[Closed] Pics of the USSBB bumper damage. ...

I'm guessing that to be a $1500 to $1750 repair.

Yes, as you said. The support rails are bent to the left.

It looks like the bumper was pushed a little to the left. You'll need to have the supports centered before they put the new or fixed bumper. It doesn't look that bad, but it took a good hit. That would had torn out apart the bumper and part of the quarter panel of my wife's toyota.

Oh it was definately a good hit. It was hard and loud. It felt like I hit a brick wall.

That's about what I figured.

Doug nothing looks bent????? The supports look straight as an arrow from the pics

If there was bending you sould would cracks or separation in the undercoating and that natural "dirt/carbon?" under there, possible stress cracks in the support metal etc. I dont see any. Also as mentioned in my email, the holes where the bumper goes into are slotted and will allow you once you loosen the bumper to shift it back to the right. Its not over all that far. Once its loose, you can place the bumper filler panel over the top of the bumper where it belongs and then center the bumper. I just took a small stick and put it from the center of your trunk lock cover and extended it downward over the rear license plate surround. It dosnt appear to be off more then about an inch or so. As for the dent in the chrome/ding hard to tell how big of an area it is or how far its in, but as mentioned with a wood block and heavy hammer it could be messaged out. Id rather have a little imperfection there and know its all original then have a rechromed bumper or some other replacement. If you rechrome the whole thing it wouldnt exactly match the front one so.... All in all it dosnt look too bad! I could have that all buttoned up in a few hours at best! What type of car did she have? What was her damage?

Just took another look to support my theory and .....

I think im about right with my approximate 1" theory. THe outter edge on the bumper cover appears almost flush to the edge of the bumper (meaning its almost flush on the right side). The left side has almost the entire edge of the top of that bumper corner exposed. The bumper filler panel is supposed to over lap both sides about an inch or so with about and inch of chrome showing on both sides. One has NO chrome showing *right side) the left side has about 2" showing so.... I have a VERY good eye for body work and we've own two of these cars for MANY years so I know they well and what they should look like! To see EXACTLY how much your off do the following. Find the exact center of the area where the license plate recess is in the bumper. Draw a vertical line (this will be the exact center of the rear bumper) with marker or crayon etc.. Next use a plumb line from the center of the trunk lock cover and drop if down. You will see that the line you drew is displaced to the left and whatever the distance is between your plumb line and that drawn line in your bumper will be the exact amount it got shifted over!

If you have basic tools, a floor jack and a piece of plank wood to put between the floor jack and bottom of the bumper you could have this fixed in a short time and for FREE to an almost indetectible repair! The floor jack will keep the bumper up and in place once the attaching bolts are loosened. FYI those cardboard looking flat plates between the bumper and supports are shims and are supposed to be there. I see more on the right then left as this was done to even out what you actually see. Keep in mind these cars were massed produced and they didnt have the tolerances of todays cars. They simply shimmed out what ever was a little "off" Just about all older cars are assembled this way! door hinges got shimmed, fenders, radiator supports etc...

She was driving a Chevy Silverado PU, about a 2002.

OUCH amazing you didnt get any quarter panel damage as those are higher!

Was it a tow hitch that slammed you?? Cause I would imagine a silverados bumper is MUCH higher and would have contacted your sheet metal and not your bumper. THat would explain the concentrated damage as all that force was pushed onto one small area! It would also explain why she thought she had a little more room as she didnt allow the distance the trailer hitch extends (assuming this IS what contacted you). Another of my "theories" LOL im very cause and effect person and analyze everything to the Nth degree!

I would have the frame rails checked............

It could be more than just the bumper support brackets being bent; that's a lot of heavy metal moved over. Take it to a competent body repair shop and get an estimate BEFORE the insurance adjuster comes.

Given the cost of repairs and the value of the car...

It's probably totalled! LOL!

Ouch! that was bad! LOL.

cost of repairs?? He hasnt even got an estimate!

And the repairs look to be minor, though I am sure a body shop is going to say that the car has to go on the frame machine when in reality there is nothing wrong with the frame. They will likely do what I said, loosen the bolts adjust or replace the bumper and call it a day but charge 1/2 a dozen misc. "fees" to pad up the repait bill to over $2g when it could easily be done for a few hundred at best! And its far from totalled. THese Mark Vs are going for good money. In the condition his is in, he could probably sell it for $9,500 - $15,000+

Apparently we need a "humor" font.

Since you took my post way too seriously!

I thought you WERE serious! Many people think 70s cars have no value thats why I thought you might be one of them. Even in mint condition many people think a big late 70s Lincoln is only worth $3000-5,000!