Advice on removing S2 bumpers please

[catnip]

With the 1970 OTS hibernating in the garage over the winter, it seems a good time to get the bumpers' dents and dimples sorted out and re-chromed.

Can anyone point me towards a step by step guide on the removal process for front and rear please?

I have searched the Knowledge Base.

The Service Manual gives a very top level summary but something with photos (or even a video) would be great. I plan to refit them my self after the re-chroming and I have read that it's tricky getting all the shims, washers and rubber seals to fit (and look) right.

I will take loads of photos during the removal process.

I plan to use a local company for the re-chroming.

Only one over rider needs re-chroming, the opposite side looks fine. However, would I notice a significant difference if only one was done?

I also plan to move the reversing lights to the correct positions later.

[Bfastr]

Dan,

All the bumpers come off pretty straightforward without too many tricks. Usually remove the over-riders first and then locate the bolts holding things on, they should be a pointed end bolt to help re-locate them when replacing. I seem to recall you may have to look inside the rear fender for a bolt or nut. but its been a while since I did mine. the over-riders have a bolt you access from the inside and underneath, a lot of fiddling but it will come out.

I would recommend two things, do ALL the parts. Old chrome, even un pitted chrome will look cloudy compared to a newly chromed part. most shops will negotiate and it really wont save you anything to hold back one over-rider.

second, buy all new rubber, the stuff between the bumpers and the over-rider stuff. the trick to going back on is to use a little bit of super glue to hold the rubber trim to the lip of the bumpers. the rear bumper folds around the leading edge and is held with some metal clips, hard to explain, but save the originals and look at how they were cut and folded for guidance.

the rear bumper to body trim is one long piece, so use a lot of patience and maybe find a friend to help hold things as you go back on.

its really not a difficult job to remove the bumpers, grab a few wrenches and just start loosening things up. which reminds me, as you re-install dont tighten one bolt until they are all in and started, then tighten them up alternating so the bumper goes back where it was.

I am sure others will add more. but thats what I remember from doing it a few years ago.

re-chroming the bumpers will dramatically change the look of your car, its money well spent, and dont bother buying new bumpers, shops can remove dents and dings easily, plus your bumper were fitted to your car. a new bumper may not have the same shape.


Bob

[Nickleback]

Why keep the old reversing lights ? you could change them to Merek's All in One Led's and clean up the rear look ? I did mine a couple of years ago & they really work well both practically & cosmetically

[JerryL770]

Reversing Lights.

Are they not in the correct position now? Looks to me like they are and your problem is that you should have the square number plate for a 7 digit registration.

But then, the exhaust tail pipes (for an S2) are supposed to be wider apart to be either side of that square plate. You have S1 tail pipes.

[Gfhug]

Jerome, that's the advantage of Marek's rear lights, the reverse lights are incorporated and you can get rid of the hideous wheelbarrow exhaust pipes and have the rectangular not square number plate without it looking messy.

Geoff

[AshM]

Dan

Did mine last weekend for same reason - winter re-chrome.

Most detailed points already made in other posts so just some helpful general suggestions from my perspective having recently done the job;

- I found it much easier to remove the front and rear units in one piece; dismantled them once off the car

- Do the front first - it is straightforward, can be done alone and will give you some confidence

- The rear bumper unit is a much easier job if you remove the light units first. The two main retaining bolts at the rear of the car (easy to spot from underneath) are easy access if there are no light unit on the vehicle. I will use the opportunity to paint up the light unit holders, check connectors, etc.. Only 30 minutes to take them all off.

- the rear bumper (obviously) wraps around the car much deeper than the front one so did not remove this alone. Was anxious on touching the bodywork so got help for this part of the job.

- definitely chrome everything.

cheers
Ash

[MarekH]

In the new year, I'm going to have a new reversing light upgrade which has LED stop lights also incorporated into the reversing lights. It'll have even brighter reversing lights (if that's not a contradiction in terms) and also even more super bright red LEDs mounted into the same space on top of that.

It'll be available as a conversion to your current lights.

kind regards
Marek

[Nickleback]

In the new year, I'm going to have a new reversing light upgrade which has LED stop lights also incorporated into the reversing lights. It'll have even brighter reversing lights (if that's not a contradiction in terms) and also even more super bright red LEDs mounted into the same space on top of that.

It'll be available as a conversion to your current lights.

kind regards
Marek

Marek, I'm up for a set of those when you have them tested and ready, so can you let me know when they are available & I will pop over.
Cheers

[mark10337]

Hi

The reversing lights on your current mod are already bright enough :) I'd be interested if it would be possible to use them as fog lights. e.g. white on reverse, red on a new fog light switch.

[MarekH]

Dear Mark,
I'm not sure what the legal requirements are for fog lamps if they are fitted, so that is why the lights are only described as an incremental addition to the brightness of the already foitted reversing lights, or an augmentation for the already fitted bulbs.

The old reversing lights were(are) an array of 13x4 LEDs per side.
The new ones are an array of 17x5 red LEDs interleaved with an array of 16x4 white LEDs per side.

kind regards
Marek

[Series1 Stu]

I think fog lights need to be fitted not more than 12" from the outer edge of the vehicle and not less than 4" from any other light (centre to centre).

I could be wrong as, it seems, the construction and use regulations seem to have gone out of the window.

Yes, a foglight in the wrong place is probably better than no fog light at all but would it be risking a fine, or worse, from an alert police officer.

Regards

[mark10337]

Doesn't it have to be the regulation at the time the car was first put on the road is the applicable one? and of course, each country will have its differences - hence the long list of variations when it comes to lights, bulbs and clusters.

[catnip]

Thanks for your replies and technical advice. The novice has now removed front and rear bumpers by
himself today. No major blood loss and car paintwork not scratched!

The front bumper was by far the easiest to remove.

I'm sure others know this already, but for me it was a first time. Here's what I did......

There are four bolts to undo, allowing the whole front bumper to come off in one piece.
Using 14mm spanner I removed the two bolts nearest to the ends of the bumpers on each side. I was
waiting for the sound of nuts to drop (!) but it appears all bolts go into captive threads.
If you loosen the bolts just to the left and right of each over rider, then the whole front bumper will now be loose.

Caution here as to not allow flapping bumper to mark paintwork. Make a visual note or photo of how the rubber strips are fitted, before they fall off when removing the bumper. I sat directly in front of the car with each knee supporting the left and right bumpers. I continued undoing the two central bolts and the bumper came away.




Image of RH side, showing slot for central bolt.


Image of LH side


Side bracket, showing bolt slot.


Image of rear of jaguar badge on central bumper.


Image of rubber strip on front bumper. Note pinch point


Image of captive thread into over rider.


Image of how the sections come apart.

I noted that there were varying numbers of washers on some of the bolts. Bumpers all taken into house and laid on carpet for thorough inspection (deciding on which bits to re-chrome).

Now the rear bumpers...........

Unlike the front bumpers, there are six mounting points to address, before the whole bumper comes off in one section. Inside each wheel arch is a nut. I used a 13mm spanner to undo this. I removed the nut from each wheel arch. I then removed the nut from just above the small red side light on each side. The bolt is visible from the boot. You have to hold the bolt in the boot to stop it spinning. I used a 15mm on the nut and 14mm on the bolt. I could not get the bolt out from the left hand side, since the petrol tank is in the way. This actually helped - see later.


Image shows location of wheel arch and boot bolt holes.

I then removed the two screws holding each reversing lamp cover in place. This also removes the whole reversing lamp fitting. Careful to note the earth connection which just comes loose. I then removed each side light cover - 4 bolts. Remove the bulbs - note their positions first. I then remove the middle electrical housing for each lamp (4 bolts of which two were self tappers).

Listen out for nuts and washers dropping behind as you remove the bolts. Then remove the rear light housing (3 bolts). It will come loose.

Caution as to not put excessive strain on wires as each lamp housing just dangles. Use wire or string to support them or just remove them if you have convenient electrical connections.

Looking to the left and right of each over rider, you will look up to see a bolt on each side. These are the final two. 14mm.



Caution : do not remove these completely otherwise the whole rear bumper section may drop (bad). While holding the bumper on the right hand side, start loosening each bolt.

The bolt that would not come out earlier (due to the petrol tank) provides temporary support to the left hand side. Further loosening of the two main bolts will allow the whole bumper section to be pulled back and removed. I did this by myself and luckily did not damage anything or myself.

Caution: be careful that the two small chrome sections where each light fitting was do not drop on
the floor - they can come loose by themselves.

Rear of the car did look like:



It now looks like:



I will take this opportunity to re-locate the reversing lights.

Photos of the bumper placed on the garage floor....


showing wheel arch bolt slot


showing boot bolt slot


showing slotted bracket for the last two bolts


showing positions of short and long bolt and how sections are joined together with over rider.

So off to the re-chromers soon (6 to 8 weeks estimate time). I will use this time to see what work can be done around all the newly exposed areas. The chrome strip going around the lip of the bonnet mouth looks in a real bad state and Probably should be replaced. Can I buy this directly on the web?