im trying to replace my headlight bar, i want to take my front bumper off without ripping it apart

im having problems with the six or eight bolts that are hidden by the side fenders, the driver side has the horn sort of in the way...
am i supposed to take off the fenders first?

 

aw comeon my car has a lazy eye

someone must have taken apart their front end

ttt

 

While taking my buddies RS apart last year I know we decided to NOT remove the headlight bar because it was a serious hassle once we seen how it was fastened! Goodluck, wish I could help.

 

Leave the fenders in place- they align with the front nose cone and you want to have to adjust as few things back into spec later on as possible (ESPECIALLY if you are reusing the original outter nose cone- these pieces "mate" to eachother over time and don't take kindly to readjustment after being together for several decades).

I got the 4-6 bolts holding the nose cone to the front lip of the fender off by removing the horn and anything that was in the way of me putting a wrench or socket on it. I recall using a variety of whenches, sockets and extensions to get at them, from both above and below the car.

Remember that the lower "chin spoiler" also bolts to both the nose cone (a bezillion bolts along it's length) and several bolts along the bottom/front edge of the fender. I recommend unbolting the chin spoiler from the bottom of the fender but leaving it attached to the main nose-cone as an assembly, again, so there's less to re-align later.

Use a LOT of penetrating oil on the bolts and let it work for several days if possible. 90% of these bolts are stud-and-nut type fasteners and can't be easily replaced if you snap them off.

 

ok i too k the chin spoiler off, and i got all but 1 bolt on each side off... second from the top passenger side is stripped, im taking the carbide dremel to it soon
and the top one driver side is still on, its a bugger.

ill try again later

after i get all those out and the push plugs i assume the plastic facia will slip right out

then its to tying the metal bumper to a tree and straightening it out

 

yep.

tied it to the tree and stomped it a bit, its all straight, put the headlight bar in and the bumper on.

took me almost all day but i got it.

too many bolts i have a handful left over.
must be spares


thanks for the help. beer is in the fridge