i've started to remove the rear bumper on my '74 coupe....some of the bolts on the bumper retainers have been snapping off because they are so rotted...when i install the new bumper could i just bolt the bumper on the car without the retainers? i don't have the resources and space to do a body off restoration on my car, however, i would like to clean up and detail the frame. is this practical for me to do myself, or should i take it somewhere? i've thought about renting a pressure washer and wire brushing the surface rust. (no areas on the frame have rotted thru, thank god!)


74 coupe - 4 speed

 

I had the exact problem on my front bumper. ABout half of the bolts on the retainers snapped off because they were all rusted. Here's what i did. i was trying to figure out how to keep my stock bumper retainers but was at wits end to make something work so i could put nuts back on and reattach the front bumper.. so what i ended up doing was buying SS bolts, punched out the old broken ones then took the brackets and bolts to a machine shop close by and had them spot weld the bolts on.. only costed 15 dollars.. it worked really well. If you don't use the brackets to hold the bumper on you might run into problems with the glass cracking because there would be to much pressure in one spot