Topic: Outer Front Bumper Bracket Welds

[Buzz489]

The spot weld that holds the rubber hose type piece in place on one of my front outer bumper brackets is sharp and jagged. It is an ugly weld and looks like someone's first attempt at learning to MIG weld. Is this someone repair or an ugly factory weld? I have scratched myself working around it and would like to grind it down. July built SJ Mach One. Also, what is the purpose of the rubber hose pieces?

[Bob Gaines]

The spot weld that holds the rubber hose type piece in place on one of my front outer bumper brackets is sharp and jagged. It is an ugly weld and looks like someone's first attempt at learning to MIG weld. Is this someone repair or an ugly factory weld? I have scratched myself working around it and would like to grind it down. July built SJ Mach One. Also, what is the purpose of the rubber hose pieces?

I have seen many examples of ugly factory welds.  That one scores in the ugliest category that I have seen but doesn't necessarily precludes it from being factory IMO. Sliced hose piece is for protection between bar and body . Probably possible contact noise too IMO. 

[J_Speegle]

The one to the left in the bottom picture appears to have been damaged somehow when compared to the examples I've seen over the years. Appears to be a fair amount of rust also which may have contributed also.

[Anghelrestorations]

The "rubber hose" that you see on the bracket is what Ford called an "insulator".  They actually had one each on both bumper brackets.  The other bumper bracket had a small molded piece of rubber on the very top.  I would think these rubber pieces were to prevent noise between the bumper and the front valance clanking against the brackets. 

[Buzz489]

Thank you for your replies. As for the rubber pieces on the ends. Is there a decent reproduction or alternative? Are they truly needed other than concours?

[Bob Gaines]

Thank you for your replies. As for the rubber pieces on the ends. Is there a decent reproduction or alternative? Are they truly needed other than concours?

Other then donor cars the drain hose from the fastback interior vent boxes are a exact match. NPD sells a repro that doesn't look correct or you can use ribbed heater hose that looks about as correct as the NPD. You can get by without as thousands of incorrect driver and restored cars demonstrate but it is better to have them and not need them then to go over a heavy bump and wish you did IMO.   

[J_Speegle]

Thank you for your replies. As for the rubber pieces on the ends. Is there a decent reproduction or alternative? Are they truly needed other than concours?

Are they truly needed? My answer is yes based on our focus here on this web site. Ford engineers believed they were needed and Ford spent allot of money designing, having them made and installed so they thought so. At the same time it's difficult IMHO to call your car restored if its missing these.  I've chosen to replace or return all four of the rubber items to my 69 cars if for no other reason that that is the way they were built.

I've always just used originals other then the small ones at the ends. SO often the bumpers have been removed on my car and other donor cars they are often not usable or not there