European bumper 1985 cabriolet

I am refurbing my european bumpers for 1985 cabriolet.

The metal structure I want to take out from plastic covers that are the bumpers.

The rear is easy its just 4 screws and the metal comes out.

The front on the other hand seems to be plastic glued in four places. Has anyone managed to figure out how to remove the glue and get the metal part of the bumper out?

Here is one of the four plastic glued areas on the back of the front bumper.


thanks Simon

That isn't glue.

That was part of the bumper face (rear) that was pushed through the re-enforcement bar that was Ultrasonically heated and pressed flat to the back side of the re-bar.

I am thinking that you will need to Dremel them off, flush to the rebar, then it will seperate.

Briano1234 said

That isn't glue.

That was part of the bumper face (rear) that was pushed through the re-enforcement bar that was Ultrasonically heated and pressed flat to the back side of the re-bar.

I am thinking that you will need to Dremel them off, flush to the rebar, then it will seperate.

Thanks Brian.

Yeah I just found out myself this is not glue when I just tried to drill and dremel one out. Boy this stuff is hard.

Thanks for the insight on how they installed them, this makes sense now and so I will finish up the rest tomorrow.

I will post up here results so for future reference for everyone.

I presume for re-install I will need to get certain product to then get it heated back as per original? Any info on that?

I know they make plastic bumper weld that you can heat up with a soldering iron.

I also think that JB-Weld Professional may work as well as you would just clean both parts and butter it on one and hold it together with a clamp or Tape wrapped around.  

I don't have any personal first hand info unfortunately.

Well looks like after dremel and drilling the rebar to front plastic bumper came apart nicely.

Little accident on one of the four. The bumper came out of my clamps and so with drilling in process this one broke, but to be honest its going to be easy fix, but what it did show its that these are plastic plugs that are pushed into the plastic front bumper from back and then pressed in flat.

I phoned up few friends in Germany who asked someone they know who used to work on VW production line and he also confirmed these are plugs that where then pressed in.

so my goal now is to make up a template to make up similar plugs to secure it back once I have rebars back from powder coating.

here is pic of broken one.



 

That is similar to the wedges that the Cabriolets use on the clipper kit.

similar but different.

Ordered 3M plastic Adhesive after speaking to 3M - so waiting on that to arrive.

Got to wait just over a week for rebar to be completed sandblasting and powder coating.

I worked on the plastic bumper face today and plastic tab drilling out and making up template to reproduce in wood so can make sure get similar square look but allow adhesive to get to all areas required.

Update once have 3M adhesive and rebars back showing me putting all back together.

Also ordered a bumper plastic restorer product to bring the color back to fresh black looking.