Let me start by saying I am a big fan of Mark's 914rubber products.

I went to install the front bumper with one of his fiberglass bumper tops. When I started tightening the top bolt, the top of the bumper top started getting really close to the paint on the car. Removed the top to verify that it was pushed forward in the bumper holes as far as it would go...it was. I figured the top just needed a trim in a few places, so I went carefully went to work with a die grinder and a fine sanding wheel.

I have had the bumper and top on & off the car about 20 times now, trimming small increments off the top of it. I am getting closer, but I am wondering if something may be wrong with the placement of the studs in the top. I expected this piece to be plug & play, don't mind trimming a bit here & there, but this is taking a lot more time than I anticipated and I ended up nicking my fresh paint in a couple spots installing and removing the bumper.

Dog bones are installed.

I know Mark is a busy guy (and a stand-up guy), but I received no response from him with this problem so I figured I would ask the world what their experience has been fitting these front fiberglass bumper tops.

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Thanks in advance!

I have been looking at this option but not if that is how they fit.

It took me about a half hour to rough mine in. I probably have another half hour of work to do.
I would ping him again. Your work seems excessive.

seems like the eyebrows are set back vs flush with hood and front fenders??

for half the cost of rubber - I have my eye on a set too.
http://shop.914rubber.com/Fiberglass-bumpe...ar-914FGBTS.htm

I agree with Jim.

All cars are not the same. The front end could be tweaked a bit. The bumper could bent bent slightly too. I would adjust the eyebrows and hood for a nice clean line first.

Hi,
Sorry it's been awhile since I've been able to check in. I did get the Pm and needed to check out thread.
These are molded from a factory top, so the edge line will be the same. the problem is the "eyebrow" areas are bumped back from the edge. You can see from the other pictures that they should line up. The rubber eyebrow grommets are a pain to get in, but it looks like your are not in all the way or the eyebrows may have been tweeked when they were off the car.

Just let me know what you would like me to do here, I'll do what ever makes you happy here.
-Mark

I fail to see where he is complaining about the eyebrow fit. The problem ( as I understand it after inhaling contact glue all day ) is that the bumper top is hitting the fender. Possible the car is tweaked, but IMHO unlikely that both sides are pushed FORWARD the same amount. Looking at the pics, Bob has cut the trailing edge of the bumper top to be able to get the bumper tightened down.

are your dog bones the same thickness as the original ones ? Has the front panel ever been hit ? This would cause the bumper to pull back to far


Or am I missing something ??

I'd be curious to see the fit with the front hood closed. That would be a telltail sign if the metal was tweeked. From what I can see the front hood line looks pretty good. It may be a bumper mount issue, but the line for the eyebrow metal is definitely off.

FWIW, my experience is posted here. I think it's safe to assume that the FG Bumper Top is true and the bumper or body are not true. I'm sure that's my situation, but it wasn't apparent when the rubber top was still on the bumper.

Do you have any pics from the side showing the bumpers line with the car? Why not just shim the dog bones a bit?

I have not installed mine yet (probably this weekend) but Marks are the best fiberglass pieces I have seen. I installed 916 bumpers on one of my cars and noticed the way/order the bolts are tightened had an affect on how the bumper lined up as there is some play in the mounting. I would take a close look and maybe play around with some other options before cutting up the fiberglass anymore.

this is the pic I based my maybe too quick opinion on.

looking back on it and all the pics in their totality - dog bone thickness is a very good point.

Hood and headlight eyebrows are movable parts.
Fender is not.

I would have added washers to the dogbone to make the part fit the fender exactly, then move the hood and eyebrows to match.

My rubber unit touches the fender and not the hood or eyebrow.

The eyebrows move easy...just tug them forward.
hood, that is a few bolts and an hour to get perfect....or more.

rich

Appreciate all the feedback.

I believe that the mounting studs on the fiberglass top are mounted to far forward on this one, causing the top of the FG replacement top to start hitting the body way before the bumper draws up tight. I took measurements (and pictures of the measurements) of the stud location on a factory top and the fiberglass top from Mark and sent them to him. I am working with 914Rubber to reach a resolution - thanks Mark.

Dogbones seem completely normal to me and the factory pad bolts up with no problems. I tried shimming the FG top with washers (three thick ones, adding at least 3/16") and still ran into problems.

The car is not perfect. I know for a fact that the passenger side fender has been replaced. It was a decent, but not perfect job...However, I don't think this is the problem as the FG top drew in against the drivers side fender (original) well before it was completely tight.

In the meantime, I am rolling with my factory front bumper pad:

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The rear FG bumper top from 914 Rubber has been fitted and installed. Some light trimming on the top edge and where the body cutouts are was all that it needed. Fits well and looks great with about an hour of work. I am very pleased:

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