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'71-'74 SS Bumper Autopsy Questins

497 views 5 replies 2 participants last post by  divotandtralee 
#1 · (Edited)
I've disassembled my '73 Spider (spare, straight) bumper and have a few questions for those who have converted to the "Non-bumperette" transformation. CA sells the rubber and backing strip. When I removed the rubber strip from the never touched original bumper, it seems the inside of the rubber was covered inside on the facing to the bumper with a "waxy" residue from either a lubricant or a contact adhesive of 46 years ago. Can anyone share their experience flushing up the strip with the bumper? Did they use a lubricant like Vaseline or glycerine or did they use a thin film of contact cement to seat the rubber and cinched it down home. The reason I am doing this is one of the bumperettes was completely wasted and THAT is what holds the bumper on.the car.. see photos PS there is a way around this problem by screwing the bumperette to the bumper from the backside.. but that is another subject. I love discovering new challenges and fixin' them
 

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#3 ·
I am not sure what question is being asked.

If you have a new rubber rub strip, it probably does not have the holes to accommodate the bumperettes.

Do you intend to cut those holes in the new rubber?

Why not just delete the bumperettes?

If I recall correctly from the time I owned a '71, doesn't the rubber rub strip have a series of metal pins that go through the steel and then are fixed from the inside with speed nuts or clips?
 
#4 ·
No.. I intend to use the original rubber. It is in as new condition .. My question was this business of coating on the inside. OI am reusing the inside metal strip too with new 6 mm screws replacing the 5mm's that all snapped off. Here is my original post.........it seems the inside of the rubber was covered inside on the facing to the bumper with a "waxy" residue from either a lubricant or a contact adhesive of 46 years ago. Can anyone share their experience flushing up the strip with the bumper?... and what the residue is.. It it some sort of protectant or glue ?
 
#5 ·
Oh. I misunderstood.

I just refurbished a '74 bumper, but it was in much better condition (the shaftts for the bumperettes were not corroded) and I did not need to remove the rubber strip, thus I can't opine about the identity of the residue.

My guess is that the rubber might tend to sag or separate from the bumper if no adhesive is used - that's a long span between the bumperettes. While I understand that you're using new screws in the metal strip, adhesive would seem like a good idea.

I would probably put a bead of Shoe Goo on the rubber and clamp it in position until cured in order to ensure that it stays put. It would be an adjunct to the original strip-and-screw installation.
 
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