Paint with bumper attached
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Bellport NY
Paint with bumper attached
Anyone had expeience of prime/painting a Tru-flex bumper attached to the car? I have the front bumper attached to my '73 and I don't really want to remove it if I don't need to. The bumper is fitted very nicely and I am not filling the seam.
What are the pros & cons?
What are the pros & cons?
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 121
Likes: 2
From: Metro Detroit S. Florida
Pros: Cheaper
Cons:
*Hack way of painting
*Paint will crack at seam/body line
*Harder to properly prep entire cover when attached
*May not be able to remove trim attached to cover to properly refinish
*Paint manufactures won't cover repair (improper break line)
Any shop that's competent enough to paint your bumper, should easily be able to align in correctly if they remove it.
Cons:
*Hack way of painting
*Paint will crack at seam/body line
*Harder to properly prep entire cover when attached
*May not be able to remove trim attached to cover to properly refinish
*Paint manufactures won't cover repair (improper break line)
Any shop that's competent enough to paint your bumper, should easily be able to align in correctly if they remove it.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,697
Likes: 833
From: WI
What you can do, and is recommended if you're spraying a metallic paint, is to separate the bumper a little, say 1/4" - 1/2" from the body, then paint the car. Then re-attach and adjust. Cutting corners at this stage isn't the right place to do it. I urge you to loosen the bumpers and spray the car.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Bellport NY
What you can do, and is recommended if you're spraying a metallic paint, is to separate the bumper a little, say 1/4" - 1/2" from the body, then paint the car. Then re-attach and adjust. Cutting corners at this stage isn't the right place to do it. I urge you to loosen the bumpers and spray the car.
I was thinking about trying the above method. I am not using the stock retainers, I am using the replacement SS studs. It was such a huge pain to get all those SS studs in place while getting the bumper aligned. Plus, I am concerned about flexing the paint too much and causing it to crack during the re-install.
If you have a Tru-flex you probably know how tough a good fit can be.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 22
From: Yooperville MI
The retainer below will hold each stud in place each time you install the cover during the fitting process. If the cover is fitted to the body, it should be easy to remove and install with very little resistance or effort. The better bumper covers come without pre-drilled mounting holes, allowing you to drill your own in the correct places to match the body. If the studs are difficult to insert in the body, you need to fix that. If the cover is difficult to position and the mounting surface does not fit flush with the body, the cover will deform when you tighten the mounting nuts and the surface will flex. Even though these are designed to flex a little, it's still fiberglass and shaping the cover to fit the body is better than over-stressing it in my opinion. If the cover is fitted correctly, there will be very little flex when you tighten it.
As far as paint, I would paint it off the car. You can separate it as mentioned, but if you are not careful, you'll end up with dry spray in the seam and it will be hard to paint the bottom surfaces. If you remove it, the paint coverage and finish will be better underneath and the seam will look better. Even if you are blending the new paint into the body, the bumper does not need to be in place for a perfect paint match.
As far as paint, I would paint it off the car. You can separate it as mentioned, but if you are not careful, you'll end up with dry spray in the seam and it will be hard to paint the bottom surfaces. If you remove it, the paint coverage and finish will be better underneath and the seam will look better. Even if you are blending the new paint into the body, the bumper does not need to be in place for a perfect paint match.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,697
Likes: 833
From: WI
You're getting lazy. Paint work is tedious (as you know). 80% of the work to getting a top quality job is in the prep work BEFORE any paint is ever sprayed. There are no shortcuts. Guys that cut corners, you can see it in their work every time. This is a shortcut I and others here (from experience) would urge you not to take. It'll be obvious to anybody looking at the car. Secondly, the true-flex don't flex enough to cause the paint to crack if you are using urethane paint.
Now, the questions I ask is why aren't you using the factory mounting hardware? It would make mounting easier, and it's stronger than using the clips. I bought a true-flex bumper and what I found was while the outer original retaining strips fit ok, the center one did not. I made a new center strip from a strip of 1/2" wide steel 1/8" thick. I threaded the holes and put it behind the lip and threaded studs into it with thread locker to keep the studs from spinning. If you can do this, it will make it easier to mount and less of a pain. Just wanted to put that out there FWIW.
Now, the questions I ask is why aren't you using the factory mounting hardware? It would make mounting easier, and it's stronger than using the clips. I bought a true-flex bumper and what I found was while the outer original retaining strips fit ok, the center one did not. I made a new center strip from a strip of 1/2" wide steel 1/8" thick. I threaded the holes and put it behind the lip and threaded studs into it with thread locker to keep the studs from spinning. If you can do this, it will make it easier to mount and less of a pain. Just wanted to put that out there FWIW.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Bellport NY
I guess I am being lazy. I should remove the bumper completely.
I like the suggestion of fabricating my ow retainers. I saw a dimensioned hole pattern in my AIM, that would help. However, I don't think I will go that route. I will use the studs I have and RTV them in place. I don't have to worry about the stud alignment because I drilled my own holes.
As far as the bumper is concerned, the mounting flange is sufficiently thick enough that I am not worried about breaking. The studs are not clips they are self-clinching studs press into a 1-1/2" bar that spreads the clamping force on the flange. I can post a pic if you wish to see them. I got the kit from Willcox.
I just argued myself into removing it completely.
I like the suggestion of fabricating my ow retainers. I saw a dimensioned hole pattern in my AIM, that would help. However, I don't think I will go that route. I will use the studs I have and RTV them in place. I don't have to worry about the stud alignment because I drilled my own holes.
As far as the bumper is concerned, the mounting flange is sufficiently thick enough that I am not worried about breaking. The studs are not clips they are self-clinching studs press into a 1-1/2" bar that spreads the clamping force on the flange. I can post a pic if you wish to see them. I got the kit from Willcox.
I just argued myself into removing it completely.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 22
From: Yooperville MI
Breaking the mounting flange is not the concern. If there is a gap between the mounting flange and the body, it should be filled on the backside of the bumper flange to match the body shape. Otherwise, as you tighten the flange against the body you could deform and/or crease the top surface of the bumper cover and that may not show up until after paint and the first time it's been out in the hot sunshine for a while.
Another tip, use nylon locking nuts instead of the standard nut and lockwasher that come with the aftermarket studs. Locking nuts allow the bumper to remain tight against the body and won't loosen later. The standard nut and lock washer are really ineffective with fiberglass parts.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Bellport NY
Silicone is the enemy of bodywork so avoid using it anywhere near the body, it's liable to haunt you during paint. The retainer I showed you is how I hold the studs in place when I do these jobs (a #10 push on retainer). They work with the OEM and aftermarket retainers and they hold your studs in place during fitting and can remain in place after final mounting.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,697
Likes: 833
From: WI
Dude, these 'retainers' are just One-Way washer type thingies you can buy at any hardware store. What you want is a minerature version like those used to hold cooking grille wheels on, and wheels on kids toys and wagons, etc. You push them over the stud sticking out of the bumper to keep the stud in place ....I'm sure you've seen them.
Good luck,
Mark G
Good luck,
Mark G
