Front Bumper Valance repaired and refitted - deferred maintenance part 2
 

Hi guys,

Finally refitted the lower front valance (front spoiler) last week.

The original front lower valance on my car had a large crack in it thanks to one of the previous owners who seemed to like driving it into gutters (one of the original alloys has a crack straight through one of the spokes too).
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

After removing it during the timing belt service, I found that the brand new ex Audi Germany front lower valance that I had bought a couple of years ago was not, in fact, the correct part. Instead it turned out to be a FL1 lower valance, which I have dubbed "the orphan".
The brand new FL1 lower valance is for sale should anyone want it.
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

So I took the original valance off for repair at a local plastic welder:
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

Once he was finished repairing it, I took it to a panel shop he recommended for finishing and painting:
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

About 6 weeks later, I rang the panel shop to see if he'd got to it yet (cash job in a busy shop, so I wasn't too concerned about a fast turn around). It was finished (for a couple of weeks apparently!), so I picked it up.

With the valance removed and stripped for its repairs, I took the opportunity to repair and upgrade the fog lights. One had a rear cover which kept falling off. Thanks to how it all plugs together, I hadn't lost the cover. However it was very dirty inside, so I grabbed one of my daughter's long bristled paint brushes and went about getting it all clean inside. I also attacked the lenses with some Jif (creamy cleanser) to shine them up a bit!
The cover was fixed with a couple of screws and some cable ties!
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

I also fitted some non-cooled LEDs to the fogs to upgrade the colour:
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501624

The car also had a dud high tone horn. I found one locally off a B5. It's not exactly right (in orientation), but it is the correct tone and the correct plug, so on it went!
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

Fitted the foglights and bright work to the valance:
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

Refitted the valance on to the bumper:
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560502136

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

and refitted it to the car:
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

Finished!
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560501945

Nice work Marty! +++

What's the big old American-looking car I can see behind your S8 in one of the photos?

Hi Mark,

Its a 1965 Chevrolet Bel Air.
283 (4.6L) V8, Auto (I thought it might have been fitted with a 350, but not sure that ever got done)
Australian delivered right hand drive.
It's huge! Easily the biggest car in the drive, including the S8 and a GU Patrol that was here until recently!

American Bel Air' s only had two taillights. The Impala style triple tail lights facilitate an orange indicator lense.

We part inherited it from Mel's father. Needs a bit of work, but he drove it up until about 3 years ago. It was never repaired after a brake failure, and has numerous other minor mechanical issues. Interior is getting a bit tatty too.

Surely worth a few photos! :)

Sounds cool :cool:

+1

I was going to guess at Impala from the rear lights until you explained! :D

Impala and Bel Air are just trim levels of the same car. So the Bel Air is the 'luxury' trim with more chrome and better engines etc.

Only photos I can find are crappy photos from before the estate had it detailed for valuation.
I know Mel has photos of it clean, so I'll hit her up later...

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560542824

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560542824

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560542824

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560542824

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560542824

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560542824

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560542824

That does look enormous!

Looks to be in good condition too -- More dust than rust, which I guess is thanks to the Aussie climate.

Are you planning to restore it?

It does have a little bit of rust in the left rear wheelarch. It's largely due to some sitting mud that was never hosed off!

As it's been sitting so long, there is some surface rust on the chassis (body on chassis car) and fuel tank I'll need to attend to. I see POR15 in my future!

We're down in a valley here, and over winter it tends to stay damp. So rust not attended to will eventually get somewhere.
However we're virtually snow proof despite living in the Dandenong Ranges, so no problems with salt or grit!

Clean photos:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560600638

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560600638

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1560600638