The 1991 Ford LTD (left) and 1992 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham (right) were among the final U.S. Market cars to wear traditional metal bumpers. Traditional steel-and-chrome exposed bumpers saw continued use through the 1980s on American vehicles nearing the end of their design cycles. If you look at the front and rear bumpers on many new cars, you’ll notice little squares and circles about the size of potato chips sitting right there in the plastic bumper covers. Asked by Tom Feb 08, 2014 at 06:55 PM about the 2000 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE Extended Cab SB. Question type: General. Carrera Slots 308 B Brighton Avenue Buffalo, Minnesota 55313 Sitemap: 877-269-7805 763.595.1075 sales@carreraslots.com. Slot.it brand slot cars and parts available at Professor Motor, Inc.
Picture this: you just spent minutes perfecting your parallel parking so that you’re just close enough to the curb and have just enough distance from the cars in front and behind you. You go out, do your errands and come back to your car. The cars ahead of you and behind you are gone, giving you ample room to leave the spot. Unfortunately, upon closer inspection, it seems the other cars left a little something: your bumpers have been SCRATCHED, KNICKED, DENTED. For such a small cosmetic blemish, getting it fixed turns out to be as costly as a full on-repair of something on your car.
There are ways to save a little bit and a way to perform a not-so quick-fix as a do it yourself project.
So yes, sprucing up your damaged bumpers involves a little effort in grinding, sanding, sculpting and painting. But figuring those steps out WILL save you.
Want to Save THOUSANDS on Auto Repairs? Get Endurance!
FREE ONLINE QUOTE
Too many vehicle owners end up heading to their local auto parts store for some really cheap body filler and a can of what they think is matching spray paint. This is a bad idea.
Over the years the making of auto body parts has changed and thus you, the vehicle owner will need to adjust. It is a whole new set of supplies you need to gather in terms of fixing painted plastic/carbon fiber parts as opposed to the metal that used to be used to make bumpers.
There are too many companies to name that specialize in DIY repair accessories for scratches and bumpers. What you need is the following (at the very least):
Want to Save THOUSANDS on Auto Repairs? Get Endurance!
FREE ONLINE QUOTE
What’s interesting to note is the fact that when referring to a bumper you’re not actually talking about the part of the car that protects the front and rear frame of your car. The actual “bumper” part of a front or rear bumper is what is hidden beneath that plastic or sheet metal that is prone to nicks and scratches. The thing is that the plastic covering was in fact designed for the express purpose of deflecting and deforming upon impact.
Ok, so you need to get that panel/covering off first.
On most modern cars there are screws behind metal caps near the trunk latch, as well as screws under the lights and at the wheel wells. After removing those Once they were removed, we were able to slide the bumper’s tabs off a number of slots in the rear quarter panels. Look for screws or bolts under the trunk carpeting between the wheel and the rear bumper.
Once it’s off, it is some for what Popular Mechanics refers to as the “Fascia Facelift.”
Work in a warm, dry place. Keep in mind that no two bumpers are made the same way. Check the label inside to identify the type of plastic.
The above materials tend to smear when ground or machine sanded.
With that out of the way, it is time to choose your filler. Different fillers react to different materials and most of the time they will be labeled as such. As with most things cars: compatibility is important.
Want to Save THOUSANDS on Auto Repairs? Get Endurance!
FREE ONLINE QUOTE
Ok with that out of the way…
No matter what plastic your “fascia” is or what filler you use the steps remain the same:
After the material has hardened, look towards the front of the fascia and remove any tape. With 80-grit sandpaper, sand off any excess material that has squeezed through. After you fill the cut or tear and any low spots in the front of the fascia with the appropriate repair material be sure to squeegee it.
When all is done, use a light skim coat of repair material for pits and surface imperfection. This will restore the original contour before you finish sand with wet 400-grit paper.
It will probably take two coats to restore contour properly.
Want to Save THOUSANDS on Auto Repairs? Get Endurance!
FREE ONLINE QUOTE
Congratulations, you’ve repaired your “bumper!” Give yourself a pat on the back.
Now here’s the hard part: painting.
Eventually, you will spray the bumper with a basecoat. Keep in mind that first, you have to wet sand it and then wipe the area with a tack rag in case of debris or dust.
Want to Save THOUSANDS on Auto Repairs? Get Endurance!
FREE ONLINE QUOTE
NOW you can spray the paint according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Repeat until the thing is covered completely and evenly. After the base is dry, mix the clear coat with a hardener before applying two medium clearcoats, allowing each to dry on their own.
And that’s it. You’re done. Leave it overnight before re-installing it and then using a buffer to remove imperfections.
LEB Hobbies is your pit-stop for Carrera, Slot.it and many other slot car parts! We carry a full line of Carrera and Slot.it replacement and upgrade slot car spare parts for your vehicle. If you need assistance locating a part, click the Spare Parts Index under Important Links to download the information for the appropriate part. If you cannot find the slot car spare parts you are looking for, please feel free to call or email and we will let you know when your slot car parts will become available. Additional quantities of many items may be available by special order. Please inquire.