My car is a 1975 model, with the molded rubber bumper covers fitted over the heavier DOT-compliant bumpers.

In the rear of the car there is about a 1/16" clearance between the bumper cover and the body, just to the left of the taillight housing. On the driver's side the bumper is flush with the body, i.e., no clearance. As a result, there is a bulge present and the bulge grows as the temperature increases and the rubber expands. I have seen this situation on other late-model 914s.

I loosened the 19 mm bolts holding the bumper in place in the hope that I would be able to pull the bumper out a hair to get a little clearance, but to no avail.

The next step is to remove the bumper completely to inspect.

Are there any ideas about the source of this problem or a possible remedy?

I have a spare bumper cover.

No idea.

Maybe the car was in a small fender bender at some point that resulted in the bumper or mounts to be bend slightly?
Andy

Actually, it was, several years ago, but the point of impact was on the opposite side of the car.

There you go.........use it!!

Snap a picture, your description sounds a little confusing. But if it's what it sounds like, maybe one of your bumper shocks was kee-runched in the fender bender. I know you said it was on the other side, but both of them are 35 years old.

The other thing I was thinking is that IIRC there is a small 'ear' on the backside of the bumper cover where it pulls and holds itslef on to the steel portion of the bumper. Sometimes they come off. For instance, if you were standing on the drivers side of the car, right next to the rear tire, and facing the back fo the car, you could pull the edge/ear of the bumper towards you (towards the front of the car) and kind of latch the rubber ear over the steel tab.

Geesh, now I'm sounding confusing!

Did you loosen the 3 bolts between the shock and the body, or the bolt between the shock and the bumper? Under the body where the shock mounts you may get a little movement by loosening the 3 bolts. Test the shocks. They do crap out after a while and may have "colapsed. If your body is bent you could posssibly oblong the 3 holes of the shock where it mounts to the body.