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Smoothing a front bumper

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bwiley

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I want to smooth off the front bumper on our '66, does anyone have experience at doing that?

I take it I just need to weld the bolts to the bumper, grind, etc. but my concern is getting a good weld on the bumper material. Have always heard that the old bumpers are a type of spring steel and am concerned with the welds cracking. Any suggestions for welding rod to use? (have only stick a/c welder)

I just installed a rollpan on the thing and am doing some body work, figured as long as I'm screwing up the nice lexus pearl white paint job I might as well do it all!

Bruce
 
Hi bwiley! The TV show TRUCKS just did a segment on that last week.

I'll try to summerize.
Afer grinding down the bumper area where the holes are, cut the heads off the bumper bolts, being sure to leave the square part. Fit the bolt in so there is a "very slight" recess and tack weld it just to hold in place. From the back side, place a wide washer on the bolt, it should fit as flush to the back of the bumper as possible. Then spot weld that to the bolt going all the way around, then spot weld the washer to the back of the bumper. Go back to the front side and fill the weld in from that side too. Grind off all excess flush with the bumper face. Repeat as many times as you have bumper bolts.

They made it look easy.

Dvalentine
 
They always do. To bad you never see the parts were they can't get a arch or they are out of gas for the torch,welder whatever.They should do a bloopers episode.
 
Man, thanks so much for the great info! I wasn't expecting to even get an answer on that one. I take it just a 6013 rod would work ok on it or maybe I'll try a low hydrogen for a bit more strength.

Yup Craig, I'm sure this simple little job will take me about 2 weeks to do! Then, I want to do it on our '67 also. There goes a month of spare time.

Bruce
 
I was hoping someone would sense the sarcasim in that statement. I knew I could count on you Craig !!

Seriously, If you are a better than novice welder, which it sounds like he is, it should'nt be that hard a deal. Probably an hour per bolt.

DV
 
Yeah, the welding is the easy part. Then there is the grinding, bondo, sanding, bondo, sanding, bondo, sand, prime, glaze, sand, don't like so it do it over again that gets me!

Bruce
 
Well, I think if you grind the bolt down after welding it, you're going to really weaken the weld. I would remove it, and weld an offset bracket to bolt to (use imagination). Weld your offset with a triple pass bead, and you should be ok. You'll actually be able to take off your bumper again! Good luck. Let me know how it goes.





Regards,
Arizona64
 
[updated:LAST EDITED ON May-02-02 AT 06:28 PM (CST)]>Well, I think if you grind the bolt down after welding it,
>you're going to really weaken the weld. >
>
>Regards,
>Arizona64


On the TRUCKS TV show, they said the purpose of the washers was to strengthen the weld. It makes sence as it is the bolt welded to the washer and then the washer welded to the back of the bumper that should take the stress. The weld on the pretty side is just for smoothing, not for strength.

Mounting the bolt with a "slight" indentation, then welding the front to fill the hole allowed the front to be grinded flush. They did one on the show and without paint, just bare metal, you could not see where the old hole was.
 
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