Bought a newly rechromed but original bumper and my shop is saying they think it is bent. Has anyone had a fitting issue like this that has resolved it, or do you think it's truly bent?

Just trying to make sure it isn't an install issue before talking to the source of the bumper.

Thanks!

How was the fit before it was chromed?

If it were just the off fitment on the ends, then I'd say it could be the mounting brackets on the back being tweaked, but it looks flat across the front too.

Back in the day they used to have bucks to straighten mild damage/bends, but I doubt any shop nor dealer has them anymore.

See if you can find someone in your Indy area with a proper fitting bumper to compare it with front & back.

If it's off, then you may need to return it & look for another one.

PSS - Also check that the bumper's mounting brackets on the back are straight & correct angles, & not tweaked, as well as the mounting points of the front wall of the body/trunk.

PS - it also looks like the line of the headlight eyebrows & hood/lid are consistent, but that the fenders sit +/- 1/4-1/2" proud of them in the 2 pix below (passs. side seems most out), so there may be a bodywork issue making the bumper seem too flat in the center. However, it could also be an issue with the headlight & eyebrow adjustments too - at least in part, you should check alignment of all hood/lid, fenders, headlith covers/brows from the front dead-on too. Also do the bumper to bumper comparison with your & the know proper fit bumper off the cars - & you might also try test fitting yours onto the other 914 as well.




Good Luck!
Tom
///////

Here are a couple of 1974 914 front bumpers. These are proper figment.
Craig at CAMP

Red car.

It really depends on how much work on the bumper. It's easy to deform them if the work is not minor. If it was laid flat on a bench and was filled and then ground down yes quite possible. Most re-chromed bumpers to have some variation to them. Just curious. How did the bumper top fit? If it's one of ours we used an OEM chromed bumper Not too pretty) to assure it fit to OEM. The tops to have the ability to take some variation, but the sub structure is welded in a jig made off the OEM bumper.

I would suspect that the center stud on the top would be all the way back (toward car) and the edges all the way forward on the holes if this is a bumper issue. It may be tell tale

Just curious

Red car

Hey Craig,

Can you please post him one from dead on front looking from bumper to windshield, so he can see how all the front panels should be lining up, so he can compare it. It looks like yours are also a tad proud at the fenders too, so his body panel alignments may not be the issue.

PS - I think the white one has a tad better panels alignment, if you have any of it.

TIA!
Tom
///////

Wasn't mine before. It was purchased already fixed and rechromed.

Did you accidentally double up on the dog bones?



If the outer sides were bend forward, the center wouldn't fit at all, this looks all kinds of weird.

We did a group buy on rechroming several years ago and I had my front bumper redone and had the license plates holes filled in. The bumper came back a little opened up a little like your photos, but not nearly as bad.

I would guess they take off the mounts English wheel them a bit and weld the mounts back on or some kind of business like that? I dunno.

Shop is going to try it on a couple other cars and see if it looks the same.

If anyone close to Indy has a straight bumper I could test fit that would be helpfully also.

Update already!!!

Source of the bumper saw this on here and has already committed to sending me another newly rechromed original bumper as a replacement. Said it appears without doubt to be a bumper issue. Ohh well, stuff happens.

I still don't want to name him, but the 914 crowd sure has some good people!!

sorry wrong thread.

I believe that white car is my car and actually the fit of the rubber bumper top is too tight on the sides over the fenders. This car had some front end damage in its past and we have properly realigned it to spec at some expense including the hood lowered a tad in the front. The bumper top now fits only just slightly against each fender and on the "lip" that is part of the fender. and the headlight brows and frunk lid are nominally equidistant at 2 to 6 mm. It is very fiddly work.

That lip or ledge in the fender shape is visible in your photos but it doesn't explain the lack of curve in your bumper.