Lancer: Bumper Works

Given my current financial status, I don't have the luxury of spending a lot on my lancer project (not as much as I spent on Voxy's restoration). Relatively speaking, the work i'll do on my lancer is peanuts compared to the Voxy project but that doesn't mean that she'll look anything less than very presentable.

GOAL: Finish this project for less than 1,500 pesos.

I'll start by working on the bumpers.

A small amount of body filler can solve the scratches on the passenger's side but what worries me is the broken part on the driver side(the one that holds the bolts in place) . First, we have to remove the bumper from the car.

This 3/4 drive socket wrench with several extensions will do the job. It will be easier if you have 1/2 drive wrench with a long extension handle - but I have to make do with what I have :) TIP: Always buy quality tools for heavy duty jobs. I have nothing against buying cheap china tools but expect that their life expectancy is relatively shorter. What I'm using is a Buffalo wrench and it has never let me down. For sockets, I buy either Stanley, Lotus or Buffalo as they are more reliable.

The bumper is held in place by 4 12mm bolts underneath holding the bracket in place and 2 "screw head" bolts on each side. Lift the car up with the help of your trusty old jack and jack stands TIP: If you don't have jack stands, you can use your spare tires. Be careful though. Always bear in mind that jacks are not designed to hold the car up for long periods. It might give in when subjected to some force like when loosening up a bolt :)

Here's one of the 4 bolts located underneath - remove them carefully.

After removing all the bolts - you can start pulling out the bumper. :)

Here's the broken part that I'm talking about - this needs to be repaired.

I will use several old plastic cards (could be an old ATM Card, Credit card, or any thick yet flexible plastic) as the base for the new holder

Once the card is cut in shape - they are riveted to the bumper.

As reinforcement, I melt some plastic and sort of start building up a new holder for the bumper. I used a combination of old plastic hanger and DVD case for the new holder. I figured they are more flexible than other plastics thus less prone to cracking.

I sort of " build up" a small mound (letting each layer cool down before laying on another) After I have enough plastic  - I start sanding it down and shaping it accordingly.

Afterwards, I drill a hole where the bolt will pass through. TIP: Make sure the hole is aligned perfectly to where the the bolt is screwed on the fender - if it is off by a couple of mm's - the bumper will not align properly ( to be honest, I think I missed mine but it's not that obvious once mounted :) )

PROBLEM NUMBER 1 SOLVED and it cost me nothing! :)

On to the next problem! :)