Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to Packard Motor Car Information! If you're new here, please register for a free account.  
Login
Username:

Password:

Remember me



Lost Password?

Register now!
FAQ's
Main Menu
Recent Forum Topics
Who is Online
301 user(s) are online (137 user(s) are browsing Forums)

Members: 2
Guests: 299

John Sauser, William Grosz, more...
Helping out...
PackardInfo is a free resource for Packard Owners that is completely supported by user donations. If you can help out, that would be great!

Donate via PayPal
Video Content
Visit PackardInfo.com YouTube Playlist

Donate via PayPal



(1) 2 »

Rear Bumper
#1
Home away from home
Home away from home

53 Cavalier
See User information
Cleaning up my rear bumper, brackets, filler panel, etc.

What's up with the crossbar? It has a bit of a bronzey colour. I have used Autosol on it more times than I can count trying to clean it up, and every time the Autosol comes off black. It looks good, but what's going on here, does anyone know?

Click to see original Image in a new window


Here are a few more pictures, should be able to put it back together this weekend. Another project where people won't see most of the work that was done, but that's okay, I know! The brackets, inside of the bumper and undersides of the filler panel and where it mounts on the car are painted with POR-15.

Click to see original Image in a new window


Click to see original Image in a new window


Click to see original Image in a new window


Click to see original Image in a new window


Click to see original Image in a new window


Click to see original Image in a new window


Click to see original Image in a new window


PRO TIP-Good hydration is important if it's 88 above and you're sandblasting!

Posted on: 7/11 9:58
 Top  Print   
 


Re: Rear Bumper
#2
Home away from home
Home away from home

Packard Don
See User information
Looking good! On the crossbar, it’s probably starting to show through the copper layer.

Posted on: 7/11 11:22
 Top  Print   
 


Re: Rear Bumper
#3
Home away from home
Home away from home

53 Cavalier
See User information
Quote:

Packard Don wrote:
Looking good! On the crossbar, it’s probably in so starting to show through the copper layer.


Thank you! It's turning out well, I'll post pics when I'm done.

I don't think it's thin chrome on the crossbar, if it was I would expect it to be thinner in some spots, but it is very even. It it was thin chrome it should at some point stop turning black when using Autosol. Maybe the crossbar has soaked up 71,000 miles of exhaust? But why only the crossbar?

Our club president has one, so I may swap it out. I'll assemble the bumper and see how it looks with this crossbar, it may not be noticable.

Posted on: 7/11 12:24
 Top  Print   
 


Re: Rear Bumper
#4
Home away from home
Home away from home

kevinpackard
See User information
I've done this on my rear bumper and it was worth the work. But your chrome appears to be in better condition than mine. I have defects in my chrome that I can't get out. But it was satisfying to clean up the brackets and rear of the bumper and paint them. Looks better and is protected now.

Posted on: 7/11 12:49
 Top  Print   
Like (1)
 


Re: Rear Bumper
#5
Home away from home
Home away from home

53 Cavalier
See User information
Quote:

kevinpackard wrote:
I've done this on my rear bumper and it was worth the work. But your chrome appears to be in better condition than mine. I have defects in my chrome that I can't get out. But it was satisfying to clean up the brackets and rear of the bumper and paint them. Looks better and is protected now.


The chrome did clean up pretty well, it's certainly good enough for a driver! There were a few dents along the bottom of the bumper, maybe from the jack, that I was able to straighten and improve the look of the bumper as well. It is very satisfying to be able to take parts that are 70 years old, give them some TLC, and have them looking great again! This is another project that once completed will never need to be done again.

Posted on: 7/11 13:09
 Top  Print   
 


Re: Rear Bumper
#6
Home away from home
Home away from home

kevinpackard
See User information
Quote:

53 Cavalier wrote:
Quote:

kevinpackard wrote:
I've done this on my rear bumper and it was worth the work. But your chrome appears to be in better condition than mine. I have defects in my chrome that I can't get out. But it was satisfying to clean up the brackets and rear of the bumper and paint them. Looks better and is protected now.


The chrome did clean up pretty well, it's certainly good enough for a driver! There were a few dents along the bottom of the bumper, maybe from the jack, that I was able to straighten and improve the look of the bumper as well. It is very satisfying to be able to take parts that are 70 years old, give them some TLC, and have them looking great again! This is another project that once completed will never need to be done again.


What did you use on your chrome? I've used 0000 steel wool (with liquid for lube), metal polish, and wax to varying degrees of success. Certainly nowhere near where I would like it to be.

And how did you go about straightening the dents without damaging the chrome? I have several dents, and a replacement front bumper I'll be using has the lower lip folded up along one side.

-Kevin

Posted on: 7/11 15:32
 Top  Print   
 


Re: Rear Bumper
#7
Home away from home
Home away from home

53 Cavalier
See User information
My process and products....

-Clean everything up, generally varsol to get off grime and bits of road tar. 0000 steel wool works well.
-If there are any rust spots I clean them up with Rust Check rust remover and steel wool
-The "dents" were primarily along the bottom edge and I was able to support the bumper on a 6 x 6 and then use another wood block to hammer the dents down. They're not 100%, but not noticable like they were.
Click to see original Image in a new window

-Go over everything with Autosol, maybe a couple of times until it's clean. A little goes a long ways.
-Lightly wet sand everything with 2000 grit sandpaper.
-Power polish with a course wheel and blue rouge.
-Power polish with a fine wheel and blue rouge.
-Then I give it a quick once over with the Autosol again.

And Bob's your uncle!

Posted on: 7/11 16:18
 Top  Print   
 


Re: Rear Bumper
#8
Webmaster
Webmaster

BigKev
See User information
Bumper jacks dented many a bumper.

Posted on: 7/11 19:22
-BigKev


1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog

1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog
 Top  Print   
 


Re: Rear Bumper
#9
Home away from home
Home away from home

Packard Don
See User information
I just spend $1000 having a lower front straightened and rechromed even though it was already very shiny with no rust or scratches due to all the jack deformations.

Posted on: 7/11 22:40
 Top  Print   
 


Re: Rear Bumper
#10
Home away from home
Home away from home

kevinpackard
See User information
Quote:

BigKev wrote:
Bumper jacks dented many a bumper.


You should see the front bumper on my car now. Bent, torn, and missing all the lower half of chrome. The bumper jacks were not kind to it.

Posted on: 7/12 0:14
 Top  Print   
 




(1) 2 »





- The following Google Ad-Sense Advert helps fund the cost of providing this free resource -
- Logged in users will not see these. Please Join and Donate to help support the website -
Search
Recent Photos
Photo of the Day
Recent Registry
Upcoming Events
32nd Annual Florida Packard Club Meet
01/26/2025
46th Annual Texas Packard Meet
04/03/2025 - 04/06/2025
Packard Salon - Calling All Twelves
05/27/2025 - 05/29/2025
58th Annual National Meet
05/31/2025 - 06/06/2025
AACA Fall Meet (Hershey)
10/06/2025 - 10/10/2025
Website Comments or Questions?? Click Here Copyright 2006-2024, PackardInfo.com All Rights Reserved