Anyone here smooth a bumper?

[CamaroMike]

My MIG skills are beginner level, just wanted to get that out of the way LOL. I have a non-chromed front bumper for my '69 Camaro that I intend to match paint to the color of the car. There's four (4) carriage style bolts that attach the bumper to brackets that secure the bumper to the frame/car. The brackets the bolts attach to have a little amount of fitment room, and its shouldn't be too difficult to remount the bumper with the "studs" going Ito the brackets. I'm not going to use the chrome ones from my chrome bumper, I have four plain jane carriage bolts that are shiny but not chromed. I've cleaned off the black primer paint in the bolt hole areas. What I want to do is weld the bolts in place from behind after tacking them up front. I'll probably grind some of the shiny finish off before starting this. Once I get them tacked in place I'll focus on the rear. My welder is a Hobart 140 Handler, no gas (yet), and I'm wondering what wire and settings might be a good start? Once I get the back securely welded, I'll grind off the front bulges. Do you think I'm gonna have to do any additional front welding once the dome is ground off and its flush? I've looked on YouTube but haven't found any videos yet that show someone doing this. Any advice is appreciated.

Mike

[Dale M.]

Yes you will have to weld up front after you grind off dome....If not you are going to have a nicely little square line (gap) around where you made bolt into stud...

Set heat (voltage) an ips for wire according to chart on door....

[CamaroMike]

Yes you will have to weld up front after you grind off dome....If not you are going to have a nicely little square line (gap) around where you made bolt into stud...

Set heat (voltage) an ips for wire according to chart on door....

Dale... Thanks I thought I'd need to do that. My main concern is that the square section of the carriage bolt helps align the bolt, I just don't want to to heat it up so much up front that the welds on the backside cause it to change angle. Probably should work my way around the front, jumping from side to side rather than trying to make a side bead right?-Mike

[MAC702]

Can you install the bumper before doing the work on the front of it? That will keep the bolts in perfect alignment during the rest of the grinding, welding, and more grinding. That said, if you have a good weld on the backside, I don't see it moving enough to matter, if at all.

[CamaroMike]

Can you install the bumper before doing the work on the front of it? That will keep the bolts in perfect alignment during the rest of the grinding, welding, and more grinding. That said, if you have a good weld on the backside, I don't see it moving enough to matter, if at all.

Kinda risky with splatter as the car is completely repainted. I had a chrome bumper on it before, found a rare unpainted steel bumper and a local shop is scheduled to paint the bumper, grill surround, spoiler, and bullet mirrors. First picture is my car before the RS grill conversion (done), second is what a painted bumper looks like.




You just gave me a great idea though... I can mount the in-between brackets that connect the front of the subframe to the bumper, snug those up and tack the dome heads in place, then remove the nut and brackets and work on the rear. See pix 3, 4, & 5. -Mike