[dataway]

Any tricks to a 68 rear bumper install I should know. I'm having a heck of a time getting it in the right place. Doesn't seem to want to go forward and up enough on both ends.

I removed the center support for now to prevent any possibility of it pivoting on that bracket.

I'm having trouble understanding something ... appears to be that the bumper brackets need to be both loose where they bolt to the bumper, and loose in the frame to allow wiggle room to get it right ... BUT, you can't get to the top two bolts to the bumper when it's installed, so no way to retighten them.

Any hints on installation that might help?


( and ... in the service manual I see a brace that I don't see on my car .... sits behind each tail light, it goes from the middle (up and down) bumper bolt, to a bolt hole over by the tail light ... there is not even a bolt hole there on my bumper ... looks like it was to reinforce the ends of the bumper - something that didn't make it into production?)

[dataway]

Well ... seem to have it as close as it will possibly fit with this bumper and this car. Rubber bumpers are up against the body, it's not going any farther, not perfect, but satisfactory.

The key seemed to be ... loosen all the bracket to bumper bolts while things are hanging down a bit, then just barely snug up the bracket to frame bolts ... this allows aligns the brackets with the sides of the frame because the bracket to bumper bolts can move in their slots.

Now that the brackets are aligned to the frame, with the bumper still hanging down some you can get to the top bracket to bumper bolts, so you can tighten those up good, then tighten the two lower bracket to bumper bolts. Now the brackets are tight to the bumper and aligned to the frame.

Then I loosened up the bracket the frame bolts with plenty of slack ... jockeyed the bumper up into approximate position. Then used a couple of wood working "quick clamps" from the inside of the trunk lip, to the recess for the tail lights and drew both sides in and up as well as I could. I left those clamps on and then use another couple of clamps to draw the bottom of the bumper back towards the frame cross member. When I was happy (enough) will the position I tightened down the bracket to frame bolts and took all the clamps off.

Then I inserted the center support through the license plate hole and bolted that up.

The ends could still be 1/4" closer to the body for sure, probably a bit more, but who knows, the bumper could be tweaked some from a blow to the center some time in the distance past. Perhaps some day I'll work on it, bend it a bit and then send it out for rechroming again.

Yes I'm kind of talking to myself in this thread ... but sometimes I panic and run upstairs to ask the forum before I slow down and think things out

Would still like to know what that bracket is in the diagram in the service manual ... it certainly looks like it's there to directly address the "splaying" of the bumper ends during stamping or something.

[fatindian]

I took the rubber bumpers off of my brackets so I could reduce the gaps at the top so with that done it looks really nice. Not sure what will happen on the road without the rubber bumpers but I'll find out soon ��

[dataway]

Good idea ... I could probably at least pull them off and shave them down 1/4". But I'd have to swing the bumper down again

[OG68]

Originally Posted by dataway

( and ... in the service manual I see a brace that I don't see on my car .... sits behind each tail light, it goes from the middle (up and down) bumper bolt, to a bolt hole over by the tail light ... there is not even a bolt hole there on my bumper ... looks like it was to reinforce the ends of the bumper - something that didn't make it into production?)

I see that now. Never noticed before since its in the shadows.

When I was installing my bumper I ended up using the front most bracket to frame bolt as a swivel. I would then adjust the bracket to bumper bolts snug to test fit. Took several up and down motions, each time readjusting the bumper to bracket bolts, to get it right. Mine is as tight forward and up as can be against the end and upper snubbers. I had to remove the center bracket to get the bumper aligned and when reinstalling it, I removed two original shims from the bracket to get it in as a press (tap, tap with a small hammer) fit.

I wonder if I moved the body a bit more to the rear on the frame and reconfigure the end snubbers, I could get another 1/4" to move the bumper forward.

[OG68]

You may have noticed from the side views that the upper bumper to body gap on the right side is slightly different.
My right quarter panel was installed at an angle. Something I've noticed on a few other 68's in various degrees from horizontal although mine is one of the worse I've seen. 1/4 is original, never been replaced.
Made setting the right side trunk lid gap rather difficult. A lot of hinge work to make it match the left

[dataway]

OG, my corners look exactly like yours but about 1/4 higher. Just like every other part of a 68 there is not one straight line. The bumper "wings" that hold the tail lights aren't really straight across horizontally either, they dip down on the outside ... which doesn't help your quarter panel issue.

[dataway]

Anyone recall the size of those two holes in the quarter, just above the splash shields, behind the tail lights? I covered them up with the bumper I can still get a hand in from the inside of the trunk to put a plug in backwards if I know what size they are.
Thanks.

[68ragtop]

Are you talking about the two plates that bolt to the edges of the body & tuck into the bumper edge. Like a body to bumper snubber? I think those had 1/4-20 bolts.

I have been reading the recents posts & I cannot think of anything else my car has near the taillights other than the splash shields.

[dataway]

These holes face the rear, above the splash shields, about 3/4", mine were plugged from the factory. Looked everywhere for a pic of my car without the rear bumper and I can't find one.

I'll be down in the shop tonight and get a better description of the location ... they can be felt from inside the trunk to the upper rear of the "well" area ... but they are not the lower well plug holes.

[dataway]

Got a picture of them. Might be able to try some various items of known diameter if I can get them in there to come up with a size.

This a photo from the inside of the trunk well back toward the bumper, these holes are in the rear of the trunk well.

Pretty sure I could pop a standard body plug in there from the inside if I know the size.

[OG68]

Looks to be 3/4" or 5/8" Data.

[68ragtop]

Aaaahhh, now I know the plugs your talking about. I believe those are the same size plugs that are in a few other spots too, like the cowl area. I was really scratching my head for a bit

[dataway]

I should just buy an assortment of sizes ... pretty sure I'll need more.
Thanks!