Up here in the frozen north, we call restorers "coneheads". I think I may be becoming one.... sort of. Does anyone know if original '32 Ford bumpers have any markings of any sort.... Ford script or part number.... on the back side?
There are a couple letters stamped on the back.... Hold on and I'll get the goods, I have three sitting right here.
I'm too tired to dig them out, but from memory, all of my original '32 bumpers have a diamond-shaped logo stamped into the back. The diamond surrounds a number, which can be used to identify which batch they're from. Dave http://www.roadsters.com/
The ORIGINAL ONES are made of a lot better steel than the repros ... and are very hard to bend ... not so with the repros ... and the repros are smoother on the back side ... IMHO
When I was going through the ones on the wall I noticed there are probably three that are repops!!..... The only real one had the stamp
Stick your finger inside the curl on the ends. If there's a washer used to help form the center point, then it's a repro. If there is none, it's original. That is unless some new manufacturer has finally figured out the way Henry did it without the washer.
The washer is the trick. Some of the repops are old enough to be authentic antiques and have enough patina to be considered gennies. 25 years
Besides the washer, once you've held an original you will know how much lighter the repros are--like tinfoil. In general, real Ford bumpers and brackets are spring steel; repros bend so easily they'll just fold up in a nothing parking-lot bump. '32 originals are I think more fragile than other Fords, I guess due to the complex section, but I've see early Ford bumper that were hit hard enough to imprint the bumper back on a fender that then fully returned to original position--that's useful shock absorption at low speeds.
SEE this is what eventually happens to early V8 ford guys, they want everything back on & original stuff if possible. BOOO HOOO for the dudes that glued in their windshields (without a window frame!) & removed the door hinges for hidden hinges, bought smooth hood sides & running boards, sold their slightly dented OH-ridginaL fenders to buy gl*** ones etc... ------ it all comes back around & most early V8 ford lovers will all become coneheads or partial coneheads eventually! ITS A GOOD THING!!!
Thanks for all the responses guys, you've helped me a lot. 2 toned, the door hinges on my deuce 3w came from a Kansas car that went smoothie in the late 80's. My car should look very gennie when it drives under it's own power for the first time in my 24 year ownership. Progress pics to come.... Daryl
tinman, if you hang ****** bumpers on that coupe of yours , we will never ever visit you again.. aussie bob and the gnome
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