear bumper looks sans rubber-
now to work out the bumper ends, or if they are really needed. Might be necessary seeing as how im not tucking this one
put the rubber on and just make sure and wash it often
(11-04-2013, 12:23 PM)willbhere4u put the rubber on and just make sure and wash it often
(11-04-2013, 12:23 PM)willbhere4u put the rubber on and just make sure and wash it often
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
Doesn't look that bad, my truck had that much gap before it got rearended 500 times
larsalan I guess I need to look at this stupid ass drip shit. What you have to like mess with those elements on the pump? What a fucking hassle. then use some wire to hold the throttle open or some shit?
euro bumpers would fix that issue you have already done the hard part filling the old holes
I think if you could mount Euro bumpers using the American bumper shocks that would be the cat's pajamas