Front Bumper Damage

[Robflocar]

Teaching my 10 year old Grandson to drive and he clipped a post and damaged the front bumper plastic. Yes I was sitting beside him and even had my hand on the hand brake but .... well that what can happen. I decided to fix it with fibre glass. Taking the baumper off is not covered at all in the D1 manual. Rave gives a version that isn't the same as my car perhaps to meet ADR's. There are two extra bolts luckily slotted and two extra stays each with two small nuts to remove. That of course takes the whole thing off including the steel backing. To seperate that requires drastic action. Some is glue that actually sticks and some is a mastic type product that peels away. Behind the number plate is well glued and so I used an angle grinder. I will glue it back but it is covered by the number plate. Check out some photos.
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The extra bracket and nuts on each side.

[Robflocar]

Photo showing damage done trying to seperate the plastic from the metal.172422172423172424172425

[Robflocar]

Photos showing making strenghthening aluminium strip to hold all the pieces in place. Once it is all in place I'll fill the back with fibre glass. The front will have some bog added to cover all the cracks. Hopefully!

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[Nashvegas]

God we're so uptight here in America people would lose their marbles online over a 10 year old driving. 10 years old -- go grandpa go -- hell yes!

[Bohica]

God we're so uptight here in America people would lose their marbles online over a 10 year old driving. 10 years old -- go grandpa go -- hell yes!

Yeah, I know. Why so old!!

[onebob]

Photos showing making strenghthening aluminium strip to hold all the pieces in place. Once it is all in place I'll fill the back with fibre glass. The front will have some bog added to cover all the cracks. Hopefully!

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Can you fix it Pa?
Yes! I certainly can - and it’ll be as good as new in no time [emoji4] and nobody will ever realise it was broken[emoji56]

You’ll be immortal after this [emoji1417]

Memories are priceless aren’t they …..

[Xtreme]

Photos showing making strenghthening aluminium strip to hold all the pieces in place. Once it is all in place I'll fill the back with fibre glass. The front will have some bog added to cover all the cracks. Hopefully!

If the cracks in the front aren't too big you may fine a product known as 'Q-Bond" will be better than "bog". Very easy to use - form a 'v' in the crack, drop the powder in and apply a few drops of the glue. Only takes a few seconds to react and harden before you can sand or file any excess off.
I used it to repair my D2 bumpers and after sanding & painting they looked like new.
Available here Q-Bond Ultra Strong Adhesive with Reinforcing Powder Small Repair Kit 6001651023565 | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/303740596544?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-139619-5960-0&mkcid=2&itemid=303740596544&targetid=1280421174239&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9071776&poi=&campaignid=12499394795&mkgroupid=123469081380&rlsatarget=pla-1280421174239&abcId=9300512&merchantid=115519194&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6ZOIBhDdARIsAMf8YyGziAL6fAVVlv_pyAEd D-wAswYtgpIn0tNUVBGtgSYWrV54zA8ODJgaAvuYEALw_wcB)

[Robflocar]

Udate photo.172609 Showing the bits that are missing filled with tape to hold the fibre glass and epoxy.

[Robflocar]

More update photos showing the fibre glass epoxy in place.

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The last photo shows that the left also shattered when I tried to replace the bumper on the car.

[Robflocar]

I should also say I had a generous offer of a bull bar/bumper but have decided to keep the car as original as possible without spending much money. After all it is only a tow car for my tandem car trailer and occasional caravan use. No off road at all, did that for 26 years in the Army, fun at the time but been there done that.

[RobMichelle]

I wish I still had mine from fitting the bull bar a few years ago, but we moved house last year and it went to tip, surely someone would have a bumper after removing to fit a bull bar to replace the broken one for you.

[Robflocar]

I could have spent more time on getting all the marks out but decided it was good enough. I have sprayed the bumper with acrylic bumper paint. Suitable for soft plastic, hard plastic and glass fibre. Depending on the amount of thinners so the surface effect can be varied. By chance I got the exact same result as the original surface. In fact the result was so good I have decided to paint the guard extensions that are faded and rough. I'll use spray putty to fill the roughness. Then paint with the same amount of thinners as the bumpers. Really all the black mouldings need to be done.

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[Robflocar]

Painted the guard extensions then the door protectors looked dull so they also got a spray now the smashed up rear bumper, rear step, and the sill plastic needs doing.

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[Bohica]

That is an excellent repair. Looks just like a bought one.