This is the damage done a few weeks ago with my run in with a tree. One body shop said that I broke the bracket, and that there was no way of putting it back on and that I needed a new bumper.
There's the damage. I can't seem to push the bumper back, as if it's forced out by something, a bent bracket, etc. Does the bumper look shot? I could even live with the dents until I could get a new one if I could only get it back on the side. Also, are the dents repairable?
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2000 V6
A.M. CAI
Dual exhaust w/Flowmaster super 44's.
GoodYear F1 tires
17" five spoke GT rims
Painted calipers, Painted pony, flat black painted hood stripe, flat black painted spoiler.
This is the damage done a few weeks ago with my run in with a tree. One body shop said that I broke the bracket, and that there was no way of putting it back on and that I needed a new bumper.
There's the damage. I can't seem to push the bumper back, as if it's forced out by something, a bent bracket, etc. Does the bumper look shot? I could even live with the dents until I could get a new one if I could only get it back on the side. Also, are the dents repairable?
You probably have more damage to the steel brackets and the front sub section of the car than you think. The bumper cover is made of polyurethane, and springs back into shape. The steel brakets do not.
I think the body shop is right - the best solution is a new bumper.
If you want to try to fix it yourself, the bumper is not that hard to remove. Most of it is held in place with plastic fasteners (like large pop rivets) and a few small bolts attaching it underneath to the brackets on both sides as well as the fender liners. You have to disconned the wires to your fog lights, but that's about it.
Once you get the bumper cover off, you'll be able to see what happened to the steel brackets. You might be able to bend them back into place, or find replacements at the junkyard. Examine the un-damaged side to get an idea of what it USED to look like.
The bumper cover has "ears" where it attaches on either side, and your damaged side looks like its ear was torn apart. Once deformed, polyurethane does not like to go back into its original shape. You can try drilling some small holes for sheet metal screws along that lip and try to screw it onto the fender...
But you need a new bumper cover, and depending on the extent of the hidden damage under the cover, you might need some welding or straightening of metal.
How much did the shop quote for the repair?
I'm guessing about $500. Maybe more.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
You probably have more damage to the steel brackets and the front sub section of the car than you think. The bumper cover is made of polyurethane, and springs back into shape. The steel brakets do not.
I think the body shop is right - the best solution is a new bumper.
If you want to try to fix it yourself, the bumper is not that hard to remove. Most of it is held in place with plastic fasteners (like large pop rivets) and a few small bolts attaching it underneath to the brackets on both sides as well as the fender liners. You have to disconned the wires to your fog lights, but that's about it.
Once you get the bumper cover off, you'll be able to see what happened to the steel brackets. You might be able to bend them back into place, or find replacements at the junkyard. Examine the un-damaged side to get an idea of what it USED to look like.
The bumper cover has "ears" where it attaches on either side, and your damaged side looks like its ear was torn apart. Once deformed, polyurethane does not like to go back into its original shape. You can try drilling some small holes for sheet metal screws along that lip and try to screw it onto the fender...
But you need a new bumper cover, and depending on the extent of the hidden damage under the cover, you might need some welding or straightening of metal.
How much did the shop quote for the repair?
I'm guessing about $500. Maybe more.
Well, my hood is shot for sure, It cracked. I was quoted 500 to paint and put on the hood and bumper. That's with me supplying the bumper and hood, and them adding a flat black stripe.
__________________
2000 V6
A.M. CAI
Dual exhaust w/Flowmaster super 44's.
GoodYear F1 tires
17" five spoke GT rims
Painted calipers, Painted pony, flat black painted hood stripe, flat black painted spoiler.
Well, my hood is shot for sure, It cracked. I was quoted 500 to paint and put on the hood and bumper. That's with me supplying the bumper and hood, and them adding a flat black stripe.
So you need a new hood too?
Any other bodywork to the fender?
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
No. I hit the tree about right in the middle of the bumper at about 5 miles an hour. I'm still wondering why the bumper bracket would be bent or broke on the drivers side. The tree must have bent back the bumper enough to get to my hood, which is cracked about 2 inches or so up. I've got a brand new, unpainted hood that I picked up for a 100 bucks off a guy I know. But I was trying to get around the bumper issue, since it's really not noticable, except for it being off the side.
__________________
2000 V6
A.M. CAI
Dual exhaust w/Flowmaster super 44's.
GoodYear F1 tires
17" five spoke GT rims
Painted calipers, Painted pony, flat black painted hood stripe, flat black painted spoiler.
No. I hit the tree about right in the middle of the bumper at about 5 miles an hour. I'm still wondering why the bumper bracket would be bent or broke on the drivers side. The tree must have bent back the bumper enough to get to my hood, which is cracked about 2 inches or so up. I've got a brand new, unpainted hood that I picked up for a 100 bucks off a guy I know. But I was trying to get around the bumper issue, since it's really not noticable, except for it being off the side.
Check your AC - you might have damaged it or the lines at the same time.
My car (check my profile if you like) had the same identical problem. I replaced the hood and bumper with the Cervini Stalker pieces, worked fine.
Shop around a little bit for that front bumper - you might find one on AFM (classifieds) that someone has surplus because they put a body kit on their cars.
The price they are quoting is fair, but not what I'd call cheap (hopefully they do good work for that quote, because they should).
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Wow, I like the look of your car alot. I saw the hood on Mrbodykit.com and liked it, but at 300 bucks, plus another 200 for shipping, it was just too expensive. I kind of wanted to go with an aftermarket bumper or hood, so I could feel like I'm not wasting money just getting it back to what it orginally looked like. I've been keeping my eye open on craigslist, and similar websites for a bumper, but after a week, no luck. Thanks for the help, I guess I'll just keep looking for a used bumper.
__________________
2000 V6
A.M. CAI
Dual exhaust w/Flowmaster super 44's.
GoodYear F1 tires
17" five spoke GT rims
Painted calipers, Painted pony, flat black painted hood stripe, flat black painted spoiler.
Wow, I like the look of your car alot. I saw the hood on Mrbodykit.com and liked it, but at 300 bucks, plus another 200 for shipping, it was just too expensive. I kind of wanted to go with an aftermarket bumper or hood, so I could feel like I'm not wasting money just getting it back to what it orginally looked like. I've been keeping my eye open on craigslist, and similar websites for a bumper, but after a week, no luck. Thanks for the help, I guess I'll just keep looking for a used bumper.
The real one direct from Cervini is higher quality (but costs more).
You have a good plan. Go out with a flash light, and get under the front of the car and eyeball your situation. Look for dents in the sheet metal brace that runs across the front of your car behind the bumper (the real metal one, not the cover), and eyeball the bent bracket (its not a complicated piece) that is preventing our bumper from working properly, Another temporary fix would be to bend the bracket until the bumper hung relatively straight, and then take one (better 2) small C-clamps and try clamping it back to the fender. You'll have to remove the wheel and fender liner to get workspace . Once the edges line up, run a few small sheet metal screws (predrill holes) to hold it in place.
This is in the nature of an "emergency rig", and is NOT a professional fix, but sometimes funds-challenged conditions require inventive solutions!
Installing a new hood and bumper cover is not complicated, but working all the edges square and beating any metal straight again takes some skill. Paint is the main thing you are paying them for, and it is worth the money (for a quality job - poor workmanship isn't worth squat).
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Wow, I got a few more quotes today. One for 1200, another for 750. Ha, wow. The 1200 one did include a "refurbished" front bumper cover from a totaled mustang at the low price of $350. The second guy charged me an hour of labor to "repair hood hinges". What? He didn't even open the hood. And besides, there's nothing wrong with them. Another 3 hours to install the bumper, 4 hours to paint it, and then an 1.3 hours to install the hood, with another 5 hours to paint it. I love being a kid that people think are stupid.
__________________
2000 V6
A.M. CAI
Dual exhaust w/Flowmaster super 44's.
GoodYear F1 tires
17" five spoke GT rims
Painted calipers, Painted pony, flat black painted hood stripe, flat black painted spoiler.
Salvagable bumper? 2000 Mustang V6 
