1948 front bumper bracket problem

[dav]

Can someone shed some light on a misalignment I am having.I am installing my front bumper back on the brackets and they don`t fit. Are the brackets spring steel? Do I force the two arms of the bracket together so that the holes in the bumper aline?The problem is the two arms of each bracket are too far apart to line up with the bumper holes.Yes I think they could be forced together.No I didn`t take the car apart.Yes I think these are the right parts.Thanks for any help.

[Don Coatney]

How far "off" are the holes? Is this your first old car? How well equiped is your tool box?

[Niel Hoback]

   I had to "force" my brackets together on mine and they did seem to be spring steel.  They've been holding for about 15 years now with no ill effects.  You could try it and see if it lines up that way. If so, go for it.

[mrwrstory]

Seems like I struggled with that some time back.  Force was the answer as I recall.  Did some tuning with a jury rigged tuning bar.

[garbagestate 44]

Maybe if you loosened everything up, the additional slop in the various bracket components will allow you to get bolts through all the holes.

[Uncle-Pekka]

I put back the bumpers on mine after the paint job some months ago. I agree with Niel and Bill, the brackets seem to be some kind of spring steel, they tend to bounce off quite much (ca. 2-3").

you have to leave the bumper bolts loose and force the bracket arms in place before tightening the entire assembly. Requires some alignment work as well. It may be desperate job to try alone. When you have a mate to help, it's easier, yet still requires force.

[Jerry Roberts]

Will a C - clamp help to hold the parts together while you start the bolts ? 

[dav]

 Thanks for the help men . I will try the to mount the brackets to car, then the two outside bolts first,maybe than I can pull the other inside holes in line.I have also  found another steel piece that looks like it fits between the inside bolt holes behind the bumper  (made of the same material as brackets).The inside holes on the bumper are the ones that hold the bumperettes on. Bumperettes are the things we used to throw old tires over in order to push other cars to the garage.

Does the rear bumper have a piece of steel(bracket material) behind the bumper between the bumperettes?Sorry for all the questions but have alot of (What the heck?) parts left on the floor.Oh ya can I put the bumper on before the front fenders and hood or is it easier to do it after?

thanks for your input again been workn and unable to compute latley.

Dave

[Plymouthy Adams]

Usually place bumper on last especially if you have a gravel shield filling the voids..often times the very design will prevent x parts from going on after the bumper is in place

Edited December 4, 2013 by Plymouthy Adams

[desoto1939]

You will have to look at your fenders. If there is a square hole in the fender where the bars that attach to the frame members then you have to installthe fenders first.  This goes for both front and rears.  On my 39 desoto there are rubber seals that also cover the holes so slide these onto the braket first then inset the braket throught the holes in the fender then fit the two bolts to hold the braket to the frame.

 

There is a right and left braket so make sure you have the right braket on the correct loocation. It sounds as if you might have them switch.  I have had mine off several times and have to  puch the bars in a little but not much effort is needed.

 

If you have a gravel guard then the bumper and braket are installed first then you will use the bumper bolts that go thrught the bummper to attach the gravel guard the same for the bumper guard or uprights as some people call them.

 

Rich HArtung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Young Ed]

Yes the rear bumper has a long piece of steel that nestles inside it.

[dav]

Does the front bumper have the steel bracket behind the bumper like the back?

[dav]

OK  got it figured out.I had the rear and front bumper switched.Everything makes sense now