914 Rear bumper top, Purchased from 914Rubber Options

[d7n7master]

Hi All,
I bought a 914 Rear rubber bumper top from 914rubber. But when I went to fit it to my bumper it is (slightly) undersize. I could make it fit if I wanted to oversize or slot the attachment holes in the bumper - but...isn't it suppose to fit correctly without my trimming & making it fit?? I mean to say, @ $385, it should fit like a glove. ( not O. J. Simpson's glove. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)
Anybody have experience with this (tight fit)???
thx, Gary

[TheCabinetmaker]

You should contact Mark @ 914. Rubber.

[d7n7master]

You should contact Mark @ 914. Rubber.

Yep. & I have, just before posting this - I'm tempted to just trim to make it fit-but
my curiosity needs to be satisfied!!

[TheCabinetmaker]

Mark has a real job (airline pilot). Give him a chance to get back to you. He will. You could call them tomorrow.

[clapeza]

Just got one and installed it yesterday. Mine seemed a bit undersized as well. I had to run to the hardware store to get new nuts and washers to replace my rusty ones, so I set the bumper top in place in the sun. When I got back, it had warmed up enough to be just pliable to go into place. Fit is great, and a little stretching is expected as it settles in.

[old dog]

Hi All,
I bought a 914 Rear rubber bumper top from 914rubber. But when I went to fit it to my bumper it is (slightly) undersize. I could make it fit if I wanted to oversize or slot the attachment holes in the bumper - but...isn't it suppose to fit correctly without my trimming & making it fit?? I mean to say, @ $385, it should fit like a glove. ( not O. J. Simpson's glove. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)
Anybody have experience with this (tight fit)???
thx, Gary

Mine fit perfectly....different batch maybe ?

[d7n7master]

Mark has a real job (airline pilot). Give him a chance to get back to you. He will. You could call them tomorrow.

A real job? Airline pilot? What is your point? I'm a Quality Engineer. What does a airline pilot know about dimensions? Answer: Absolutely Nothing.

[ConeDodger]

Mark has a real job (airline pilot). Give him a chance to get back to you. He will. You could call them tomorrow.

A real job? Airline pilot? What is your point? I'm a Quality Engineer. What does a airline pilot know about dimensions? Answer: Absolutely Nothing.

I suspect the point is that when he's gone, he is pretty much gone. He is restricted, I believe to flying 10 days a month and when he arrives in Denver at 5pm and has to fly out at to puerto Vallarta at 6am, I doubt he returns calls. I wouldn't. As far as what he knows about dimensions, he owns a successful architectural supply firm as well. So, what's your point? he knows a bit about dimensions. You are the first I have ever heard of to have bumper top trouble. Probably because most everyone else knows Mark will make it right and they wait for the phone call... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

[r_towle]

Try laying it in the sunshine, it may expand to fit perfectly.

[worn]

Mark has a real job (airline pilot). Give him a chance to get back to you. He will. You could call them tomorrow.

A real job? Airline pilot? What is your point? I'm a Quality Engineer. What does a airline pilot know about dimensions? Answer: Absolutely Nothing.

My gad I should hope they knows their dimensions! Feet, metered, miles, kilometers. Longitude altitude, attitude.

But the pieces should fit. That's why you bought them. These particular ones are Costy too. IMHO Mark's business is run pretty much the way you would expect. He will make good, but not everything is perfect Monsieur the first time. Pardon! And should we not have someone doing a breakeven job making molds for us, we would be botching it ourselves. I have pictures to prove it.
As for laying things out in the sun, I have to ask if that is sunshine above or below zero Farenheiht? For me at the moment it is dark, but still a toss up.

[d7n7master]

Mark has a real job (airline pilot). Give him a chance to get back to you. He will. You could call them tomorrow.

A real job? Airline pilot? What is your point? I'm a Quality Engineer. What does a airline pilot know about dimensions? Answer: Absolutely Nothing.

I suspect the point is that when he's gone, he is pretty much gone. He is restricted, I believe to flying 10 days a month and when he arrives in Denver at 5pm and has to fly out at to puerto Vallarta at 6am, I doubt he returns calls. I wouldn't. As far as what he knows about dimensions, he owns a successful architectural supply firm as well. So, what's your point? he knows a bit about dimensions. You are the first I have ever heard of to have bumper top trouble. Probably because most everyone else knows Mark will make it right and they wait for the phone call... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

Call me crazy. But, I expect 1st time quality. That's what I paid for. Not a effing phone call... "owns a successful architectural supply firm as well"?? Guess what. I couldn't care less. Not my problem. I simply bought a part that doesn't fit. I don't need your B.S. excuses to explain poor quality.

[zambezi]

Send it back!! I know for a fact he will refund your money.

[pilothyer]

I.L.S.M. or B.T. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[porbmw]

Patience, Grasshopper

You/we are driving 40 plus year old cars. If a poorly fitting bumper top causes this much grief and consternation, your travel days are going to be sorely tested along the way.

[ConeDodger]

Mark has a real job (airline pilot). Give him a chance to get back to you. He will. You could call them tomorrow.

A real job? Airline pilot? What is your point? I'm a Quality Engineer. What does a airline pilot know about dimensions? Answer: Absolutely Nothing.

I suspect the point is that when he's gone, he is pretty much gone. He is restricted, I believe to flying 10 days a month and when he arrives in Denver at 5pm and has to fly out at to puerto Vallarta at 6am, I doubt he returns calls. I wouldn't. As far as what he knows about dimensions, he owns a successful architectural supply firm as well. So, what's your point? he knows a bit about dimensions. You are the first I have ever heard of to have bumper top trouble. Probably because most everyone else knows Mark will make it right and they wait for the phone call... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

Call me crazy. But, I expect 1st time quality. That's what I paid for. Not a effing phone call... "owns a successful architectural supply firm as well"?? Guess what. I couldn't care less. Not my problem. I simply bought a part that doesn't fit. I don't need your B.S. excuses to explain poor quality.

I'm not going to call you anything. Not many rules around here but that is one. Besides, you're doing a pretty good job on your own.

Send it back. Make one yourself. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[bigkensteele]

Mark has a real job (airline pilot). Give him a chance to get back to you. He will. You could call them tomorrow.

A real job? Airline pilot? What is your point? I'm a Quality Engineer. What does a airline pilot know about dimensions? Answer: Absolutely Nothing.

I suspect the point is that when he's gone, he is pretty much gone. He is restricted, I believe to flying 10 days a month and when he arrives in Denver at 5pm and has to fly out at to puerto Vallarta at 6am, I doubt he returns calls. I wouldn't. As far as what he knows about dimensions, he owns a successful architectural supply firm as well. So, what's your point? he knows a bit about dimensions. You are the first I have ever heard of to have bumper top trouble. Probably because most everyone else knows Mark will make it right and they wait for the phone call... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) X 10

Mark will make it right. He is probably the most stand-up vendor you will ever find. Please do yourself and him a favor and give him a chance to respond to you before making a big deal about it here.

BTW, I wouldn't pigeon-hole him as just a pilot (not exactly a profession to be scoffed at). He is a very intelligent guy and has been doing R/D and QA for a number of years in two separate silos. His parts are not slapped together from some makeshift mold in his garage. He spends thousands of dollars on tooling for each part before he releases it to the masses, and the last thing he would to do is put something out there that is "pretty close" to right. That just isn't who he is.

As for your bumper top, I can only guess that your bumper was previously tweaked, or you got that 1 in a 1000 part that just wasn't quite right. Whatever the issue is, I can promise you that he will do everything he can to remedy the situation.

[walterolin]

Another plus 10.

Mark has saved our collective arses on a whole bunch of NLA parts, or parts only available at exorbitant prices.

Prime example is the front targa seal. I have an old AA catalogue dated late 2007 in which part number 914 563 039 10 is listed for $375.00, and to my knowledge that was the only version available at that time. Mark's reproduction is $179.00, looks and fits great.

I've got some parts that have had problems, he was quick to make amends, and asked no questions. And several times threw in some other pieces for free.

[Larmo63]

It is not right to air your grievances here after Mark has taken the time and effort to do his best to make/create parts for our weird little cars.

You should have done this in private.

[jack20]

Mark doesn't need me to stand up for his reputation, but I will gladly do so. He built it on his own and has a successful business to prove it. I can't understand the motivation of someone who is dissatisfied with one purchase to belittle the seller, in a public forum of satisfied customers.
This says more about you, "quality engineer" than it does about Mark.

[marksteinhilber]

Mark has a real job (airline pilot). Give him a chance to get back to you. He will. You could call them tomorrow.

A real job? Airline pilot? What is your point? I'm a Quality Engineer. What does a airline pilot know about dimensions? Answer: Absolutely Nothing.

I suspect the point is that when he's gone, he is pretty much gone. He is restricted, I believe to flying 10 days a month and when he arrives in Denver at 5pm and has to fly out at to puerto Vallarta at 6am, I doubt he returns calls. I wouldn't. As far as what he knows about dimensions, he owns a successful architectural supply firm as well. So, what's your point? he knows a bit about dimensions. You are the first I have ever heard of to have bumper top trouble. Probably because most everyone else knows Mark will make it right and they wait for the phone call... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

Call me crazy. But, I expect 1st time quality. That's what I paid for. Not a effing phone
call... "owns a successful architectural supply firm as well"?? Guess what. I couldn't care less. Not my problem. I simply bought a part that doesn't fit. I don't need your B.S. excuses to explain poor quality.

So send it back and do without. Or, consider that maybe it needs to stretch. Like others have said, put it out in the sun and let it expand. There's other parts that must be heated with a torch to install. In the long run, it may stay looking better rather than looking loose and saggy.