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MG MGB Technical - Rusting rubber bumper

I am restoring a 1978 mgb roadster. The rear rubber bumper metal insert is very rusty. My dealer tells me that there are no replacements available. Has anybody taken the rubber cover off a bumper to renovate the metal armature. Looks almost impossible - any ideas please.
John Gearing

I'm in the same boat.

When I stripped mine down, the top metal strip was just about re-usuable, however the bottom strip simply crumbled to powder.

Same for the front.

I've been advised to buy 28 large round washers w/ can provide sufficient anchorage for the 28 AVDEL pop rivets that you will have to put back in, and apparently that should do the trick.

AVDEL rivets are available at your local hardware store, INFAST is one, and I paid around £2.50 for 60. Same will apply for the washers.

There are one or two people producing these strips of metal, but they wanted about £14 each for them w/ I considered a rip-off, and so have sought an alternative way.
mark smith

Hi Mark. Thanks for your comments. I've been working on my rear bumper this weekend. I've wired brushed it off and like yours I found the bottom retainer strip missing and the top one quite rusty. On peeling back the rubber on the bottom lip I find that part of the armature is well rotton as well as the thin metal plate that runs through the middle of the armature. I haven't taken the top retaining plate off yet, I'm going to a local blacksmith this week to see if he can weld up the rotton damage - he may suggest drilling out the top rivetts to take the whole rubber sleeve off. At least I can then see what the state of the metal armature is and weld up where parts are missing. I have bought the two metal retaining strips from MG Owners Club at Swavesey. I don't think they were that expensive. I'm not sure whether to pop rivet them back or screw with stainless steel self tapping screws. I'm not sure what to do about the flapping bit of metal in the middle. I did wonder if there is any merit in filling the whole cavity with expanding foam - the stuff you put round pipe holes and new windows and get out of an aerosol. Either way I shall blast the inside with waxoyl before I refit - and I haven't started on the front yet!

John
John Gearing

Scrap your bumper and get one off an American import car that has come from a "dry" state like California.
They go for around £100.
Chris Betson

John, Mark

I am about to remove both bumpers from my 79 California import, let me know if you are interested in them.
Peter Barrett

This thread was discussed between 18/01/2002 and 21/01/2002

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