Rear Bumper Washer Placement

[RPM 1,190]

Where do the wave washers go? My failing memory says they go between the bumper and bracket. My Jim Osborn manual has unreadable illustrations, and my goggle search did not educate me. 

Thanks guys. 

[Brian Conway 264]

This time your failing memory is correct.  Brian

[RPM 1,190]

Blind squirrel thing. Thank you Brian,  you are a wealth of knowledge. 

[1969_Mach1 333]

Those go between the bumper and the bracket.  I placed the large diameter end against the bumper.  There are large gaps between the bumper and brackets without those installed.

Are you installing Scott Drake Bumpers?  If so, good luck.  I purchased both front and rear Scott Drake bumpers.  The rear looked and fit great.  It took 3 front bumpers to get one without defects, either dents or simply stamped wrong.

[RPM 1,190]

4 hours ago, 1969_Mach1 said:

Are you installing Scott Drake Bumpers?  

No, NPD. I bought the front first to check quality and fit. Fit and finish was second to none. I couldn't figure out how to leave a review,  so I emailed them.  I was quite surprised when I received his following reply:

 

Hi Bob,

Thanks for that great review! It’s actually a very REASSURING review to me, because I had our supplier re-tool the 69-70 front bumpers just a couple years ago. We discovered that their original Ford “benchmark” bumper that they had over there to build the tooling off of had (earlier in its life when it was attached to a Mustang) been “tapped” right on the nose, effectively causing the bumper to “spread” on the rigid mounts, to where it would be a tight-clearance in the center, slowly devolving to too-much clearance at the ends. Probably why the bumper was removed from its original car, and that’s how it wound up in Taiwan as what they THOUGHT was a “good original bumper”, because just looking at it, it looked just fine.

Anyhow, I had to come up with two good/straight original bumpers to send to Taiwan for the new tooling to be made. I had one, but I didn’t want to sacrifice it. I wanted to buy two to send over. So I took very meticulous measurements of the one I had here, and then went hunting. All-Ford Nationals in Carlisle, EVERY used bumper I found, was spread (to some degree) in the same way from being ever-so-lightly-tapped!! When I got home, I called Doug Herr (huge collection of NOS and original/used 69-70 parts), and he said “yeah, I got PLENTY of good used bumpers!!”. I went down there, went through a stack of eight bumpers he had, and they had all been tapped.. No kidding.. Went to my other local NOS/used Ford parts guy (can’t remember name), and out of 10 bumpers he had, I came away with two (thank god) that matched my measurements. And those are what your current repro bumper were tooled from.

Moral of the story?? Beware buying used front bumpers!!! Any one that’s ever had the slightest love-tap, maybe the front wall of the garage, or an accidental parallel parking “oops”, or whatever, well…. They got pulled-off and replaced, and seem to have found their way into the inventories of many unsuspecting Ford parts collectors LOL! Because visually, without measuring, they look perfect when they’re not.

Both guys were pretty bummed that their “stashes” of good re-chrome-able NOS bumpers for concours-correct restorations were basically “scrap” unless they could carefully un-do the bend.

Long story, but thought I’d share. Thanks for the order!

.........

I my mind,  anyone going to that length to provide a quality product gets my vote,  and money. 

Then I received and installed the rear bumper. Not so much the fit add the front bumper. 

 

[Brian Conway 264]

Quote

Thanks for sharing the letter.  I too have had positive experience's with NPD.  Not so much with Drake or Carpenter.  Brian 

 

[1969_Mach1 333]

Yeah, but these days, from my experience with repro parts, all vendors sell the same thing so all are probably getting bumpers from the same manufacturer.  Mine look and fit great, I just got a couple of bad front bumpers.  The bad front bumpers were probably from the same batch as they both came from Summit's Nevada store.  The good front bumper came from Summit's Ohio store.  The good thing is Summit has excellent return and exchange policies.  They set up the return, no charges to you,  just hand the package to the shipper when they show up.  And if the replacement is from a warehouse not local to you they usually ship it overnight with no charges to you.  

I typically buy repro parts from NPD but since they no longer mention the manufacturer I decided to go the other route.  NPD use to sell Nordan bumpers but only state they switched to another mfg. but do not mention their name. Plus with Summit I pay no sales tax, and I get their free ground shipping the next day if its from the Nevada store.

I've had to return some defective stuff to NPD, they except it, but it's a bit more of a hassle.  I have to do all the work creating and paying for a shipping label.  Then track down a shipper to hand it to, or a drop off location, or pay extra for pick up at my house.

[RPM 1,190]

7 minutes ago, 1969_Mach1 said:

Yeah, but these days, from my experience with repro parts, all vendors sell the same thing so all are probably getting bumpers from the same manufacturer.  Mine look and fit great, I just got a couple of bad front bumpers.  The bad front bumpers were probably from the same batch as they both came from Summit's Nevada store.  The good front bumper came from Summit's Ohio store.  The good thing is Summit has excellent return and exchange policies.

I typically buy repro parts from NPD but since they no longer mention the manufacturer I decided to go the other route.  NPD use to sell Nordan bumpers but only state they switched to another mfg. but do not mention their name. Plus with Summit I pay no sales tax, and I get their free ground shipping the next day if its from the Nevada store.  

The new manufacturer change  is why I only bought the front bumper, to check it out. The fact that its fit was spot on, and the info in his email, tells me NPD hates crappy parts as much as us. 

I too buy a lot from Summit out of Reno. I used to get next day delivery until UPS decided to drive their stuff by me and down to Carson, then back here. 

[det0326 179]

I too used NPD for both bumpers and well pleased with fitment and finish. I did not know about them until late in my Mach 1 build, wish I had known earlier because everything I purchased so far from them has been good.

[1969_Mach1 333]

I buy a lot from them as well.  As a matter of fact, I'd say 95% of the repro parts I buy are from NPD.  But you might be giving them too much credit.  I've got parts from NPD that were poor quality and some not even usable.  Poorly copied seat tracks that get jam up in the full rearward position, shifter boots that are so rigid it you cannot pull the shifter into 4th gear, Shelby style gauge pod that won't fit without severe modifications, door panels that look great buy why are they about 1/2" shorter than the originals.  I don't blame NPD.  Its the reproduction industry.  And most places selling reproduction parts are selling the same stuff.

[det0326 179]

LOL  I don't know why they are 1/2" short either maybe so they want hit the crappy, flimsy repo sill plate that want lay down before the screws bend it.

[Ridge Runner 1,113]

They go between the bumper and the bracket ,but there is a top and a bottom to that wavy washer .If you look close you will see it is deeper from one side ,that deep side goes to the square part of the bolt as it comes out of the back side of the bumper

[Ridge Runner 1,113]

Here you go ,the bolt on the right has the wavy washer correct ,the bolt on the left has the washer wrong and the bumper will not fit correctly.That washer is actually a spring and the bumper floats on that spring.

[RPM 1,190]

Hey,  I did something right this month!

Thanks Jim.