So- 50 Merc.Going on 63 years old and has had a few(few) misshaps regaurding the bumpers... Front and back have been re-straigtened and chromed.brackets "appear" to be in good shape without precise measuring. maybe i'm being a lil anal here,and I KNOW what should be..... But- here's the Q for all....... No matter what I do,and the overridder comes into play,as one bumper bracket bolt goes all the way through the bumper and the overrider,I'm off a bit. Hieght is good,looks symetrical. Side to side,it's off say 1/8th. when i tighten the outer bolts(The Square ones on a Merc) things change dramatically)=using ny-locks,and only going for adjustment) probably just trippin'......I always strive for exact dimmentions......But,sometimes it doesn't always happen..... You'de never know-I can't tell unless I do the ruler thing. Pointless bitching and run with the best I can get?, or get nuts? It's my ride,and am not trying to set the wold on fire..... Looks ok to me. But- As car peeps- do YOU look at this stuff? I mean an 1/8th? It's not obvious at all. 3 days into this.....time to stop. i think i'm getting a lil nuts. My pointless/bitchfest!
I don't understand your question, BUT leave every bolt loose so that you can move the bumper around to get the bolts to fit . Then tighten all the bolts.
I've done that several times......things move,and I have to set "high or low" depending on tightening the bolts. in the "perfect" world...... After reading my post,and really thinking,I think/know i'm just being critical. I only pulled them off 7 yrs ago,had them re-done 5 yrs ago, and it's happening now. Need to go pull weeds on the front lawn or something........
It all looks like crap, i think you should start over after about a week of driving you forget all that stuff, unless you put a dent in it the first day of assembly
it's probably closer now than how it rolled off the assembly line. i really don't think anybody is going to whip out a tape measure when they're checking out your car. well, at least i hope not.
You need to look very carefully at what is happening when you tighten up the bolt. If you see it twisting up or down, what you might need to do, is take a couple of 1/8 shims, or a thick washer, and grind it into a wedge shape, and put it between the bracket and bumper, to counteract how the bracket is twisting the bumper out of position. Not hard to do, or take too long. If it bothers you....fix it!
Driven cars ain't perfect. If it came off the assembly line perfect, (they don't) then perfection would not last past 2 pot holes, a speed bump, and the in & out on an off camber drive way. 1950 Mercurys were sold new with a bumper jack in the trunk. Use one of those just once and your bumpers would be 2 or 3 inches out of whack. It's time to accept the 1/8 inch and move on to drive time.
if u need to whip out a tape measure --it isnt worth getting upset about---like someone said---lots of times u need to just eyeball it---essentially, thats the measurement that counts
I hear you on this one. I replaced my stock front bumper on my 51' Merc with one that was re-chromed by a local shop for a great deal. Well it didn't take long to figure out why the deal was so good. The top edge of the Merc bumper, where the guards go, has a curve to it and the Mo-rons who replated it flatened it out! I didn't figure that out till I tried mounting the guards which in turn scratched the hell out of the top of the bumber since they were no longer flush. Don't get me started on the side to side measurements, mine is probably an inch off. You should feel blessed you got yours that close, once you remove the bumper from the spring steel brackets they spring all over the place.
I totally understand the Anal thing with fit and alignment. I know where the flaw is in the grill fit on my 51. Pretty minor but bugged the Hell out of me when installing it. It wasn't there when I built it but showed up on final install. 3 years into driving it I'll be dammed if someone didn't half to point it out to me. We talked a bit since he had a lot of questions about the car in general. So I asked him what He was driving. He proudly says "I have that Chopped 50 Coupe over there so we went to admire his handy work. By the time I got done pointing out some of His fit issues I think He wished He had kept his mouth shut. The fact seems to be the nicer the car the harder some will look for the Flaw. What's up with that? I would have never verbally critisized his work even though I had already walked around his car but He started it. The Wizzard
It is really hard to get the bumpers aligned just right. I took several whacks at both bumpers on my '53 Chevy, and ended up putting one washer between the bracket and the frame at the front on one side and at the back on the other side. That got me to +- 1/8 inch or so. To get it perfect like you're trying to do just takes more time, patience, and a good helper or two. I was alone with a jack and some pieces of 2x4 so close enough was good enough.
anything that old has been twisted with a bumper jack or had a chain pulling on it after it ran out of gas one time in it's life.
Had you not mentioned it, no one would've noticed it . I've had to elongate holes in the past to get things to align better but remember, we're not building Lexus' here now are we?
LOL! older post when assembling...... You know that when tightening the bolts,one side goes up,one side goes down- who would've thought! Happy medium! If someone came around with a tape,and was on the bumper,i'de sock em'!!!!! Many miles later,and enjoying my efforts,I don't sweat it....... I just tried to be dead nuts on from the start......It's a driver,not a trailer queen,or a show car! Just my ride,for me......
Here's what's going to matter - How does it look to the eyes? No one but you is going to measure, measuring has its place and that's Well well well before paint and hanging chrome. It's gotta look right and that may mean it won't measure for shit.
EXACTALLY! 'Cept it got painted first........So being anal again with the paint......... Tis what tit tis! I wrote TIT! My Bad! Is'nt going to change ever,bolts are tight,and life goes on......... BUT- don't ever come towards me with a tape!
The Jalopy Journal
