Bumper Bolts. Does anyone have size/spares?

[splat1955]

Hey guys,

I'm trying to put a front bumper together...kind of a mock up, to see if it's going to work and if it will go together since the parts are from 3 different '48 bumpers. First, I believe the front takes 5 bolts. I'm not sure of the size...can anyone tell me cause I think the seams that are hidden by the guards may a different size than the bolts at the 2 ends. Then there is one in the middle. Again, can anyone help me out with size and thread number per inch? Does anyone have some spares (they don't have to look good) that they may want to part with? I'd even buy some new ones, if I new what size they are supposed to be. If anyone with the same bumper set up with me could check theirs out, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[Normspeed]

On mine the bumper guard bolts were longer to fit into the rear of the guards, and they weren't chromed. I can dig through the spare bolts can, might have one you can measure from.

[Norm's Coupe]

You can get the oval head bumper bolts from just about any of the old Ford vendors. Just tell them you want the bumper bolts for a 46 Ford.

[splat1955]

Thanks Shel, Norm & Norm,

Okay, so, I'm taking it that the heads of the bumper bolts were oval? Didn't know that...but that is cool! I may be running by the local Ace store here today, I may drop in and see what they have, but Normspeed, if you could take a look and see if you have the bolt that goes through the guard and let me know size, length and thread pitch or threads per inch, I'd really appreciate it. I'd take a guess at it but I never get that stuff right the first time. Really, if I knew if that particular bolt was as far as being 3/8, 7/16, 1/2 " for example, and the length, threads per inch isn't probably as important...as long as I can find nuts to fit what ever I end up with. I'd really like to find some of ovals along the way, but for now, even if I could find some used ones or like Shel said, at the hardware store....I'd be able to get the 3 parts of the bumper together to mount against the bracket. One more question...is the " oval " head the same as a " Pan " head bolt? I see them described that way on a website, but not sure.

[teardrop puller]

I bought stainless ones off of the "Bay"

Really are nice. So keep looking, in the mean time use 1/2" carriage bolts.

kai

[Norm's Coupe]

If I remember right, my bumper bolts are 3/8" dia. That's on a 48 Plymouth though so it could be different on a Dodge.

[BobT-47P15]

Well, Splat, this pic seems to show a 3 part front bumper with ROUND head bolts. Dodge may not have been oval.

The rear ones are round also.

I find that ebay is often a good reference library on these old cars. Sometimes they have good photos of original things on them.

On this P15, you can see the oval bolt heads, including the one that goes thru the bumperguard. Yes, those are longer, but don't know exact length.

Hope this helps.

[splat1955]

Hey Bob.........Thanks. Yeah, I saw that orange Dodge on the bay....good idea though on checking pics on the bay to get an idea of what might have been original...kind of like that pic I found that had the original style interior to see where that trim piece went on the Panel. You may be right about the Dodges having the round bolts and Plymouth the ovals. Theres a guy on the bay right now with a set of ovals, and he is only advertising them for the '46 through '49 Plymouth....I figure if they were correct for the Dodge also, he would have advertised them as such. I think I will take a look at some other pics I've saved and look closely at the bumper bolts, cause the round ones seem a lot more available. Anybody else want to chime in on what kind of bolts they have on a 46 - 48 Dodge?

[splat1955]

Bob, I think your right about the rounds being originals....every pic I've got seems to have the round head bumper bolts....and some of the pics I have are of some pretty old junk with the original bumpers I'm sure. That being the case, looks as though all I need now are the 2 different lengths, the correct diameter and I may be good to start looking for bolts. Oh, I just read somewhere that there are also different head diameters for the round heads. So if anyone can tell me the diameter of the bumper bolt head on a 46 to 48 bumper bolt, that will help me out as well. Thanks.

[BobT-47P15]

If you can only get non-chromed bolts, and you have a chrome shop handy, they can simply chrome the bolt heads. That's what my chrome guy did after telling me to remove the stainless head covers which were kinda beat up. Those bolts look just fine.

[splat1955]

Thats another good idea....but at this point, I haven't found a chrome shop anywhere near me....We are up in the Sierra Nevada....But if all else fails, I could always get the carraige bolts of correct size, then down the road when I do find a chromer and send off the bumpers, have the bolts done at the same time. Still looking for length, bolt diameter and head diameter though. Anyone?

[Frank Blackstone]

I think any of theses have bolts and varying degrees of finish. Longer ones for bumper guards. Square shank to prevent loosening but also had lock washers and flat washers. Over designed? Frank

[Jim Yergin]

The bumper bolts on my '41 Plymouth are 3/8 diameter with 1" round heads. They are 1" long without the bumper guards.

Jim Yergin

[Normspeed]

Question for you Dodge experts, that red coupe, would that be called a small butt coupe or a normal butt coupe, as opposed to the big butt coupe?

[Norm's Coupe]

Question for you Dodge experts, that red coupe, would that be called a small butt coupe or a normal butt coupe, as opposed to the big butt coupe?

Looks like the Club Coupe. Small butt or normal as you called it. The business coupe has a longer butt and I believe the Dodge business has no rear quarter windows.

[JerseyHarold]

To BobT:

Is the green Plymouth photo you posted from a current eBay auction? It lives about 4 miles from me (I recognized the house in the photo). I speak to the owner occasionally at local shows. At one point, he wanted to modify it into a street rod, and I told him this car was too nice to molest. Same guy has a '37 P-3 Business Coupe painted like a black-and-white police car with a Ford 302 and rack&pinion steering.

[Ed Griffin]

Bumper bolts on Dodge are round but bumper gaurd bolts are oval and are longer for sure.

[Niel Hoback]

My original bumper bolts, (P-15), were 7/16 oval head carraige bolts. Like an idiot, I bought some 1/2" ones and filed out the square holes in the bumper. I only did two of those before I searched and found a good hardware store that carries 7/16"ers. They're out there, you just gotta look around.

[splat1955]

Hey Shel...and the rest of you that chimed in....Thanks for the info....Now I just have to find the bolts....going to the hardware store tomorrow to get carriage bolts.....then later bumper bolts...when I get the chroming dones.