Shortened rear bumper with alum support

[curtis]

Well a few weeks ago snagged a aluminum rear bumper from a 760 turbo Volvo. I wanted to do this now because I have an evo suspension set on the way and want to get the ride high set once and for all.

This so far has been one of the easiest fabrication exercises yet.

I removed all the 10mm bolts that hold the side to the body then the 14mm's in the aft of the trunk. She fell right out. First thing I did was weigh it my 50 pound spring scale instantly maxed out so I went to the bath room for the house scale.
I removeded about 30 10mm's bolts and pulled the heavy bitch off the cover. About 30 % of them broke off from rust.

Now for the mounts. I spoted all the spot welds with a center punch the started drilling 3/8 holes (11 on each mount) They fell right off then reinstalled them on the car for fitment for fitment. They are perfect the volvo bumper slides right into them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I've started cutting the ends of the bumper off. This is some super hardened aluminum. My diamond wheel usually eats through aluminum but this stuff is just dusting off. I may run into town and use a band saw at my buddies shop.

As for the mounts for the bumper cover. Im going to take some light weight sheetmetal and bend and rivet it to the bumper and zip tie or use some off the plastic insert screw thingys that mitsubishi loves to put on cover plates.

When I'm done this thing should weigh about 20 pounds total including the cover. And not be rusted out. Both ends were eat up from rust and I have a pile of rust scale in the drive way the size of a basketball.


More photos as progress comes along. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

 

[blacksheep]

mad fuckin scientist, yo! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif

 

[steve]

werd /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[powerplay]

Curtis, that is great. My rear bumper support is totally rusted out. Almost from one side to the other. All you have to do is tap on the cover and piles of rust falls out on the ground. Please keep us informed how this goes. I think this would be a great upgrade for our cars.

 

[steve]

Quote:
Well a few weeks ago snagged a aluminum rear bumper from a 760 turbo Volvo.



I bet the owner is pissed though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[cheekychimp]

Curtis,
Way to go man. Weight Reduction and arguably safer than the USDM supports. Volvos are some of the safest vehicles in the world.

Paul.

 

[curtis]

Well I've been cutting and cutting and cutting. This bumper isn't cast but some type of aluminum extrusion with some hard ass alloyed stuff mixed in the aluminum. I have one side cut and tomorrow hopefully I'll have it back together.

Well I'm going to the pool with my daugher, Its to hot for this modding right now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

Nice firewall, I think I need one of thems. Is that aluminum also?

 

[curtis]

Yea its some aluminum I had in the garage. Its kind of a pain to fit even with a templete made of cardboard. But it cut down on noise coming from the exhaust.

 

[curtis]

Update
I didn't tell you just originally because most of you I'm sure have never had the rear bumper off. Its flat across (no arch at all like most bumpers) I'm going to have to modify the foam backing to work. For the rest of you that want to do this project to save weight or just to replace the rusty pos, you can go to a metal recycler or a supply house and get a 6 x 3 inch (a little over 4 feet long) box alumium tube or channel and build your own a lot cheaper and easier than raping a volvo at the junk yard or at the mall.

 

Buy the way I forgot to tell you guy's here that I work for Hydro automotive. we make alum bumpers if this is something people need
hell i can make them at work. Welding,cutting, you name it I can do
it for you. for an small fee(parts,money,beer)I'm easy just like an Sunday morning. just hit me up .

 

[curtis]

done

It was simple but took alot of time to mess with.

I riveted a piece of 3/8 aluminum channel (home depot racing). Took my time trimming and fitting and trimming and fitting etc.
I removed the tabs and bolt on side assemblies and used a screw behind each light to attach and used the two bolts underneath the sides and one screw in the mid on top. I cut the cover back at about 1/2 inch from the lip on the top so it would line up with the lights. The one thing I hated doing was to beat in the corners in the rear of the trunk along with the spot weld lip but it had to be done. When I get my tig welder wired up I'll go back and weld in some new metal.

Now to complete I have to modify the lights some and get a few cans of spray foam because I said screw the 9 pounds of foam insert and the time to cut that sh*t up. The total assembly is 18 pounds which is a great weight savings.

When cutting everything use a pair of calipers and lock them in place and scripe a line and you'll be good.
Now for pictures.

 

Simply put, that looks better than rear jdm bumpers. SICK.

 

[Polish]

Awesome man. What year and exact model did it come from. I will be doing this for sure. I have a weight reduction project in process also. I just posted about it actually. So the weight savings was a good 50lbs you'd say?

 

[a_santos]

Nice work. So let me get this straight, you just recut the wheel arch on the bumper further in?

It looks very nice. Do you think it can be done with the front bumper as well, do bring it in closer?

 

[curtis]

Dont wory about the Volvo bumper get a 2 inch x 4 inch aluminum channel or tube at least 48 inch but could be as much as 60 inches long it will fit perfect in the mounts. Use a thick gage though you do need the safety. The mounts are no big deal to take off. There's eleven spot welds on each one and a 3/8 bit cuts them right off. You'll have to bend down the top and bottom with a vice and tap some holes for the mounting bolts. I used 3 3/8 x 16 thead bots 3/4 inches long on each mount. Also while your under there you can pull off the tie down mounts. Which is good for about 5 more pounds. The rear of the car went up 1/2 inch with this project.

The 3/8 channel is about 10 buck for a stick and the bottom of the cover can use a 3/4 angle aluminum pieces about 4 feet long or just use zip ties like I did.

By the way I shortened the cover about 3 inch total.
This project cost zero dollars but the aluminum from a recycler should be about 5 to 10 dollars and they also may have some small channel for cheap also.

 

[Polish]

Well that last post kind of confused me but once I get the bumper off I am sure it will make more sense. I actually just noticed that you shortened the bumper too. I don't know how I missed that. I can't wait to do this project. My car is going to have like a 10" fender gap.

 

[curtis]

Yes I just took my calipers and pulled it parallel to the ground to scripe the line and then grabed the jig saw and cut straight up. You also have to cut the corner of the radius underneath and the top has to be cut the same way. Take your time one fause move and the cover is shot. I had the cover on and off about 25 times or more.

I've had a lot of experiance doing aicraft windows, sheetmetal, porting heads and lexan. Its not hard but just be carefull.

 

[Polish]

Sounds good Curtis, I may have to PM you for some more details whenever I start this project. This is a really big help so far though.

 

[4orced4door]

Nice work! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif