Need Direction Please
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Griffith Indiana
Need Direction Please
I own a 1980 Corvette that i am currently chemically stripping in my garage. Once I have it stripped, I will be sending it locally to have bodywork and painting completed. There is a lot of bodywork that needs to be completed near front and rear bumpers and I planned on stripping the bumpers of paint as well. Is it better for me and the person doing the painting and bodywork to have the bumpers off the car or strip them while they are on the car?
I was thinking about stripping them while they are on the car, but then taking them off before I send the car for bodywork and paint.
What is the best process to use in this situation?
TTERZ
I was thinking about stripping them while they are on the car, but then taking them off before I send the car for bodywork and paint.
What is the best process to use in this situation?
TTERZ
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Griffith Indiana
Thanks for the information. Are these pretty straightforward to remove from the car? I know there are a series of bolts that need to be removed. Are they easy to remove and any things I should know before removing them?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
Mine's a 77 so unsure if the process is exactly the same, but yes they simply unbolt. Lots of small, hard to reach nuts... some of my studs had double nuts on. Much easier to get the fronts with the headlight assys out of the car, I suspect the rear would be easier without the fuel tank in the way but my project came with the rear bumper off.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 124
From: Wichita KS
The Corvette Shop Manual for 1980 page 2B-4 and 2B-5 has diagrams and instructions for on-car-service of the bumpers. Also the Assembly Instruction Manual (A.I.M.) for 1980 is a good resource for how the car was built. If you are going to be working on your car these are two important documents.
The bumper covers are attached with a number of small fasteners that by now are most likely rusted so you may have to get creative removing them. Access is a problem with the bumpers in the way!
On the rear especially, you may be able to remove the rear bumper to gain access to the small screws holding the bumper cover in place.
Below are a couple of photos showing a body drop. Note that the front cover was not on the car at the time of body drop. Note the rear cover was attached to the body along the top, but was braced open at the bottom of the cover in order to clear the gas tank/bumper. Hope this helps
Again, Welcome to the Forum!
Last edited by mapman; Feb 8, 2011 at 12:19 AM.
