New Bumpers for 63'

[John A.]

Gentlemen!

I am restoring a 1963 roadster to drive on the road....and maybe show in a few small shows for fun. Three of the bumpers I have are useless...completely rusted through... and the fourth is marginal. Should I buy new OEMs or repros for half the price? Is the repro quality noticeably worse than OEMs? I want it to look nice but would rather not spend $2K.

[Jack H.]

Re: New Bumpers for 63'

Typically, there's a difference between factory original, GM service replacement and reproduction parts. All fit & function, but small details (exact thickness of the steel + geometry specifics related to forming) are detectable to savvy judges.

You MIGHT be surprised at what can be done by a competent bumper shop to restore your original parts... Rust damage CAN be removed and the resulting holes welded/ground/polished prior to buff and re-chrome...

Before simply discarding, why not seek a bumper repair shop for their opinion as to sucess/failure + cost? All too often, in my opinion, people discard worn damaged original bumpers when they CAN be 'saved'....

[John A.]

Re: New Bumpers for 63'

Thanks for the tip, Jack. The next question is "where do I find a competent bumper shop"? Do you have experiences with any?

[Jack H.]

Re: New Bumpers for 63'

Try letting your fingers do the walking in your Yellow Pages. Here, in Denver, there are 3-4 such shops. But, what's available to you in your neck of the woods will be unique to that area. Any auto collision repair shop should be able to rattle off advice....