The Great Rear Tow Hook Caper
02-09-2012, 08:43 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
The Great Rear Tow Hook Caper
It was a Dark and Stormy night...
So, car is on a lift, and I was curious about installing the tow hook in the rear receiver (behind the license plate).
Was surprised to remove the license plate, and plate bracket, to find...
Nothing.
No tow hook hole in the bumper cover.
Looked closely at eye level, and looks like the bumper may have been sprayed by a previous owner. No evidence of someone patching the hole though. Checked two other 993's in the shop, and both had the tow hook hole behind the license plate where I expected one.
I took a picture of the part number of bumper cover behing the metal flashing - see attached. Does this look like a stock part? Can't imagine anyone using an aftermarket bumper cover if the car had a boo-boo within the first 16K miles of its life...
So - I now have tow hook innie envy.
What do think? Was this patched? Or an aftermarket bumper cover?
Any other ideas why a 1997 C2 would not have a rear tow installation point?
Who wants to help sleuth this one out?
So, car is on a lift, and I was curious about installing the tow hook in the rear receiver (behind the license plate).
Was surprised to remove the license plate, and plate bracket, to find...
Nothing.
No tow hook hole in the bumper cover.
Looked closely at eye level, and looks like the bumper may have been sprayed by a previous owner. No evidence of someone patching the hole though. Checked two other 993's in the shop, and both had the tow hook hole behind the license plate where I expected one.
I took a picture of the part number of bumper cover behing the metal flashing - see attached. Does this look like a stock part? Can't imagine anyone using an aftermarket bumper cover if the car had a boo-boo within the first 16K miles of its life...
So - I now have tow hook innie envy.
What do think? Was this patched? Or an aftermarket bumper cover?
Any other ideas why a 1997 C2 would not have a rear tow installation point?
Who wants to help sleuth this one out?
02-09-2012, 08:53 PM
#2
Agent Orange
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Matt, is yours a US or ROW bumper cover? On the ROW covers the tow hook is to the right of the license plate where the US bumperette would be. If it was patched you may want to check that spot.
02-09-2012, 09:20 PM
#3
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Thread Starter
It has the bumperettes, so a US spec bumper.
The bumper is still installed, so no way to easily poke around behind (obstructed by the rear crash bar).
Any other ideas?
The bumper is still installed, so no way to easily poke around behind (obstructed by the rear crash bar).
Any other ideas?
02-09-2012, 09:29 PM
#4
Seared
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Matt,
I can measure mine exactly, then you can mark your bumper skin and carefully cut a clean hole with an appropriately-sized Forstner bit.
Or a hole saw if you're in a rush.
Andreas
I can measure mine exactly, then you can mark your bumper skin and carefully cut a clean hole with an appropriately-sized Forstner bit.
Or a hole saw if you're in a rush.
Andreas
02-09-2012, 09:40 PM
#5
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
No worries Andreas - there are 2 other 993's in the shop, license plates removed, ready for just such a purpose!
I was just was surprised to see no access point on mine. Go figure.
I searched on that part number and coukld not find anything... strange.
Best,
Matt
I was just was surprised to see no access point on mine. Go figure.
I searched on that part number and coukld not find anything... strange.
Best,
Matt
02-09-2012, 09:47 PM
#6
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Actually, they are both wide bodies, so let's take no chances. I'll take you up on detailed measurements relative to the license plate holes when you are feeling adventurous.
No rush. We still have snow here.
And a G-50 sitting in my back seat set to be shipped to Brian Copans for "The Love".
No rush. We still have snow here.
And a G-50 sitting in my back seat set to be shipped to Brian Copans for "The Love".
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02-10-2012, 09:23 AM
#8
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Actually, they are both wide bodies, so let's take no chances. I'll take you up on detailed measurements relative to the license plate holes when you are feeling adventurous.
No rush. We still have snow here.
And a G-50 sitting in my back seat set to be shipped to Brian Copans for "The Love".
No rush. We still have snow here.
And a G-50 sitting in my back seat set to be shipped to Brian Copans for "The Love".
Maybe you have a Euro bumper cover that had the US bumpers added, not sure why you would do that...... maybe a body shop ordered the wrong bumper and decided it would be easier to add small bumper holes than sending it back?
Good choice on "The Love", once you get it back from Brian and in the car, you will be so happy you had ring problems
Cheers,
Geoff
02-10-2012, 10:34 AM
#9
Seared
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02-10-2012, 10:57 AM
#10
Agent Orange
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Andreas, I can't believe you posted that picture showing some awful grime on the bumper from the bumperettes. You're definitely regressing.
JK, Amazing work, I bet it will help others in the future! I'll save it in my files. BTW, is your bumper ROW? Looks exactly like mine with the ROW tow hook hole:
JK, Amazing work, I bet it will help others in the future! I'll save it in my files. BTW, is your bumper ROW? Looks exactly like mine with the ROW tow hook hole:
02-10-2012, 01:20 PM
#12
Seared
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
The replacement factory bumper has the exact same cut-outs.
Andreas
01-24-2019, 11:56 AM
#13
OK - so I'm reviving a really old thread.....but I had a head scratching experience which this thread explained: I pulled the little plug on my ROW bumper (seen above on the Silver C4S) to insert my tow hook just before a DE event.....and there was no mounting hole! It was like opening the curtains of a window to see a brick wall on the other side of the glass! I must have to drill a hole behind the plate as well. Funny stuff.
01-24-2019, 06:42 PM
#14
RL Community Team
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I would spend the hour to remove, mark and replace the bumper cover then drill a hole in the plastic with a hole saw. Bumper covers seem to have some mounting variances so I would not cut the hole based in a blind measurement.
Andy
Andy
