The bumper has been sitting kinda cockeyed on this car since I got it. Well, it finally fell off entirely!

It looks like the steel was glued onto the square pads of the 2 bumper shocks. Is this right? I've not researched this yet- hopefully there is info on how to re-attach.

The bumper also has the creeping & sagging black rubber bumper strip syndrome.

Yeah, its one of the few weak points of the 123 cars. No problem in the sun belt but a real problem in the rust belt. You can pull off the rubber strip and install carriage bolts to bolt back to the bracket then reinstall the rubber strip.

Good luck!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Good thing Tom knows something about this. I'm useless in anything relating to the body on these - I trailed the bodies from mine off to the PnP. You'll want to use aluminum carriage bolts on this as any weight you can save might help if only a little!

Dan

This happened to me like 10 years ago, but a garbage truck pulled it off making a tight turn.
It just yanked the bumper off the mounts.

Short version is to take the rubber strip off the bumper and the mounts off that are still in the car. Its been a long time, but I think they are pipes that are held in with a few bolts. Bolt the mounts back onto the bumper and then put the strip back on. Now is the time to figure out what is wrong with your strip. Once you get the strip on slide the pipes back into the car and bolt on.

If you look at your car and see these pipe things then that is the process. If you don't see them, then I confusing this with a 1981 volvo 240.

Longer version
bolt the mounting brackets back to the bumper through the holes on the bumper. I used flat carriage bolts and lock washer and lock tight.
My strip was a little pathetic also. So I cleaned up the backside of the strip and put it back on. I think I cleaned, glued and clamped the end caps of the rubber strip then let dry also, but it was a long time ago.

I understand now how the bumper mounts are supposed to attach to the bumper. On mine, the lower lip on each side is broken off- so only the top bracket is there.

And it seems that the bumper is some sort of aluminum alloy, so I can't just weld on a new lower bracket. I guess I'll drill some holes and attach with bolts? If I try to epoxy it on, then that will trash the rubber mounts (but maybe they are not hard to find).

(first picture is upside down- it is the lower bracket that is broken off)

I removed the bumper form my '81 240D- there was very little chrome left attached, and what was made fine razor blades! I was always getting cut. I finally removed the front bumper and put it in the horizontal bandsaw for melting down and casting something later. More than likely a good alloy.
I do not know what to use to stop corrosion like in the pictures- maybe an acid bath, neutralize, then prep for either Rust Bullet, POR15, or your favorite flavor of corrosion stopper.
I wouldn't use aluminum bolts on the bumper, though. Stainless would minimize corrosion, and wouldn't just break off because of the vibration.

Cheers!

snapped_bolt

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'81 240D For now, a good place to borrow new parts
'80 300TD Probably will be put back into service!
'79 240D BACK IN SERVICE SINCE 09/16; limited use, oil leak. Guide pin r/sealed/replaced. Still a leak. Front crank seal....

On one of my 240Ds I actually used a block of 4x4 or landscape timber as an attachment when the bumper shock became unusable. The bumpers are a Biotch to drill. The bumper material is very similar to the 240 volvo but I don't know how they attach to the shock. Probably similarly. You have the early version. Later versions had bolts instead of the tabs to hold in the bumper.

I suppose its a fine way to attach stuff, but you know after 35 or 40 years Shyte happens!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I plan to bolt it on.
I ordered some round head stainless bolts from McMaster. These are like carriage bolts with a hex hole for an allen wrench.
I've drilled 2 holes in the square shock mount pads, and now I'll transfer these holes to the inside of the bumper with a pencil.
Fortunately, I have a milling machine, as well as a few drill presses, so I'm sure I'll be able to drill it somehow.

oh it'll drill but get a really good bit and don't get impatient and smoke it.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

USE LOTS OF OIL!

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Actually, drilling it was trivially easy on the drill press. 1/8" pilot hole first, then the final size.

But now I'm working out how to install the rubber strip and keep it from falling off like it did before. I have a plan...

Is there not a plastic backing plate on the inside of your bumper which the rubber strip attaches to? This is likely the problem. It was on my 84 300D. There is a left and right backing plate. Where they meet in the center, I took a piece of copper wire (14 guage) and tied them together so they would not drift apart. This has held them in place for several years.

As far as the bumper falling off goes, I had the same problem. There is a very good write up of the procedure to use a "U" shaped bracket to reattach it to the shocks, as the mounting channels on the bumper disintegrate. Here is the link: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/299088-w123-rear-bumper-fix.html

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