I'm asking for people's opinions and overall advice/input... Ok...here goes... I have a '65 Buick Riviera... It's been getting painted for 'a while' now... 6 months ago I had the front and rear bumpers re-chromed, or I should say, I had 'a set' of bumpers re-chromed for it... (I picked up a really straight set at a swap meet for a decent price) Anyway, we went to put the 'new' front bumper on, and the gaps on either side of the front fenders are WAY too close... Like only 1/16th-1/8th of an inch too close... (it should be 1/2"-5/8" on each side to allow for a rubber spacer) My original bumper fits perfectly, but I didn't have that one redone as it has a few s****es that I figured would cost more to get dealt with... the swap meet one was nice and straight, no s****es... Here is my main question... Does anybody think I could get away with porta-power-ing the ends a bit wider, like 3/4 of an inch total..?? maybe using the inner bolting brackets to 'push' from..?? I'm pretty sure it would split the chrome, and if it did, and I'd be *** out on the new chrome job... We all know that original factory parts had variances and imperfections that sometimes takes some 'fitting', but it seems like this is too much to just deal with... (for my car's front fenders at least...) I'm also thinking it may fit another car just fine, so I'm probably going to try to sell it for what I have into it to finance the re-chroming of my original front bumper... Another idea... Was there a width difference between the '63-'64's and the '65's..?? I'm pretty sure it was the same front bumper, but maybe not..?? So, what do you think..??
I've had some success while reforming chromed pieces.., You just have to relize that the chrome might pull from the metal! That will come back and haunt you sooner or later. It might be less costly and more wise..., to modify your body to fit the chrome. Paint touch-up is cheaper than chrome! Mark
If you think they will fit another car, I would sell them. Then you can use the cash to chrome up the old ones. I would be suprised if the chrome held up after bending them. Crease Barons So Tex
It's been my experience that chrome is extremely inflexible, that's why they use it on tool edges etc. The '56 Chevy bumper ends on my '54 Chevy were newly rechromed and in a big hurry I slapped them on. I didn't fabricate side brackets for it and by the time I did (two months) it was too late. The chrome's just plain **** now. I'll have to spend the money all over again. Crease has got the right idea, sell them and rechrome your old ones.
jack, IMHO i dont think you can spread em to make em fit .in my experience the chrome will crack , flake off , or both . take crease's advise and sell em and rechrome you originals . just make sure that you get them back and the chromer doesnt just take em as a core and give you another set...........told ya you had a rivi........haha.......love donnie
Ha ha ha..!! You rule Donnie...!! it's always one thing or the other, isn't it..?? It's just the front bumper, so I guess that's what I'll do... It was a long shot, just thought I'd ask the m***es... Anyone looking for a front '65 Rivi bumper..??
I hope it's not the one I sent to the chrome shop..., because that one didn't fit!! And all the chrome was falling off because of the porta-power modifications! In 1986 I did three exchanges for my 63 Riv until I got the one I sent out, back, and then it fit like a charm. The others must have been really beat up! Mark
i would think, with the shape of the riv bumper, you should be able to tweak it to a better fit with the portapower. check first to see how tight the bumper is to the pan below the grille, if there is room for there to be a tighter fit. you shoulda seen me cranking on my brand new chrome pipes for my bike to get em to fit...
This may be way out in left field as I don't know how the bumper mounts work on these cars, but have you considered modifying the bumper mounting brackets instead of the bumper or body?
Chrome is completely unflexible, it is only 0.00002 to .00003 thick at best, the nickel can be upto maybe 0.0001 thick, so it's not upto much.If the surface beneath the chrome twists or stretches the chrome will crack and invariably peel. The nickel under the chrome plates under tension, which is why in old chrome you often see a patina in the metal. When the patina is yellow it is the chrome parting to reveal the nickelm, when it is reddish it is the nickel parting to reveal the copper. I reckon you should sell the bad fit and use it to pay for originals to be done.
hey, sounds like you got a rechromed '63 or '64 bumper. The '65 fenders are wider.....I know they look the same, but from what you can see on your fitment there is some slight differance. Hope this helps Ya !!!! -SAM
Thanks alot everybody..!! I super-appreciate the responses..!! and Sam, thank you for confirming my su****ions..!! I saw you at Billetproof under your canopy... I said Hello, but you seemed kind of out of it... Now I won't mislead anyone when I sell it... Anybody looking for a CHERRY '63-'64 Riviera front bumper..??
So after I replied to this post, I started doing a little more thinking. People chrome leaf springs and they flex. How do it do that? Crease Barons So Tex
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