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Restoring - General discussions that span across many different groups of years and models => Misc Items => Topic started by: CharlesTurner on January 30, 2017, 12:45:05 AM

Title: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: CharlesTurner on January 30, 2017, 12:45:05 AM
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 ?
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: markb0729 on January 30, 2017, 12:55:42 AM
+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
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: rockhouse66 on January 30, 2017, 08:47:56 AM
Charles - I think all of the '69s got the closed round top version.
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: GT500KR on January 30, 2017, 10:25:08 AM
Thanks Charles, I always wondered about the two styles of open top bumpers.
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: CharlesTurner on January 30, 2017, 11:23:32 AM
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.
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: J_Speegle on January 30, 2017, 10:17:52 PM
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
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: Brian Conway on January 30, 2017, 10:47:25 PM
Metuchen - September '68   Round Top
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: J_Speegle on January 30, 2017, 11:42:03 PM
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  :D

(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/6/6-300117232506.jpeg)



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

Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: rodster on January 31, 2017, 12:06:00 AM
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?
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: CharlesTurner on January 31, 2017, 12:11:07 AM
Is this the style your thinking of. - Guessing that the answer will be yes  :D

Yes, that's the hideous thing, lol!
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: steve_f on January 31, 2017, 01:03:10 AM
My May 15, 1965 SJ has the closed top.
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: CharlesTurner on January 31, 2017, 01:25:55 AM
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.
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: J_Speegle on January 31, 2017, 05:33:03 PM
......  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.
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: J_Speegle on January 31, 2017, 05:46:21 PM
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
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: rodster on January 31, 2017, 06:01:24 PM
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?
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: CharlesTurner on February 01, 2017, 12:21:29 AM
Thanks Jeff, seems your info is hard to wrap any logic around.  I guess it's hard to say if some of the early cars had been messed with. 

Roddster, yes, either phosphate or possibly zinc as Jeff mentioned.  Phosphate seems to be most common.
Title: Re: Rubber Hood Bumper Styles 64 1/2 - 68
Post by: J_Speegle on February 01, 2017, 12:42:41 AM
Thanks Jeff, seems your info is hard to wrap any logic around.  I guess it's hard to say if some of the early cars had been messed with. 

Understand that is why I mentioned I would have to find a way to illustrate what I was finding at San Jose in 65 ;)

Looks like the flat with screw version is somewhat defined

Yes its hard to prove that the bumpers are original to each car. Choose only unrestored cars for the samples and since there were no reproductions available for much of the past and NOS ones often were not always right I think

1- there is a possibility that they used more than one vendor at San Jose and they sourced from both for a fairly long period that first year. 

2- If it was just a result (the lack of a hard stop and start to the second and third version) of owners changing them the ratio of changed verses not changed would have continues though the whole year and we're not seeing that so IMHO that suggests that the first possibility is more logical at this point.