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Post Info TOPIC: restoration question-rear bumper corner filler
bowtie


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Did GM use a rubber filler piece at the corners of the rear bumper on the 68-72 era Chevelles? I believe the Montes had them, and the 73-> era cars had them. I did find a listing for a 69 Councours, but I can't confirm if that's the exact piece. My car is pretty well original in the body aspects, and I don't have anything there. I suppose they could have been discarded at that time too. I also have an original 1/4 off a car and there's no evidence of anything being on that one either. After looking at mine, the gap at the rear bumper corners is pretty big, I wonder if it would be something to have?

 

any help?



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Bryan-NW 'burbs
1972 Malibu
Vaguely stock appearing, and the opposite of restored.
1999 std bore 5.7, Vortec heads, Holley Stealth Ram, GM cam
700R4, Viking coilovers, 12 bolt 4.10 posi, and a whole bunch more
Derek69SS


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I've never seen one, and don't believe they ever had them... wouldn't be the first time though if I were wrong. ;)

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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
Chris R


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I want to say they started using those in 73 or 74. I know the G body cars have them in 78 and up.



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Chris - Ramsey, MN.

Dear Optimist, Pessimist, and Realist.

While you guys were busy arguing about the glass of water. I drank it!

Sincerly,

The opportunist.
Lost in the 60s


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I bought my first '70 in '73 from the original owner and that car never had any fillers. There are shims between the bumper bracket and body to set the gap. Hard to get the gap tighter if there are no shims, but most I've seen have at least one to get the gap straight across the back.



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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

Lifetime member of the "Cars apart Club"

1966 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1970 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1967 Camaro SS/RS 350 M20
66 RAT


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The gap between my rear bumper and the body seems a little too big also. I'll have to take Mitch's suggestion regarding shims to see if it can be adjusted. I could also look at Mitch's and Jim's bumpers on their 66s and see if the spacing looks different from mine.

The car had body colored fiberglass bumpers that were later replaced with chrome bumpers so that could be part of the "problem" also. I've got the 'glass bumpers along with a steel hood (not an SS hood) that I should get rid of at some point. Last weekend I was talking to a fellow with a drag-only 66. I should have asked him if he wanted to lighten his car with my 'glass bumpers.



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Ron - Twin Cities

'66 Malibu
Lost in the 60s


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66 RAT wrote:

The gap between my rear bumper and the body seems a little too big also. I'll have to take Mitch's suggestion regarding shims to see if it can be adjusted. I could also look at Mitch's and Jim's bumpers on their 66s and see if the spacing looks different from mine.

The car had body colored fiberglass bumpers that were later replaced with chrome bumpers so that could be part of the "problem" also. I've got the 'glass bumpers along with a steel hood (not an SS hood) that I should get rid of at some point. Last weekend I was talking to a fellow with a drag-only 66. I should have asked him if he wanted to lighten his car with my 'glass bumpers.

 The '66 bumpers still mount to brackets that bolt to the frame. They are much more adjustable than a '70-72. The '66 brackets have elongated slots to move the bumper fore and aft and up/down. They originally had hex head washers to help hold them from sagging too. The hex washers are being reproduced now and can help if a bumper doesn't want to stay in place.

 



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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

Lifetime member of the "Cars apart Club"

1966 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1970 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1967 Camaro SS/RS 350 M20
bowtie


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Now here's a question: Would you buy a set knowing that it wasn't original but was made to as good or better than OEM standards and would fit well in that open space?

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Bryan-NW 'burbs
1972 Malibu
Vaguely stock appearing, and the opposite of restored.
1999 std bore 5.7, Vortec heads, Holley Stealth Ram, GM cam
700R4, Viking coilovers, 12 bolt 4.10 posi, and a whole bunch more
Lost in the 60s


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If you're referring to the '70-72 bumpers and the rubber stayed in contact with the body and bumper, no. It would hold moisture and promote rust where it touches.

 



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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

Lifetime member of the "Cars apart Club"

1966 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1970 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1967 Camaro SS/RS 350 M20
66 RAT


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I mentioned my "bumper gap" to a friend who's into cars but not Chevelles in particular. The first thing he mentioned was that there may have been a rubber "insert" that filled the gap. I looked in a restoration parts catalog but didn't see anything like that.

Also, I mentioned looking at the bumpers on Mitch's and Jim's '66 cars. I didn't mean to exclude anyone else with a '66 --- it's just that they're the only two fellows who I've met with their cars. (I also met Chris at Friendly but he didn't have his car there.) As a matter of fact, I think I remember seeing a count of club owners of Chevelles, El Caminos, etc. with the year of manufacture and there were more '66s than any other year. I didn't go back and look for the newsletter so I could be wrong --- it wouldn't be the first time!

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Ron - Twin Cities

'66 Malibu
bowtie


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66 and 72s are the top years, not sure of the count anymore.

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Bryan-NW 'burbs
1972 Malibu
Vaguely stock appearing, and the opposite of restored.
1999 std bore 5.7, Vortec heads, Holley Stealth Ram, GM cam
700R4, Viking coilovers, 12 bolt 4.10 posi, and a whole bunch more
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