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Old 12-01-2021, 12:14 PM
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Default OPGI 1969 GTO Front Endura Bumper, Opinions, Options?

Local body shops don't want to touch my stock 69 gto front endura bumper that needs some minor tweaks and a repaint.

OPGI has a replica for $800, anyone got one or know something about them?

I'm not 100% opposed to fiberglass but keeping it stock like would be most ideal.

Thanks

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Old 12-01-2021, 03:11 PM
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Fix it yourself. First make SURE it is NOT TWEEKED, Bent.
Strip paint with media blaster. I like plastic beads, but some use regular 60 grit.
2 friends here are 3m 2 part ez sand repair epoxy
And SPI epoxy Primer.
This can fix almost any urethane nose. I have repaired
A few. There are threads on it here.

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Old 12-01-2021, 03:23 PM
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You are probably lucky they won't touch it, they'd probably just screw it up anyway. You can do it faster and better yourself. Pull it off before it gets too cold and bring it in the shop. Spend the winter repairing it, prime and sand it in the spring ... have a shop to the final paint if you want.

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Old 12-01-2021, 03:25 PM
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Thanks

The front lower part under the high beam has a bend in it.

I think the shops aren't excited to fix that, then the fact the paint tends to crack easily and can at any time from torque etc. These shops are really into killer work that lasts, I can tell they're not pumped about a part they know will crack again and maybe I cause a fuss.

That's why the OPGI might be my way out of this, no bend like mine or old age that can crack just from it being over 50 years old.

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69 GTO Convertible, 4000lbs
462ci, 606tq/569hp
11.7:1, KRE H Ports, Lunati HR 282/290 w Johnson Lifters & 1.65 Scorp, E30, EFI, Holley HP + Dual Sync, 12-1 Crank Trig, 120lb Inj & 1000cfm TB, Torker II EFI Intake & Rails, PTC 10" 0 Stat, Ricks Hot Rod SS Gas Tank, Magna 4303, Aerom EFI Reg, Aerospace Front & Rear Disc Brakes, Dougs 1 7/8" Headers & Borla Pro XS 3" Muffs, Alum Rad & Dual Fans, Powersteering.com Pump & 12:1 Box, QA1 Front Arms & Viking Berz CO + Rear Shocks, Hella UP28 Vac Pump
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Old 12-01-2021, 05:00 PM
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It won't crack if it's done right, and it's not that hard to do right, just requires more time and different products than they are probably use to using. Lots of members here have done repairs that have lasted for many years.

The bend is another matter, can take some equipment to straighten that unless you get inventive and are a DIY kind of guy.

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Old 12-01-2021, 05:43 PM
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I did mine the exact way formulabruce described.
I have detailed photos of the process in my '69 GTO project thread.

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Old 12-01-2021, 06:29 PM
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I think I'd rather have the original than a repro fiberglass. The biggest issue I see with yours is getting the bend out best you can. The rest is rather straight forward and easy.
I wouldn't bother wasting time sanding. Get it sand blasted first. Then repair.

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Old 12-01-2021, 06:45 PM
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I'd go with a used original before I'd go with a repro. Seems like I saw a guy here that had several of them.

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'83 Chevy Choo Choo SS El Camino - LT1 350/4L60e, Owned for 30 Years, completed 2nd restomod in 2018 PHOTO
2019 BMW 440ix - Twin turbo I6, 8spd auto. PHOTO
'55 Chevy Bel Air Sport Coupe - Ram Jet 350 / T56 Magnum 6spd, Restomod Completed Sept. 2012, Sold Sept. 2021 PHOTO
  #9  
Old 12-01-2021, 08:24 PM
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Fixing the factory one will likely be easier than getting the fiberglass version where you want it.

If you fix the Endura:

no bondo
no poly build primer
no urethane primer
wash with soap and water or use waterborne W&G remover.
NO SOLVENTS ON THE RUBBER

sandblast to bare rubber
prime with SPI epoxy primer only.
repair with 3M flex epoxy repair material or equivalent
more priming with SPI epoxy
block sand until happy
seal with SPI epoxy
paint

If you do anything else you are going to have problems. (this is my attempt at being brief, I have a tendency to be wordy LOL)

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Last edited by mrennie; 12-01-2021 at 08:30 PM.
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Old 12-02-2021, 10:22 AM
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I've been able to get two bumpers straightened at a bumper shop and it didn't damage the Endura. Mind you this was a very old shop.
I held it up against my car and the fit was perfect. Then I held the repro fiberglass bumper up and there was no difference. The repro bumper is lighter (maybe like 10-15%). I advocate sandblasting the bumper clean. It gets off everything down to the good Endura and then the sand just bounces off. Some people have to make repeat trips to the bumper shop to get it just right.

  #11  
Old 12-02-2021, 03:12 PM
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Thanks everyone, I'll talk to them and use these comments and see.

Mrennie, thanks, that was detailed and easy to send them to see what they think.

I don't know of any bumper shops but this place should be able to get it straight if they choose.

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69 GTO Convertible, 4000lbs
462ci, 606tq/569hp
11.7:1, KRE H Ports, Lunati HR 282/290 w Johnson Lifters & 1.65 Scorp, E30, EFI, Holley HP + Dual Sync, 12-1 Crank Trig, 120lb Inj & 1000cfm TB, Torker II EFI Intake & Rails, PTC 10" 0 Stat, Ricks Hot Rod SS Gas Tank, Magna 4303, Aerom EFI Reg, Aerospace Front & Rear Disc Brakes, Dougs 1 7/8" Headers & Borla Pro XS 3" Muffs, Alum Rad & Dual Fans, Powersteering.com Pump & 12:1 Box, QA1 Front Arms & Viking Berz CO + Rear Shocks, Hella UP28 Vac Pump
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Old 12-02-2021, 10:17 PM
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Should also mention, any cracks in bare rubber than remain after blasting should be Veed out with sander and filled with 3M epoxy repair material. You can apply the repair material before or after the epoxy primer is applied. I used the repair material on all my cracks and to rebuild the peak that was broken off, and after block sanding used it again on areas that were low that would take more than 4-5 coats of primer to fill.

As you block sand, if you you break through to rubber, you need to immediately stop and spray more coats of epoxy. It builds much less than urethane primer so you may need 4-6 coats per priming session to have enough to sand. I waited 30 minutes between coats. A shop may not want to wait and rush this. This is a slow process but the results are worth it.

Slow = fast in this case. All the normal body shop tricks of speed and high build products will not help here.

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Oshawa built 1 option Judge basket case. 463, SD KRE 295's, CNC'd factory intake, Cliff's Qjet, Stump Puller HR cam, RARE RA manifolds, Pypes exhaust, T56 Magnum, McLeod RXT clutch, 3.42 12 bolt. 24 year project almost done...

Last edited by mrennie; 12-02-2021 at 10:28 PM.
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Old 12-03-2021, 01:26 AM
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The bumper itself is almost indestructible. The lower runner on mine was bent. I tried everything to straighten it out but I could not exert enough force...l even parked my truck on it..until someone gave me the idea to simply make a couple of relief cuts in the steel frame, bend it and repair the rubber.

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Old 12-03-2021, 04:36 AM
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When you think about it, the Endura for all it's quirks is an extremely repairable part. The amount of destruction they can "endure" and still be repaired is amazing. Imagine an all steel chrome bumper with the gouges, bends and scrapes that can be repaired on an Endura ... and after all the metal repair you'd still have to have it rechromed.

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Old 12-03-2021, 07:55 AM
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Marks like these don't need repair:



These look like cracks but aren't. What happens is that the original lacquer paint was cracked and allowed air to contact the rubber which caused oxidation on the surface of the rubber only.

Even this one is not a crack in the rubber:



This one simply had a crack in the paint for a long enough time where the rubber was oxidized away making it appear like it is a crack. But upon close inspection and trying to stretch it some to make it open it up it would not.

Do not Vee out these kind of marks. Simply shoot SPI epoxy primer over them and sand smooth.

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'69 GTO Convertible - Acquired October 2020. An all original project car. Restomod is underway PROJECT THREAD
'83 Chevy Choo Choo SS El Camino - LT1 350/4L60e, Owned for 30 Years, completed 2nd restomod in 2018 PHOTO
2019 BMW 440ix - Twin turbo I6, 8spd auto. PHOTO
'55 Chevy Bel Air Sport Coupe - Ram Jet 350 / T56 Magnum 6spd, Restomod Completed Sept. 2012, Sold Sept. 2021 PHOTO
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Old 12-03-2021, 09:31 AM
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I was lucky mine was not bent or cracked at all, just had oxidized paint Crack stains like Roger1 pointed out. I spent some time with the 3m repair epoxy getting mine perfect then used 3 coats of spi followed by 400 then 600 before paint. I have had mine painted since may and you can flex the bumper and the paint doesn't Crack, it's very important that whoever paints it doesn't build up the coats! Just enough base to cover the primer and maybe 3 light coats of clear. If this is a driver stay away from the fiberglass, I had one on my first 69 but it was a street strip deal, it took a bunch of work to make right and any real impact would total the front end.

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Old 12-03-2021, 10:02 PM
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Anyone ever consider offering an Endura repair service?

Seems like this could be a profitable adventure.

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69 GTO Convertible, 4000lbs
462ci, 606tq/569hp
11.7:1, KRE H Ports, Lunati HR 282/290 w Johnson Lifters & 1.65 Scorp, E30, EFI, Holley HP + Dual Sync, 12-1 Crank Trig, 120lb Inj & 1000cfm TB, Torker II EFI Intake & Rails, PTC 10" 0 Stat, Ricks Hot Rod SS Gas Tank, Magna 4303, Aerom EFI Reg, Aerospace Front & Rear Disc Brakes, Dougs 1 7/8" Headers & Borla Pro XS 3" Muffs, Alum Rad & Dual Fans, Powersteering.com Pump & 12:1 Box, QA1 Front Arms & Viking Berz CO + Rear Shocks, Hella UP28 Vac Pump
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Old 12-03-2021, 10:51 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GOAT8U2 View Post
Anyone ever consider offering an Endura repair service?

Seems like this could be a profitable adventure.
Having fixed a few I can say that this is a possibility.
That said it is VERY labor intensive. Also you have to consider the paint shop that puts 3 coats of " FILLER PRIMER" on it to block it out and the paint job fails..
The last one I fixed this past summer was cracked bad, and gouged by the bumper jack. You Now can grab the upper edge were it was cracked and bend it over, and nothing happens. I have 40 hours in it with 7 coats of SPI primer and a tube of easy mix.
Figure 100 for primer
56 for 3m easy sand.
40 hours @ ?? 30 dollars..
Sand paper, tape, etc
So let's say $1400 .
People are hard pressed to spend 1100 on a dash recover
Would they spend 1400 on their " Beak" ??
Some paint shops won't touch them, others want to strip it themselves after its fixed..... thoughts?

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Old 12-03-2021, 11:13 PM
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Here's kind of what I'm looking at nose wise, this picture is from a couple years ago. There are more cracks in it now and the bend is in the lower left where the high beam would line up.

I would imagine if there's enough proof that the finished product will look excellent and the time frame isn't months later then yes, it's a great option. Money, quality, time, trustworthiness are all factors, if you offer

Quality
Time frame
Trustworthiness

Then you have my vote every time, it'll be worth the money.

But the OPGI front endura is supposedly a replica of the factory, so that's why I was curious about it. If it's a quality piece, then it's maybe worth just saving the hassle and having the OPGI painted and put on. I'll keep the stock one and see if someone down the road can fix it and put that one on when I do the big body restoration.

https://www.opgi.com/Products/bumper...o-g240103.html
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69 GTO Convertible, 4000lbs
462ci, 606tq/569hp
11.7:1, KRE H Ports, Lunati HR 282/290 w Johnson Lifters & 1.65 Scorp, E30, EFI, Holley HP + Dual Sync, 12-1 Crank Trig, 120lb Inj & 1000cfm TB, Torker II EFI Intake & Rails, PTC 10" 0 Stat, Ricks Hot Rod SS Gas Tank, Magna 4303, Aerom EFI Reg, Aerospace Front & Rear Disc Brakes, Dougs 1 7/8" Headers & Borla Pro XS 3" Muffs, Alum Rad & Dual Fans, Powersteering.com Pump & 12:1 Box, QA1 Front Arms & Viking Berz CO + Rear Shocks, Hella UP28 Vac Pump

Last edited by GOAT8U2; 12-03-2021 at 11:19 PM.
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Old 12-04-2021, 12:25 AM
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Not seeing the reviews. I wonder, nah, it could not be made exactly like originals.
Wonder if it is ABS plastic on a steel bone.. If it fits and its a ABS version, the longevity will be better than a repaired as new paints stick nicely.
Original.
The one on my Formula was repaired 11 years ago..
If I was going to do another GTO nose ( I have done a 68) I would want to at least have some measurements and some clear pics of a nice one.
The Firebird Noses I have always had a few around to pop on and off a car, etc.
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