84 cutlass bumper fell off/rust

[piano]

My boyfriend drives an 84 cutlass which has a huge rusty hole in the driver's side of the trunk. The rust has obviously spread to other places, as it was his mother's old car and she let it sit for a few years, uncovered. (And we live in BC, Canada..a very wet area)

He wants to buy a new car, so is pretty rough on this one. The other day we were driving around around the logging roads flying over pot holes thinking it was super funny.

HOWEVER, when he went to fill up gas, he was wondering why his bumper was so low. Yeah, it's hanging loose. Along with the frame.

Upon further inspection it looks like it would have fallen off eventually anyway, because it was completely rusted around where it fell off.

So my question is, do you think there is a quick fix to this? He tried tying it up with rope around the trunk lever, but that gets in the way when you go to fill it up with gas.

He is unwilling to take it to a mechanic because he doesn't want to spend any more money on the car, he just wants a new one. (but can't afford one yet)

I just don't want him to have to use my car all the time so that's why I'm desperate to fix it. Help!

[Oldsguy]

Well......if he doesn't want to fix it then.....But if you mean YOU are going to try to fix it for him I would say be prepared to spend some bucks. Rust is a real killer. I owned a '78 Delta 88 and the bumper fell off of it, I did all my own disassembly and prep work and had a welder repair the bumper so I could bolt it back together and it cost me a couple of bills back in '87!