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C1 bumperettes

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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 05:28 PM
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Default C1 bumperettes

OK - this is a rather arcane piece of C1 knowledge but I am told that the brackets that hold the license plate and bumperettes are different between the '58-'60 versions and the '61-'62 versions. The later ones are an inch shorter or some such thing.

Anybody know for sure or have a side-by-side comparison ? In looking at the repro license plate & bumperette ***'y I installed two years ago compared to some other '61s it seems to sit too far forward and the top is about an inch below the horizontal grille bar.

Frank

Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Sep 16, 2009 at 07:19 PM.
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 06:29 PM
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Frank,

I believe this to be true. I had my 62 at a show before i took it off the road and a very knowledgeable C1 guy told me mine has 1 of each as one side sticks out a little bit farther. If you find that yours is wrong and you want to trade my earlier version for 1 of yours, let me know.


Bill
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 06:40 PM
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If it looks too far forward it is. For awhile the only brackets that were available were the early longer ones. I bought them and had them on the car until a number of years later when then 61-62's were repro'd. It is a noticeable difference
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 06:44 PM
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Originally Posted by fdreano
OK - this is a rather arcane piece of C1 knowledge but I am told that the brackets that hold the license plate and bumperettes are different between the '58-'60 versions and the '62-'62 versions. The later ones are an inch shorter or some such thing.

Anybody know for sure or have a side-by-side comparison ? In looking at the repro license plate & bumperette ***'y I installed two years ago compared to some other '61s it seems to sit too far forward and the top is about an inch below the horizontal grille bar.

Frank
Yes, that is correct.
Three different brackets: 53-57, 58-60, 61-62.
Three different bumperettes: 53-55, 56-57, 58-62.

Tom Parsons
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 06:45 PM
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The 58-60 bumper guard bracket is about 1.25 inches longer than the 61-62 guard. It is longer to accommodate the grill teeth of the earlier models. The P/N # for the 61-62 guards is 3782765 & 3782766.

If you have the Corvette Restorer Vol16 #4 there is an article on how to modify the 58-60 brackets to look like 61-62 style.

Last edited by Donald #31176; Sep 16, 2009 at 06:54 PM.
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 07:18 PM
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I don't have any old Corvette Restorer mags and the correct brackets (by themselves) are 70 bucks....if anybody knows how to modify the older ones I'm all ears.
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 07:30 PM
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Email sent
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 07:45 PM
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Is there a way to get a copy of that article, I have the 58-60 brackets on my 62 I'd like to modify them if possible.
Thanks
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 07:59 PM
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At the end of the day it's easier to just buy the correct ones for $70 a pair. Take the old ones off - sell on E-bay - bolt the new ones on and go to the next task. No running around, no cutting, no welding, no painting or coating
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 08:02 PM
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Frank I guess I'll jump on this bandwagon and confirm that yes it is true .

I removed a set of chrome plated 58-60 brackets from my 62 and installed a set of correct brackets, way back in 1983.
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 08:03 PM
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I also believe I have the earlier brackets on my '61 as they seem to stick out..Thanks Frank Anyone have the measurements of both the early and later brackets?
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 08:08 PM
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I don't have measurements, but as a point of reference here's how mine fit on my 62. I can just get my fingers between the back of the bumperette and the center grill bar, when washing the car.

Last edited by 62Jeff; Sep 16, 2009 at 08:24 PM.
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 08:46 PM
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I measured my brackets on the '61 (as close as I could get with them installed) and they are 22-1/4" long. The eBay seller who deals in this part just emailed me back and said that is the correct length for '61/'62 brackets. Guess I'll have to roll under the car tomorrow and see why things are slightly out of alignment...I remember having some issues with the brackets and doing some creative shimming...probably a mistake on my part.

My bumperettes are not nearly as close as Jeff's are in his picture above...and even my avatar shows the bumperettes are too low as indexed off the horizontal grill bar.

Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Sep 16, 2009 at 08:59 PM.
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 08:48 PM
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Originally Posted by jtranger
I also believe I have the earlier brackets on my '61 as they seem to stick out..Thanks Frank Anyone have the measurements of both the early and later brackets?
58-60 bracket is 1.25 inches longer than 61-62 bracket. You should cut off 1.25 inches from the thick straight section before it narrows. Then braze the narrow section to the shortened thick section. Smooth & paint for appearance.
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Old Sep 16, 2009 | 09:06 PM
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Originally Posted by fdreano
My bumperettes are not nearly as close as Jeff's are in his picture above...and even my avatar shows the bumperettes are too low as indexed off the horizontal grill bar.
Well, my body has been off my chassis so figure there could be some fore/aft alignment differences between our cars.
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Old Sep 17, 2009 | 03:58 PM
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Here is a photo of my bumper. Looks like I have the earlier bracket as there is much more space that Jeff's. Frank, does your look like this?
Larry

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Old Sep 17, 2009 | 04:02 PM
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Cars with 61-62 bracket the top of the bumperette is about 1/2 inch from grill bar.
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Old Sep 17, 2009 | 04:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Donald #31176
Cars with 61-62 bracket the top of the bumperette is about 1/2 inch from grill bar.
Yup, on my '62 the distance to the grill bar is about 3/8".
I just went through this with a buddy of mine on his '62, he had the earlier version. Fortunately I spotted a '59 at a local cruise night that a '61~'62 version jambed up in the teeth, worked out great for everyone.



Paul
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Old Sep 17, 2009 | 04:39 PM
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Any one old enough to remember when they called these things "knurf bars" not bumperetts?
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Old Sep 17, 2009 | 04:53 PM
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Originally Posted by jtranger
Here is a photo of my bumper. Looks like I have the earlier bracket as there is much more space that Jeff's. Frank, does your look like this?
Larry

Actually the distance from your grill bar looks EXACTLY like my car but my bumperettes sit even lower....I'm not sure I believe the person that told me I have the right brackets. If I remove the washers that I used as shims from the bracket where it bolts to the frame to get the bumperettes nearer to the grille bar then they will be way off from vertical and canted inwards a bunch. Something is wrong...

CAN SOMEBODY WITH PROPER FITTING '61/'62 BUMPERETTES PLS MEASURE THE BRACKET LENGTH ??

Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Sep 17, 2009 at 05:09 PM.
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