69 fury bumper twist.

[shooter65]

I've got a theory and am looking for opinions. The right side of my 69 fury front bumper is twisted up. When I was looking at the pics of the car, I thought it might have found a ditch in the past so I didn't pay for it until I inspected it. No other damage. I've since noticed other 69 furys have a similar twisted front bumper. My theory is that the bumpers were too light to support the car on a bumper jack for an extended period of time and this caused cars, especially heavier BB cars to get the bumper twisted. Another theory would be that the car was on a bumper jack and rolled back causing the bumper to twist.

Any thoughts? The pic is from when I first brought the car home. I'm in the process of tear down to fix what needs fixed.

 

[polara71]

Wow, look at that. I'm almost certain mine wasn't like that and I've never noticed. Now every FCBO member will be looking at the front bumper of all 69 furys, including myself

 

[shooter65]

Haven't see a lot but I've seen a few.
Starting to think it may have been that the car rolled backward off the bumper jack at some point.
It's a damn shame because otherwise the bumper is spotless. Hoping to straighten it without making it worse. I've got a spare but it needs rechromed and I don't want to spend the money when this one has such nice chrome and no rust.

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

I think you are close but typically when cars were towed with a sling operators rarely put a 4x4 behind the bumper. So when it was lifted up the stress was put on the bumper not on the wooden 4x4. You may also see two slight bows to the bottom of the bumper: this was from an air jack and the two rubber pads. Many years being down at the service station and helping with the wrecker has seen both of these many times. Unless you can strap the car down on a body man frame rack you will have to remove the bumper to work on the bumper and/or brackets.

 

[shooter65]

I think you are close but typically when cars were towed with a sling operators rarely put a 4x4 behind the bumper. So when it was lifted up the stress was put on the bumper not on the wooden 4x4. You may also see two slight bows to the bottom of the bumper: this was from an air jack and the two rubber pads. Many years being down at the service station and helping with the wrecker has seen both of these many times. Unless you can strap the car down on a body man frame rack you will have to remove the bumper to work on the bumper and/or brackets.

Not disputing your view, just curious why the drivers side is very slightly twisted in the opposite direction? Seems if it was from a tow, it would have been someone consistent on both sides.

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

Are there any scuff or scratches on bottom of bumper on the side that goes upward? If so maybe in ditch at one time. My friend was in the towing business for 30 years and the vehicles could shift as they were being towed.
If it was caused by a bumper jack then there should be signs of the steel and/or chrome being stressed by the jack hole or points of its contact.

 

['69FuryIIIConvertible]

Neither of mine were like that.

 

[bluefury361]

My 69 bumper is fine. Are you sure it has a twist, or are the brackets missaligned at the frame mount......?

 

[cantflip]

I think you are close but typically when cars were towed with a sling operators rarely put a 4x4 behind the bumper. So when it was lifted up the stress was put on the bumper not on the wooden 4x4. You may also see two slight bows to the bottom of the bumper: this was from an air jack and the two rubber pads. Many years being down at the service station and helping with the wrecker has seen both of these many times. Unless you can strap the car down on a body man frame rack you will have to remove the bumper to work on the bumper and/or brackets.

Pete's right old tow slings could do it, old air operated bumper jacks could do it. In my experience most times the bumper jack in the trunk moved it tweaked something... jack base, the tab for the bumper or the slot on the bumper.

If there's no other damage you can see, I would start with Will's suggestion and try loosening the frame mounts and pulling it into alignment... I have no idea how hard that would be on this car, but I imagine it being a 2 man operation or some creative leverage.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Samplingman]

My 69 bumper is fine. Are you sure it has a twist, or are the brackets missaligned at the frame mount......?

...or even missing the rear bolt on the bracket causing it to pivot up? Also, take a look at the stub frame up close to the firewall, that's where mine was kinked.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Has anybody taken a bumper off of one of these cars? I guarantee the second you pull the bumper it will NOT move a bit.

This twist will take a fair amount of force to take out, most likely by a bumper shop.



Alan

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

I went thru this twice this year on my '66 Toronado and the '62 Chrysler 300 convert. On the Toro the old man pulled the bumper corner out while backing out of a garage and it had indents on the bottom from a air jack. An old time bumper man straighened it all out. The '62 300 front bumper was hooked and pulled out. Luckily the undersized bumper bolt pulled out and the bracket could be straightened out. Visually look at your brackets and compare one side to the other.

 

[cantflip]

I've got a theory and am looking for opinions. The right side of my 69 fury front bumper is twisted up. When I was looking at the pics of the car, I thought it might have found a ditch in the past so I didn't pay for it until I inspected it. No other damage. I've since noticed other 69 furys have a similar twisted front bumper. My theory is that the bumpers were too light to support the car on a bumper jack for an extended period of time and this caused cars, especially heavier BB cars to get the bumper twisted. Another theory would be that the car was on a bumper jack and rolled back causing the bumper to twist.

Any thoughts? The pic is from when I first brought the car home. I'm in the process of tear down to fix what needs fixed.

View attachment 66931

Please let us know how it turns out when you get to it. Its always so much better knowing an issue was resolved and what was done to fix it.

 

[shooter65]

I certainly will, I've got a lot going on right now so I may not get to it for a while. Life seems to keep getting in the way of this project.