Front Bumper on a GT

[savegoodautonfg]

About 9 months ago i got into an accident so im buying a new bumper.

I'm buying this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-...emQQcategoryZ33640QQihZ014QQitemZ330049352769

I've read good things about them and its a good price so i'm going to give them a try.

What do i have do to remove the old bumper and what do i have to buy to install the new bumper.

 

[TomCat]

Take off the entire assembly. Drill out all the rivets, cover comes off, new one on... rivet it back up! It's pretty straight forward, just hit every bolt/nut that holds the assembly on there.

Good luck.

 

[savegoodautonfg]

So this is all i really need?

Large Rivet Gun from 50resto.com

79-93 FRONT BUMPER COVER RIVET KIT, INCLUDES 21 RIVETS from 50resto.com

 

[Roland69]

you can buy those rivets at most parts store

 

[TomCat]

Yup, that's all you really need. Though I just picked up a small rivet gun and bought the rivets at the local CSK... might be cheaper to just do this.

 

[Roland69]

I for get the brand of rivets but My friend buys boxes of them (circle track racer) but they are big headed aluminum ones that work awsome and fit in a normal gun....and a air rivet gun kicks arse

 

[savegoodautonfg]

I have to use the big ones like the ones that 50resto sells right?

 

[Prime Lord]

Yeah, you're gonna need the big rivets because thats what the holes in the headlight backer are sized for.

 

[savegoodautonfg]

And that's all the parts i need to remove and install bumper?

 

[fox racer]

the rivets are only to hold the headlight bracket thing to the bumper. to remove the bumper from the car, you have to remove the 20-22 bolts that hole it on. 2 are attached to "L" brackets right near the latch (4 if you remove the brackets too), 4 underneath the car that also hold the mudguard.air deflector on, 6 one each of the fender/bumper joint (12 total) and it migh also have another 2 bolts doen near the frame rails right near the back of the headlights.
The rivets can be drilled out and replaced withthe bumper off the car.

 

[savegoodautonfg]

the rivets are only to hold the headlight bracket thing to the bumper. to remove the bumper from the car, you have to remove the 20-22 bolts that hole it on. 2 are attached to "L" brackets right near the latch (4 if you remove the brackets too), 4 underneath the car that also hold the mudguard.air deflector on, 6 one each of the fender/bumper joint (12 total) and it migh also have another 2 bolts doen near the frame rails right near the back of the headlights.
The rivets can be drilled out and replaced withthe bumper off the car.

I have to drill out rivets while the bumper is on the car don't i?

 

[TomCat]

Just do it when it's off of the car.

 

[savegoodautonfg]

I can't get the bumper off without drilling out the rivets i would think though?

 

[Prime Lord]

All the rivets do is hold the headlight bracket to the urethane cover. You can take the whole thing off in one piece. Theres a few bolts across the top that go to the radiator support and some smaller ones on the inside of the fender wells that bolt to the front fender extensions. The whole thing will pop off w/ the headlight bracket still attached.

 

[savegoodautonfg]

All the rivets do is hold the headlight bracket to the urethane cover. You can take the whole thing off in one piece. Theres a few bolts across the top that go to the radiator support and some smaller ones on the inside of the fender wells that bolt to the front fender extensions. The whole thing will pop off w/ the headlight bracket still attached.

The headlights come off with the bumper or your saying the headlight bracket?

Kind of confused Prime, also so i have to remove headlights before taking off bumper or no?

Thanks in advance, Nick

 

[Prime Lord]

If you leave the headlights in and just unbolt the brackets going to the radiator support and then the small bolts in the fenders the whole front end will come off headlights and all. The link you have at the top is just the cover and does NOT include the headlight bracket. So once you unbolt the front end and take the whole unit off, you will have to remove the headlights and then drill out the rivets for the headlight bracket. That headlight bracket needs to then be re-riveted into the new cover and the headlights reinstalled. From there you can bolt the whole front end back on.

Does that help?

 

[savegoodautonfg]

If you leave the headlights in and just unbolt the brackets going to the radiator support and then the small bolts in the fenders the whole front end will come off headlights and all. The link you have at the top is just the cover and does NOT include the headlight bracket. So once you unbolt the front end and take the whole unit off, you will have to remove the headlights and then drill out the rivets for the headlight bracket. That headlight bracket needs to then be re-riveted into the new cover and the headlights reinstalled. From there you can bolt the whole front end back on.

Does that help?

So it seems as if ihave to disconnected all wiring going to headlights. and then wen i have the bumper off with the headlights still connected i have to drill out the rivets yea i know what rivets ur talking about but not what "unbolt the brackets going to the radiator support/ can you show me a picture of the headlight bracket?

 

[Prime Lord]

Yeah, youwill have to pull all the bulbs out of the headlights so that there is no wiring to them.

Its not my car, but you can see the same thing. There are two of the support and a SLEW of the rivets that hold the headlight bracket to the bumper cover.

 

[savegoodautonfg]

Yeah, youwill have to pull all the bulbs out of the headlights so that there is no wiring to them.

Its not my car, but you can see the same thing. There are two of the support and a SLEW of the rivets that hold the headlight bracket to the bumper cover.

after reading your last post you wrote thatthe headlight bracket would have to be re-riveted in but it looks like it is using bolts to both sides.

So all i have to do is all the fender bolts and under the bumper bolts and then the 4 bolts for the headlight bracket(s) and the front end should just come off no problem?

 

[Prime Lord]

You've got those two bolts in the angle brackets that go the radiator support (marked "brackets" in the pic) and then theres 3 or 4 bolts on each side that hold the whole front end to the fenders (you can get to those from the inside of the fender, and therefore cannot be seen in that pic) and then the whole front end comes off headlights and all. Once you've got that whole front end off, unbolt the headlights, and those rivets must be taken out in order to separate the headlight retaining bracket from the actual bumper cover (the piece you got off of ebay). The cover is super flexible and thin up on top of the headlight bracket which is why there are so many rivets. The headlight brackets must then be re-riveted into your new cover, the headlights remounted, and then the whole cover w/ the headlights can be bolted back on the car.

Its not that big of a job. You just have to get the replacement rivets to hold the new bumper cover to the headlight bracket.

I don't remember 100% but I don't think there are any bolts under the bumper cover itself. The foglight bracket is mounted to the actual fiberglass bumper, so thats going to stay on the car when you remove the front end. Does that help at all?

Am I missing anything? someone else care to chime in?