10 replies to this topic

[Hayley]

I'm looking at maybe buying a mini but it has been de-bumpered.

Any idea how hard it is to put this back to how it should be?(the seam has been completely smoothed off!)
Would it be expensive getting a pro to do it?

If anyone has had this problem, or could answer my question that would be

GREAT!

[GraemeC]

Front, rear or both?

[mini_turbo_pete]

You can just make up some brackets to bolt a bumper back on

[Hayley]

it's front and rear! i would ideally like it done properly but don't have any idea what that would entail?

i thought about brackets, thats what you would do if you had a fiberglass front end i suppose?

[mini_turbo_pete]

if you have a fibre glass front you could still make brackets up but just put a plate on the back of the fibre glass to reinforce it.

If Brackets are made properly they will be just as good as having the original lip but cost a fraction of the price.

If it's for the front you can buy just the lip section from variouse different panel suppliers and have it welded back on.

If it's for the rear the bits that make up the lip are the rear panel, boot floor and rear valence and would probably be very expensive by the time you have paid out for it to be done.

[GraemeC]

Front is relatively easy, you can buy the bumper lip panel and weld it on:
http://minispares.co....aspx?pid=36457

Rear is much more difficult to do if you want it 'as standard' as the bumper lip is made up of 3 panels - the lower valance, the boot floor and the hinge panel. To reconstruct the lip properly you would have to replace all these three panels. If everything is in good condition presently I would be looking at using brackets!

[Hayley]

wow! that is very helpfull thankyou! looks like brackets are definately the cheaper option, since the rear is fine so no point in replacing all those panels.

Are brackets available to buy or would i have to make them up myself?

and would it still look right?

[GraemeC]

You'd have to make them, bu as long as you got the sizes and height right you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference to a bumper on a lip.

You *might* be able to modify that front bumper lip to fit the rear as well - after all the bumpers themselves are the same so the holes need to be in the same places.

[Ethel]

You could make brackets or adapt some from a hardware store, repair plates.

Might even be possible to use the bumper lip panel on the rear as well as the front and just pop rivet it on if you don't know a tame welder.

[GraemeC]

Welding anything on the rear would probably prove difficult as there will amost certainly be a skim of filler where the old flange has been removed.

[gixxerpower]

i have just RE- bumpered the back of my mini. just cut the old valance of and replaced it with a new one. Did it no problem and its the first bit of body work i have ever done, the metal work was rust free and who ever had deseamed it before had done a good job though which might of made it easier.

i would just use brackets if i was not respraying the car though.