Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[terry paget]

X168 JAT 2001 petrol 2.5 manual estate
Bought above car yesterday from OOF member ajsphead. I have a similar but tattier car X84GNB. New car has a deeper rear bumper and the flap concealing the towing hook (or thread) has a lock on it. Is this usual on FL estates? How do I get it open?

[05omegav6]

Bumper off, a bit of plus gas and a socket and molegrips

The car obviously had an Irmscher bumper fitted at some stage, these came with what you describe, and the towing eye screwed in, much like the saloon

They tend to seize up a treat...

[terry paget]

Thanks Al. I imagine it removes like the standard bumper. The front bumper on my 2.5 X reg estate was held on entirely with plastic rivets, so hopefully the rear bumper is similar. Car was an MOT failure needing new wishbones, a handbrake rebuild and headlight adjuster repair. Hours of fun.
So does a key or similar device release the flap to reveal the towing hook/thread? There is a plastic device in the spare wheel tool holder that might turn the cover release, but it does not.

[05omegav6]

Should become clear once you've the bumper off

The bumper has two screws in the wheel arch, two plastic rivets underneath towards the centre, and six torx screws... four under caps where the tailgate shuts and two under the reflectors

The 'lock' is basically the bit which sits over the towing eye (that the bolt screws to), a clamp bar and a bolt holding the two halves together

[terry paget]

It looks like a lock needing a key.https://www.dropbox.com/s/eex00xcnt5wu8t2/hatch20.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xcjet9odvzwe8hu/bumper20.jpg

[Jimbob]

That looks non standard and home made to me

[sjr47]

Might be worth having a chat with local locksmith probably have off in 5 mins( easier than removing whole bumper would have thought)looks non standard have you tried ignition key ? looks like standard door lock barrel.

[05omegav6]

Completely non standard bumper, not Irmscher either.

Remove and replace with a standard one... far less faffing about

And not at all what I thought you meant... that really is a lock

[sjr47]

Here it is note no letterbox flap with lock attached http://www.topbodykit.co.uk/p/1514/vauxhall/vauxhall-omega-b-rear-bumper--estate

[terry paget]

Thanks for input gentlemen. Sorry to have misled you Al. I did not know it was standard Vx. I have a 2000 X reg silver estate, I thought this was a more recent body style.
The ignition key does not fit, or even go in. The number 778 is stamped to the left of the slit.

[biggriffin]

Looks like a tool chest lock.
 just drill the barrel out, then go to any good hardware shed and buy a new lock and key.
bet that barrel has a 22mm nut on the back, also funny place for a towbar.

[05omegav6]

Looks like a tool chest lock.
 just drill the barrel out, then go to any good hardware shed and buy a new lock and key.
bet that barrel has a 22mm nut on the back, also funny place for a towbar.

Should simply pry open... it is where the towing eye lives, but I cannot think of a single reason, international extremism or otherwise why the person who fitted it did so

That is definitely NOT the bumper it left the factory with though...

[terry paget]

Oh, the fun a man can have buying cars on e-bay! For years I bought my cars (Senators and Omegas) at the police auction at Witney. All white, well serviced, high mileage, no radios, and holes here and there where police kit had been. Not so cheap either, between £2K and £4K.
On e-bay I can buy an Omega for around £500, and I buy all sorts. One car I have is badged as an Opel, bit different. Now I have bought one, very clean, no rust, no dents, and with a rare rear bumper. As Al says, why should anyone wish to lock away his towing hook? The service history supplied records a diff change at 130,000 miles, and Chiptuning by Mtech Opel Tuning of Holland in December 2012.

[05omegav6]

Oh, the fun a man can have buying cars on e-bay! For years I bought my cars (Senators and Omegas) at the police auction at Witney. All white, well serviced, high mileage, no radios, and holes here and there where police kit had been. Not so cheap either, between £2K and £4K.
On e-bay I can buy an Omega for around £500, and I buy all sorts. One car I have is badged as an Opel, bit different. Now I have bought one, very clean, no rust, no dents, and with a rare rear bumper. As Al says, why should anyone wish to lock away his towing hook? The service history supplied records a diff change at 130,000 miles, and Chiptuning by Mtech Opel Tuning of Holland in December 2012.

That certainly explains the bumper... looks like summat Polish

[sjr47]

Yep looks Polish sold thru Top Body Kits UK has this on customer service page .Obsluga klienta rowniez w jezyku Polskim. sounds Polish to me whats the quality like by the way for anyone so inclined to mod their mota .