This impact fiberglass thing that is rivetted onto the impact bar... do I need that? I was thinking about drilling it out and tossing it in the trash but I'm not sure if it serves a purpose other than preventing major damage in a slow front end crash. It doesn't hold the bumper cover up or anything does it?

The car is going to the body shop on Monday. Getting the engine bay and whole front end painted, including the radiator support and cowl.

 

It helps the front bumper keep its shape at speed. It doesn't weigh enuff to worry about tossing it.
If your repainting the engine compartment, remove that then put it back on. There is also more in that pic I'd be removing for paint also. You'll be removing overspray on a lot of things if you don't and thats a pain..

 

I believe it helps keep the front bumper in place a bit too. Think what you car would look like at 100 mph on the hwy with nothing to keep the flimsy plastic bumper from being pushed back by the wind, much less the spider webbing that would occur.

Why would you want to remove it anyways, its just plastic, not heavy or in the way of anything?

 

Yeah I've got to remove the steering column, fuel lines, throttle cable and a few other things. Removed the front clip last night so I'll finish it up tonight. Guess I'll drill out the rivets and pop rivet it back on once it gets painted. I will say it was a major PITA removing all that crap. Didn't realize there was that much **** holding the front end together. Mainly those stupid plastic push pin things...

Just curious to those of you that have sent your car to the body shop stripped like this. I'd like to remove the brake booster and steering column but I'm worried about getting the car on and off the car hauler. My ebrake works a little bit but I don't think it'll ease the car off. Any idea's on how to safely get around that?

 

It's not heavy or anything... its riveted on so I'll have to drill them out then buy a rivet gun. No big deal though... I'll put it back on once it gets painted.

 

Here is another pic.... I'd really like to remove the K-member and caster / camber plates. But thats another issue... what would be the best way to roll the car around? Build some sort of dolly to set the front end on?

 

Take all that stuff out/off. You can build a wood dolly on the cheap to move it around. Make sure your wheels are large enuff and will roll up the ramps of the trailer.

 

Ok, I'll look at it tonight and see what I can come up with as far as making a dolly. That would be the best way of getting it done.

 

That "honeycomb" stuff is more important than you think. I can tell you from experience that in a low speed impact it will save your car. You will wish you had it one day. I wrecked my Firebird at 7-10 mph into a steel trailer. All it did was damage the bumper cover and after quickly removing it and the metal bracing, it went right back to shape. That honeycomb prevented the trailer from hitting my hood and headlights. It "absorbs" impact. It does very little if any of retaining the shape of the bumper. It doesn't even touch the front bumper on a Firebird. Not sure on Camaro, but there is a space between the honeycomb and the bumper cover, so "retaining shape" is out for the Firebird.

 

Here is the thread on my wreck: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...t-wrecked.html

You can see how much damage was and was NOT done thanks to the impact honeycomb.

 

Its number 1 job is to absorb impact in a crash.
Number 2 is more of a side benefit, helping the bumper hold its shape at speed, something I have delt with. Around town and at normal speeds there is no contact between them and it holds shape just fine.

 

I remember when you posted that. It really did save the front of your car from more damage. I didn't put much thought into it last night when I was thinking about ripping it off. Glad I didn't though. Would rather get a little paint scuffed up that damaging sheet metal in a crash.

 

I have a spare K-member at home, was thinking about semi bolting it in and installing some large caster wheels on it somehow. Guess I'll try to mock something up tonight and see what I can come up with. This is going to be the most challenging part