1990 front bumper

[qwerty111]

Need a quick response from someone who knows about the 1984-1990 front bumpers and their construction. I have a 1990 and my front bumper has "waves" along the top just in front of the hood. I'm assuming this is the plastic bumper. What I want to know is which bumper is the one without the "waves"; is it the fiberglas or the urethane bumper? I have an opportunity to buy an urethane one but I want to make sure I'm not buying the same thing as I have. Help, please! Thanks.

[fatherlarry]

Welcome aboard!

The best bumper to buy would be a factory GM bumper, which is a urethane bumper. A lot of the aftermarket bumpers, depending on the manufacturer could be just as good, but unless you are sure of which manufacturer makes the best, I would be safe and stick with a GM factory bumper. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have an aftermarket plastic bumper, because it has waves. But, I would tend to stay away from plastic.

If you're not the original owner, it may have been repaired and repainted, and that may be the reason for the waves. A lot of times even if you buy an aftermarket urethane bumper, it may be wavey right from the manufacturer, and it may not even fit right, and you will have to work out the fit and waves. To me your problem sounds more like a auto body problem with the bumper, rather than a material problem, if it's an original bumper. The 1990 bumpers were pretty straight from the factory. I installed a lot of them and have never had a problem with them being wavey. If you're thinking of going with a new bumper, I would go with a bumper from GM, which you can still order. It comes pre-primed and ready for paint. Make sure if you're having someone paint it that they put the flex agent into the paint to prevent cracking and chipping. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[qwerty111]

Thanks for the information Fr. Larry...To clarify: I bought the car used. It had a really heavy bumper on it when I got it. By heavy, I mean it was flexible, but it was thick and felt substantial with no waviness across the top right in front of the hood. Unfortunately, it was ripped across the underside and unrepairable. The previous owner had a second bumper which was in good condition that he gave me but it was thinner construction and very flexible, almost floppy. When I installed it, I spent considerable time fitting and adjusting it to fit. After the installation, I noticed the waves along the top which is caused by the material, not the installation workmanship or the way it fits. I removed it and checked it for flexibility, It was very easy to push the underside of the bumper and have it flex up and down with minimal effort. Hence the "waves" when it was installed. I realize that pressure and stretch can cause the waviness, but that is not the situation here. The bumper is thin and has the waves in it even when off the car.....The opportunity I have to purchase an urethane bumper, which is purported to be an original one, is my quandry. I'm wondering why this guy took the urethane bumper off and replaced it with a fiberglas one. Seems to me the urethane would accept minor bumps without cracking and the fiberglas would not. Is there a specific advantage to the fiberglas over the urethane? I apologize for the long post, I have a tendency to overtalk my questions.

[fatherlarry]

In answer to your question about fiberglass vs. urethane. Plastic is lighter and in some cases cheaper. Most likely he took it off to eliminate weight. I can't think of any other reason, since the original equipment would be best. He probably looking to lighten the vehicle to take some weight off, which in return, a lighter body means better performance.

I still recommend sticking with the factory, or if you can find a manufacturer to meet factory specs, you may save a little money.

[qwerty111]

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it. I think your recommendation for the factory bumper is the best way to go.

[fatherlarry]

;bt