65 Front Bumpers

[Doug R.]

I just put the front bumpers back on my 65, and they both are higher on the outside than in the middle.They slope to the middle, instead of being within the AIM tolerance of +/- 1/4" of peak line.Is there an adjustment procedure that will correct this problem? the midyears look so much better when the bumpers are level.I have tried to level them by sliding the centers all the way forward in the adjustment slots, but I need more. Any help or experiences will be well recieved. Thanks

[John H.]

Re: 65 Front Bumpers

I just put the front bumpers back on my 65, and they both are higher on the outside than in the middle.They slope to the middle, instead of being within the AIM tolerance of +/- 1/4" of peak line.Is there an adjustment procedure that will correct this problem? the midyears look so much better when the bumpers are level.I have tried to level them by sliding the centers all the way forward in the adjustment slots, but I need more. Any help or experiences will be well recieved. Thanks

Doug -

There are two attachments on each side for the lower braces to the front and rear edges of the frame crossmember; loosen them up and shim between the top of the brace at the rear attachment and the bottom of the crossmember. That will raise the inboard ends of the bumpers so you can get them parallel to the ground.

[Doug R.]

Re: 65 Front Bumpers

John, Thanks for the reply, I tried your advice but I need more lift.I think I may have some wrong parts or the right parts on wrong. I have looked at the AIM and my shop manual but can't figure my problem out. I have removed or loosened all bolts except the license bar ,to try to level the bumpers as a complete unit,but the middle needs to elevate or the outside hole above the signal light needs to be lowered.It really looks like the outside bolt needs to be lowered, but the outside brace lines up great.Is there any other info on this procedure that I can get? The shop manual doesn't even refer to an adjustment to the bumpers.

[John H.]

Re: 65 Front Bumpers

John, Thanks for the reply, I tried your advice but I need more lift.I think I may have some wrong parts or the right parts on wrong. I have looked at the AIM and my shop manual but can't figure my problem out. I have removed or loosened all bolts except the license bar ,to try to level the bumpers as a complete unit,but the middle needs to elevate or the outside hole above the signal light needs to be lowered.It really looks like the outside bolt needs to be lowered, but the outside brace lines up great.Is there any other info on this procedure that I can get? The shop manual doesn't even refer to an adjustment to the bumpers.

Doug -

All the Assembly Manual provides are the final checking dimensions for inspection purposes, but it doesn't tell you how to get there; just "bolting it all up" seldom results in the desired appearance, due to all the tolerances involved.

In the plant, we subassembled the front bumper as a single unit off-line in a bench fixture, loaded it to the front end with a fixture that located to the front of the hood opening (hood open), shimmed/bent/reefed as required, and bolted it up. If you did that job seven times an hour all day long, pretty soon you figured out what you needed to tweak to get the bumper to fit; the Final Line Pit repairmen got tired of fixing them pretty quickly.

[Timothy B.]

Re: 65 Front Bumpers

John,

Are you saying shims in the area you mention in your first post is not uncommon? I had to do exactly that on my 67 but always felt it was not correct.

[Mike M.]

Re: 65 Front Bumpers

I am having the same problem with my '65. The bumpers do not line up level. The bumper support bracket that comes off the frame had been bent sometimes in the last 4 decades and I straightened this. However, both front bumpers are still way out of line, no where close to 1/4". John, can you explain (to one mechanically inept) one more time where those shims go? Tks, Mike

[Doug R.]

Re: 65 Front Bumpers

John, Thanks a lot for great info., I kept trying the things you told me and I now have my bumpers looking the best they have in the 23 years I have owned my 65! I now have created a new issue. My bumpers are level and within AIM specs.but when I try to install the license bar it will not fit in the opening that is left after leveling.Any further advice? Thanks,For your help.

[Paul J.]

Re: 65 Front Bumpers

John, Thanks a lot for great info., I kept trying the things you told me and I now have my bumpers looking the best they have in the 23 years I have owned my 65! I now have created a new issue. My bumpers are level and within AIM specs.but when I try to install the license bar it will not fit in the opening that is left after leveling.Any further advice? Thanks,For your help.

Doug, you will find that it usually works better if you make subassemblies, and then attach them to the car. John states in his post that that is what the factory did with the front bumper. Leave the bolts loose until you get everything lined up, then thighten everything down.

Paul

[Doug R.]

Re: 65 Front Bumpers

Thanks to everyone for their help on this problem.After about 10 hrs. of trying and the input from this forum my bumpers look as good as the the day they were installed,(if not better).The NCRS is the best resource to solving all problems CORVETTE! Thanks again to everyone for your help, without it I would be struggleing with my bumpers for who knows how long.

[John H.]

Re: 65 Front Bumpers

I am having the same problem with my '65. The bumpers do not line up level. The bumper support bracket that comes off the frame had been bent sometimes in the last 4 decades and I straightened this. However, both front bumpers are still way out of line, no where close to 1/4". John, can you explain (to one mechanically inept) one more time where those shims go? Tks, Mike

Mike -

If the center of the front bumpers is low, it needs to come up to be straight and parallel to the ground; the way to do that is to insert shims (washers) between the top of the rear attachment of the bumper braces and the bottom of the rear edge of the frame crossmember.