[s-cars] Front Bumper removal

[Manuel Sanchez]

Fellow S-Heads,

I am trying to remove the front bumper for better access but have  
never done so before and am looking for some pointers.

I had hoped that I could just remove the plastic bumper cover and  
leave that actual metal bumper bar in place, but since I don't know  
exactly how its all put together I'm not sure how to proceed.

There clearly seem to be 2 large allen head bolts that must be the  
ones that hold the metal bumper beam to the shock absorbers. Of  
course those are deep inside the bumper and my tools don't fit all  
the way up there.

There are smaller, more readily accessible allen head bolts (3 that I  
remember seeing, but 3 seems like a funny number of fasteners to  
have, so there must be a 4th that I'm missing somehow). I do have the  
tools that will reach those. I was hoping/thinking that I could  
release the small allenheads and slip the bumper cover off, while  
leaving the 2 large allenheads and presumably the metal bumper beam  
in place.

I'm looking for the easiest method, and if that means buying some  
longer tools to reach the 2 big allenheads, so be it.

1. Can I remove the bumper by just removing the smaller set of  
allenhead bolts?
2. Can I remove the bumper cover by just removing the smaller  
allenhead bolts and leaving the 2 big ones installed.
3. Anyone know the size of the 2 big allenhead bolts that are deep  
inside the cover?
4. Are there any other fasteners that need to be undone(I don't think  
so but again I've never removed this before).
5. Once the fasteners are undone, is there a good way to slip the  
thing forward, or do I just have to man handle the thing (if man  
handle, I'm sure I'll break something unobtanium)
6. I'm sure 4 arms would be best for this job, but I was only born  
with 2, can it be done (and can it be reinstalled by a 2 armed man)?
7. I know about those clips/brackets that are just in front of each  
wheel well, I was hoping that the bumper cover would just slip out of  
that assembly.

Any BTDT would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

-Manny
95.5 urS6 Avant (mostly RS2'd)