Took my bumper off (you might've noticed my trials and tribulations with that earlier), and found this:





Styrofoam, masking-taped to the bumper support. I have no idea what those black things are, but the whole piece is loose...it only attaches by the tape.

Anyone have a clue as to what that is?

 

I don't see how that's ghetto when I took off my front bumper thatpiece just comes off its styro-foam it's not metal and its only there to help absord the impact of a collision

 

I remember my 98 LX looking very similar. I'll see if I can find a pic.

Yeah, very ghetto looking, but not the average person removes the bumper.

The LX actually looks a little better than yours





BTW >> That AEM c/a/i is up for sale if anyone is interested....


[Modified by Hybrid93Hatch, 9:23 PM 12/31/2002]

 

Did you want them to bolt the styrofoam to your bumper support?

 

well, in 5th gen civics the only thing holding on the absorber two little tabs of the styrofoam that stick into holes on the bumper reinforcement. that just holds it in the right place and the bumper cover keeps it there. that's about it, maybe the tabs on yours came off (they're styrofoam) so they taped it.


[Modified by Shreik, 10:12 PM 12/31/2002]

 

that styrifoam is supposed to be taped on. All it does is keep the bumper cover in good form in case of slow speed accident. The Peice behind it is the important peice(rebar)

 

don't think its that ghetto... as design must go throught many trial and approvals. may look like nothing went into it but, sytrofoam/ plastics are not molded onto or made out of metal ... so that they can be reused after an accident even if the cover is destroye. second insurance companies want the 5mph bumper and this prevents many claims. third its cheap and economical to produce and replace. fourth its lightweight...

notice how domestic cars such as saturns or chyslers after a small crash have chunks of bumpers taken off

 

But I thought Saturns were made entirely out of plastic to keep things like that from happening?

BTW, I was semi-joking about the "ghetto" thing. I assumed it was probably there to keep the shape of the bumper.

Just gave me a laugh when I pulled the bumper off

 

Hondas are totally ghetto. Thats why all us ghetto ***** on here relate to them so good, knowmsayin? j/k hondas are the **** and i stand behind anything they do, no matter how ghetto it may be. Happy New Year!!

 

usually when you see the masking tape on the foam absorber that means your car has been in an accident and thats usually how body shops re attach it because they always want to fall off when you are tryingto put the bumper cover back on.


oem honda is far from ghetto

 

Damn body shops

 

what do u mean damn body shops? thats an improvment over hondas idea of just letting it sit there on two little ***** that break off too easily all honda had to do was put some honda tape on it and it would be all good

using masking tape to hold absorbers is a great idea if you have ever tried to put on a cover while trying to hold the absorber in place at the same time with no help

 

TRu dat!

 

In my 99 Cav Z24 it was hard plastic that had been riveted to the body. I had to take it off when I put on my body kit and it was a **** to get off...I think that was the most secure thing on the whole car.

Happy New Year

 

i can always take it off.. and leave it off if u want too... i do...

 

It won't go anywhere with the bumper on it. A couple reasons body shops tape it on is so it doesn't fall off or get lost or forgoten.

 

true it wont move with the bumper on but the reason its on there is to hold it so it dosnt fall off when your trying to install the cover..other wise youd have to fiht the cover and absorber at the same time

 

Seems my pointless lil' post brought up an interesting point.

I don't think my car has ever been in an accident. It has a clean title, there doesn't appear to be any overspray on any of the parts, and I purchased it with 21k on the odometer.

Has anyone had masking-taped styrofoam on a car that they know for sure has never been wrecked?

 

ok maybe saying it ws in an accident was a bit much with out knowing anything about your car..but someone has taken the bumper off at one point in time and used masking tape to reinstall it..look for clear coat on parts that arent usually clear coated like the reinforcment or anything that is hidden by the bumper cover that will tell you if it has been repainted usually... also loomk for stress cracks at spot welds or look for cracks in the paint....most likely with the condition of your car it hasnt been in an accident but it certanily did not come thatway from the factory..someone has been there before you

 

My car isn't a bumper virgin!

Thanks for the reply, I'll definitely give it a good look-see tomorrow.

(did I just say "look-see"? Ugh. )

 

hahah look-see...yes someone else has de virginized your bumper its a shame what cars will do when the owner is not around

 

Be carefull not to break it, my friend told me Honda wanted like 50 bucks for that piece of Styrofoam before when he broke his.

 

its not a fragile piece, have fun,throw it at your freinds laugh it up..you can still reinstall it in 2 pieces it will still do its job

 

$50? Mine no longer exists. I wonder if i can just get some old slabs of styrofoam and recreate one.

 

you can probally get one from a local shop that imports front clips for cheap as hell or maybe even a junkyard