ugh! Front bumper (image attached)

F14CRAZY · November 2nd, 2005

After school my mom called me and said that Admiral had gas at $2.17. Not bad so I went and got some. Waited in line behind a car. Pulled up to the pump after he left and I guess I wasn't paying much attention, and I just had to hit the big cement thing

I'm stupid for doing such a thing. I didn't hit it hard cuz I was just idling in drive from a standstill. You can see in the image how it's pushed back.

Did I do some awful damage, or does the bumper have like oval-holes for adjustment? I behind it from underneath but didn't see anything.

I hope it isn't too hard. This weekend I'm supposed to go cruise with my car and Mario and his "new" Mustang (yes it's a GT).

Thank you.

Jim · November 2nd, 2005

I didn't see any image or a way to view an image but if the impact bar, the bumper, is not bent but just pushed back you can probably bring if back forward. Both the front and rear bumpers are mounted to the body by energy absorbing supports. They should come back out all the way by themselves but sometimes they stick. If you can get some kind of a scissors jack or something like that up inside between the bumper and the body you can push the bumper back out.
A couple of years ago I was doing some work to my neighbor's very nice '89 Riviera and when I went to take it back to him I backed right into the bumper of my daughters car, where it wasn't supposed to be parked. I pushed in his bumper and sort of distorted the filler panel. I got out my trusty scissors jack and pushed out his bumper and to this day he doesn't know anything ever happened.

89REATTAJIM · November 2nd, 2005

Really a shame that we're getting excited over $2.17 gas. Can't help w/info on repairs, hope you can pop it out as last post suggests.

F14CRAZY · November 2nd, 2005

Thanks Jim. That's comforting. I'll try the jack trick if it doesn't work.

And my bad for not attaching the photo

It's attached to THIS message

F14CRAZY · November 2nd, 2005

Sorry for not describing it better. It made contact on the rub strip below the driver's side headlight. Sounds like it could pop out if I pulled on it by hand hard enough.

And I forgot to mention! Jessica said she wants to ride with me. She's a slim cheerleader but she'd clean and all but said she's gonna dress in provocative clothing. I told her we were going street racing (not really, just crusing) and she was like "do I get to wave the flag?" I was like sure

Oh and she said she'd pose on my car. Gotta wash and wax tomorrow. And yes yes I'll post the pix.

You guys and headlight retainers

EDBS0 · November 2nd, 2005

Pull pry hammer and the "shock absorbers" will come back to the original position.

What only 1 pix????

F14CRAZY · November 2nd, 2005

You guys were right. I tried turning the wheels to the right and prying with a 2x4 but it was bending the plastic of the bumper so I stopped and figured to put something up to the shock absorber and push the bumper outward. I couldn't find a 2x4 of the right size but used a piece of angled steel and a hammer. Didn't have to tap hard for it to fix itself. So yay! Can't street race with a damaged Reatta

And yeah yeah I'll get some more decent pix

Chazzman · November 3rd, 2005

Be sure to include Jessica in the next pix... LOL!!

manikmekanik · November 3rd, 2005

Headlight retainers are not advised for provocative pix!