Front bumper bracket removal?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 61
From: Medina Ohio
Front bumper bracket removal?
I'm in the final stages of getting the body ready to lift of the frame for a new rolling chassis. I FINALLY got all the body mount bolts cut, snapped, grinded, sawzalled, etc. 
All the other stuff is done. Steering linkage, grounding straps etc. Motor & interior are out of the car.
Anyway, I removed the 3 bolts per side that bolt the bumper to the front frame rails (78, so the bumper structure in the nose). While doing this, I noticed that on the inside of the frame rails there are 4 bolts, and on the outside of the frame, inside the wheel well there are 3 bolts and a "hump" of the steel where you can tell it is over the head of the 4th. Whats the way to get this loose? Do the bumper brackets that go through the front of the wheel well have to be removed (seems to be real tough to get access to the bolts at the front of it)? If so what's the best way to get them out?
Any help appreciated. I got to this point the other night, and plan to go out this evening to figure it out and finish up.
All the other stuff is done. Steering linkage, grounding straps etc. Motor & interior are out of the car. Anyway, I removed the 3 bolts per side that bolt the bumper to the front frame rails (78, so the bumper structure in the nose). While doing this, I noticed that on the inside of the frame rails there are 4 bolts, and on the outside of the frame, inside the wheel well there are 3 bolts and a "hump" of the steel where you can tell it is over the head of the 4th. Whats the way to get this loose? Do the bumper brackets that go through the front of the wheel well have to be removed (seems to be real tough to get access to the bolts at the front of it)? If so what's the best way to get them out?
Any help appreciated. I got to this point the other night, and plan to go out this evening to figure it out and finish up.
Last edited by Ibanez540r; Nov 9, 2012 at 01:57 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
Likes: 11
From: Hinckley OH
Yep. On my '74 I had to take those brackets off. I made videos of the whole removal process so I'll take a look and see what's involved.
edit: I looked at the video and I ended up taking the entire front bumper and grills off because I thought that was the best approach on my '74. Those brackets support the ends of the metal bumper that is under the rubber bumper. Keep in mind that your '78 may be different.
edit: I looked at the video and I ended up taking the entire front bumper and grills off because I thought that was the best approach on my '74. Those brackets support the ends of the metal bumper that is under the rubber bumper. Keep in mind that your '78 may be different.
Last edited by my 76 ray; Nov 10, 2012 at 11:27 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
You will have to remove the front bumper cover. The crash bar and braces may not need to be removed.
Here is body drop for 1981 at St. Louis. Crash bar is in place. My guess is that 78 was similar.
The AIM shows how the bumper braces were mounted. If memory serves, outers come off first then inners. Inners are part of the front impact system.
Here is body drop for 1981 at St. Louis. Crash bar is in place. My guess is that 78 was similar.
The AIM shows how the bumper braces were mounted. If memory serves, outers come off first then inners. Inners are part of the front impact system.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 61
From: Medina Ohio
Yeah I got to it last night. I had to remove the lower valance to access the bolts in the nose at the front of the outer bracket. 2 per side. There is another bolt at the front that WOULD only be accessible by pulling the nose cover off. It would be required to get it off to actually remove the brackets. But, once those 4 were off it was loose enough where I was able to use a pry bar and flex the bracket far enough away to get an open end wrench on the head of the bolt. I then removed the nut from the engine compartment side. It took a little work to get the bolt out though, but was manageable.
Building a body cart today and then waiting on getting a cherry picker here during the week to lift her off.
Building a body cart today and then waiting on getting a cherry picker here during the week to lift her off.
Last edited by Ibanez540r; Nov 11, 2012 at 01:11 PM.
