1964 Roadster Bumper Brackets

[Patrick C.]

Everyone,

I need some help. Getting ready to reinstall my front bumpers. What finish is on the brackets? Semi gloss? I cannot find the finish mentioned in the judging manual in the front bumper section. Also is there a proceedure somewhere on the installation order of parts and the alignment proceedure?

pat

[Edward J.]

Re: 1964 Roadster Bumper Brackets

Pat you have it right semi gloss black is good. First bracket goes from the frame to inner wheel well opening to front bumper, then the outer bracket to side of fender.

[Richard M.]

Re: 1964 Roadster Bumper Brackets

Pat, The assembly procedure outline is in your AIM, which shows bracket orientation etc. If you have original bumpers and they have been rechromed, I would test fit all 3 chromed parts together on a padded bench to avoid bolt clearance issues where the center bar attaches to each side. Those can be troublesome. Also a problem is the lower inner bumper brackets where they attach. They bend easily from prior wrenching and the bolts are tough to line up into the holes and the spacers that fit into the U-shaped bumper mount point.

Assembly order is up to you. I loosely mount left and right then add the center bar. Don't tighten anything until all bolts are installed.Then it's a game of adjustment to get things to line up. Sometimes shims are needed at various places to get a good result.The AIM actually has a spec for the result. More info HERE and HERE.

Rich

[Patrick C.]

Re: 1964 Roadster Bumper Brackets

Pat, The assembly procedure outline is in your AIM, which shows bracket orientation etc. If you have original bumpers and they have been rechromed, I would test fit all 3 chromed parts together on a padded bench to avoid bolt clearance issues where the center bar attaches to each side. Those can be troublesome. Also a problem is the lower inner bumper brackets where they attach. They bend easily from prior wrenching and the bolts are tough to line up into the holes and the spacers that fit into the U-shaped bumper mount point.

Assembly order is up to you. I loosely mount left and right then add the center bar. Don't tighten anything until all bolts are installed.Then it's a game of adjustment to get things to line up. Sometimes shims are needed at various places to get a good result.The AIM actually has a spec for the result. More info HERE and HERE.

Rich

thanks Rich,

they are original and fit perfectly before. I will give this proceedure a try.

[Richard G.]

Re: 1964 Roadster Bumper Brackets

So many shades of black. Gets confusing in a hurry. Would the bumper brackets match the frame color?
Rick

[Richard M.]

Re: 1964 Roadster Bumper Brackets

So many shades of black. Gets confusing in a hurry. Would the bumper brackets match the frame color?
Rick

Rick,

Probably not. It is usually understood that many of the "same shade" of black items on the chassis have varying appearance as they were painted at different places, some at outside vendors, some internally, etc.

Actually, in judging, varying shades of "semi-gloss" black are expected. IIRC this is actually mentioned in the JG.

Rich

[Patrick C.]

Re: 1964 Roadster Bumper Brackets

I was at a meeting last week in Little Rock with a long time friend who i knew was a gm production engineer in the late 1960s in a couple of chevrolet plants (and also a car nut). I asked him about dip painting and the varying shades----he laughed and agreed that it was all over the map. He said by the early 1970s Chevrolet had moved to e-coat to reduce cost, improve protection and consistantcy.

Pat