Endura Bumper Resto

GenOne · #1 07-01-2008, 05:50 AM

I have an Endura bumper that I was hoping could be restored - overall in good shape outside of a bad paint job and a split (3rd photo) on the bottom underside. Any thoughts on who could restore the bumper if it can be?

thanks in advance -

Jeff

**William** · #2 07-01-2008, 06:35 AM

The VE3 bumper consists of a steel liner with rubber molded over it. The bumper is not watertight, the liner is not coated and rusts over time, splitting the rubber as seen in the photo. In my parts days we had a few so rusted they were limp. I have seen attempts made to repair them but they look repaired and continue to blister.

**njsteve** · #3 07-01-2008, 06:55 AM

Grind all the paint off with 80 grit. I would then cut a flap that fully exposes the rusted area. Grind the rust away and prep it properly and then use the 2-part urethane rubber bumper repair stuff as a glue to hold the flap back down and clamp it in place.

I have done the same with Cuda rubber bumpers. They all had a habit of breaking off the sealed-in bumper bolts and you had to do similar surgery to replace the bolts.

**firstgenaddict** · #4 07-01-2008, 10:44 PM

McGyver... is there anything you don't know how to fix?

OBTW.. I am having problems with my Illudium P36 Space Modulator... can you help me?

**njsteve** · #5 07-02-2008, 02:35 AM

Thats a low and slow pitch over the plate...The Illudium P36 Space Modulator can be recailibrated just like an old GM points distributor. Grab an old match book and gap the Grepton dialubic flange to .019 and it should work just like new. Send me a postcard from Mars, and say Hi to Marvin when you're there!

**SS427** · #6 07-02-2008, 03:18 AM

rpoz11 · #7 07-03-2008, 10:31 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Thats a low and slow pitch over the plate...The Illudium P36 Space Modulator can be recailibrated just like an old GM points distributor. Grab an old match book and gap the Grepton dialubic flange to .019 and it should work just like new. Send me a postcard from Mars, and say Hi to Marvin when you're there!

[/ QUOTE ]

That was great!

I rarely comment on these but this one was classic!

rpoz11 · #8 07-03-2008, 10:34 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Grind all the paint off with 80 grit. I would then cut a flap that fully exposes the rusted area. Grind the rust away and prep it properly and then use the 2-part urethane rubber bumper repair stuff as a glue to hold the flap back down and clamp it in place.

I have done the same with Cuda rubber bumpers. They all had a habit of breaking off the sealed-in bumper bolts and you had to do similar surgery to replace the bolts.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a couple of these and have never felt comfortable giving any of them to JUST anyone to fix.

With what you have offered, is this the best repair solution?

I have just never knew what was correct to fix these and it's processes to fix them.

Any other info that can be brought to light regarding this fix???

**njsteve** · #9 07-03-2008, 02:50 PM

The main thing is this: you have to stop the rust or else anything you do is just cosmetic and will come back to haunt you in months or years to come.

Think of Joan Rivers. Just because she gets a face lift every few months doesn't mean she's young again below the (ever tightening) skin.

You have to stop the rust and the only way to do that is to access it. So you have to cut the surface material away and kill the rust, then clean the area, and the flap and reattach it. Then you do the normal bodywork after the repair is done. It's not that mysterious.

**William** · #10 07-03-2008, 06:45 PM

I knew of a shop that sliced the whole cover open, dipped and painted the liner, re-assembled as Steve stated. It looked ok but was somewhat lumpy; glue does not replicate the molding process. You may find the liner too far gone to repair.

They did not hold up well in the rust belt. I threw out several of them in the 80s, completely limp.

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