Topic: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68

[CharlesTurner]

Different styles of front hood bumpers used from 64.5-69 (maybe later also?)

Starting on left, this is the first style, most common on 64.5 cars.  Middle one was introduced sometime during '65 production and ended around April '65.  The one on the right is the most common, being used from about May '65 all the way through the end of '69 production and possibly later.  Would be good to narrow down the production use at the 3 assembly plants.  Here's a start:

Flat top open screw:
Dearborn - March '64 - September '64?
San Jose - July '64 - ?

Round top open screw:
Dearborn - Start? - April '65 ?
San Jose - Start? - April '65 ?
Metuchen - Start? - April '65 ?

Round top, closed:
Dearborn -  April or May '65 - August '69 ?
San Jose - April or May '65 - August '69 ?
Metuchen - April or May '65 - August '69 ?

[markb0729]

+1

Flat top open screw:
Dearborn - March '64 - September '64?

Great info!  Have those on my Dearborn built 65 Fastback.  Approximate build date of September 2, 1964

[rockhouse66]

Charles - I think all of the '69s got the closed round top version.

[GT500KR]

Thanks Charles, I always wondered about the two styles of open top bumpers.

[CharlesTurner]

There's another style bumper that is incorrectly advertised as correct, it's just a generic Ford replacement.  If someone has a pic, be good to add it to this post.

[J_Speegle]

Not real easy telling the flat verses round top versions of the early style in pictures so don't know how accurate I can be but will give it a shot.  Will report back once I get through at least one plant and 1965 production

[Brian Conway]

Metuchen - September '68   Round Top

[J_Speegle]

There's another style bumper that is incorrectly advertised as correct, it's just a generic Ford replacement.  If someone has a pic, be good to add it to this post.

Is this the style your thinking of. - Guessing that the answer will be yes 





Got through all the 65 San Jose examples I have and the pattern is really not one for the domed with and without the screw for much of the year. Got to figure out how to illustrate the findings for clarity.  Beginning and end of the production year is the easy part

[rodster]

Round top open screw:
Dearborn  April 19 '65 scheduled build date

'61' is molded into the bottom of the rubber on both, don't know if that has any significance or not?

[CharlesTurner]

Is this the style your thinking of. - Guessing that the answer will be yes 

Yes, that's the hideous thing, lol!

[steve_f]

My May 15, 1965 SJ has the closed top.

[CharlesTurner]

Thanks for the feedback so far.  One thing I do want to mention is that if the rubber is decent on original bumpers, they can be re-plated without affecting the rubber.  I have only seen this in zinc w/dichromate (Gold).  Have seen the nuts typically phosphate, although I seem to recall seeing clear zinc ones also.

[J_Speegle]

......  Have seen the nuts typically phosphate, although I seem to recall seeing clear zinc ones also.

Also have seen plenty (might be more of the San Jose supplier thing) where the finish of the nut is close (zinc rather than dichromated zinc - just same tone) to that of the bumper shaft.

[J_Speegle]

Went through my 65 San Jose pictures and found few clear change over months from one version to another. Even throwing singles (in a field of another version) does not improve the pattern greatly. Hope the following illustrates what I found without showing every individual car or bumper

San Jose only - Reminders for others - dates are projected dates possibly not real production dates

- Latest car with the flat with screw style - 5R10311x (July 64) Note: did drop a single example with a projected build date in Jan 65

- Earliest car with round with screw style - 5R13444x (First of Sept 64)

- Earliest cars with round without screw style - 5R15679x & 5R16176x (both Nov 64)  round with screw style still being found on other examples

- Latest car with round with screw style - 5R20070x (end of Mar 65) Note did drop a single found late April 65 example car may have been earlier than Ford planned or someone replaced the bumpers

 
Hope this helps - Let me know if I missed something. Will look to the other plants for 65

[rodster]

Thanks for the feedback so far.  One thing I do want to mention is that if the rubber is decent on original bumpers, they can be re-plated without affecting the rubber.  I have only seen this in zinc w/dichromate (Gold).  Have seen the nuts typically phosphate, although I seem to recall seeing clear zinc ones also.

Here's an example of the zinc w/dichromate (Gold) shaft I uncovered on my 65.  I didn't see any indication of gold on the nut so probably phosphate like you mentioned?