1956 Rear Bumper Differences

[56buickinga]

I have recently noticed that some, well a majority of 56 Buicks have a rear bumper with "fins" wrapping around the ends.

and a few, including mine, with smooth edges

All of the 1956 GM sketches and photos show the "finned" bumpers. Does anyone know why some Buicks have the smooth bumpers and others the "finned" ones?

Thanks

[Leif Holmberg]

I think that cars with single exhoust didn`t have those rails,and think that Special models had that rails as an accessories.I think that you can find the answer at Budd:s 1956 Buick home page. http://1956buick.com/56Buick/index2.html

Leif in Sweden.

[imported_buick5563]

I believe those are the famous "J bars" that are so difficult (and expensive) to find.

[Leif Holmberg]

Buick 5563 You are right they are hard to find and expansive if you ever will find a pair.

I did my "new" J-bars from an old 1956 bumper,I cut of the upper parts from the bumper and made new ones.There was a lot of cutting and welding and testing.If you made "new" ones like me, you need to have the bumper on your car otherwise it will be wrong angle, and they are reversed too.

Leif in Sweden.

[imported_buick5563]

That looks spectacular, Leif.

Did you happen to take pics while you were doing the fabrication? That would be a useful article in the Bugle (or at least in the post war section here) due to the apparent rarity of those parts.

[Leif Holmberg]

Buick 5563 .I`m sorry I don`t have any photos when I did this J-bars. I use to take photos when restoring parts but I think I were to busy at the time.I spent a lot of time trying to restore the original J-bars but without luck,therefor I desided to made this "new ones".

Leif in Sweden.

[Bhigdog]

Leif, Nice job. I love nothing more than to see someone actually MAKE something they need. Again........NICE.....Bob

[Leif Holmberg]

Thanks Mike and Bob for those warming words.

Leif in Sweden.

[JohnD1956]

Leif, that is superb! What a great idea. Please tell me more about the part being reversed?

[Leif Holmberg]

John.Reversed maybe is wrong word for that,but there are a Right and a Left part.The upper part of J-bars are not as wide as below,the differens is about 1/8"-1/16".Take a look at the photos they show how it looks when I photo it from 2 feet.

Leif in Sweden.

[imported_buick5563]

Just to verify the original question. Were these options? I don't know 56's like I know 55's. I just have heard about the J bars in other posts. They always sound like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster. Also, did you use an existing bumper bolt hole to mount them or was there a completely different bumper if this option was ordered?

Thanks.

[Leif Holmberg]

buick 5563. This is how it looks in my parts book.And I can see in one of my sales broschure that 1956 mod 48 don`t have this Rail-J-bars ,all other has that Rails but there aren`t photos of all the models.

Leif in Sweden.

[Leif Holmberg]

Bay the way ,all 4 bumpers I have had has all the monting hols for those Rails,and all of them have had dubble exhused.All of them has been from Super-Roadmaster.

Leif in Sweden.

[Guest imported_Thriller]

My Canadian '56 model 41 doesn't have the J bars...I don't have a good enough photo to know whether or not there is a mounting location on the bumper...I'll try to remember to look when I'm out there this weekend.

[JohnD1956]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Leif Holmberg</div><div class="ubbcode-body">John.Reversed maybe is wrong word for that,but there are a Right and a Left part.The upper part of J-bars are not as wide as below,the differens is about 1/8"-1/16".Take a look at the photos they show how it looks when I photo it from 2 feet.

Leif in Sweden. </div></div>

I see what you mean. As I looked at the bumper today I see that it curves inward towards the bottom, thus the difference in widths to keep em level on the car.

Sure glad to see these pictures. I have never seen one of these off the car. I keep wondering how something like this was originally punched out? Probably a powerful press but even so, this wrap around is so extreme I just wonder how they got the surface so smooth.

Thanks Leif. Again, you did an excellent job making those new J bars.

[Leif Holmberg]

Thanks John.I post 2 more photos and you can see how it is attached on the bumper with 4 bolts.The problem with those Rails J-bars always seems to be the as you say the wrap around is so extreme.The rails are wery thin on the top of the curve,you can even see that you are missing the edge on top of the rails when using a part of an old bumper,but I think it`s worth that.

Leif in Sweden.

[Guest imported_Thriller]

That takes way more skill and patience than I have....

[Budd]

While they are an order-able part as Leif shows, I don't think they were an "option" per se. The single exhaust bumpers on the Series 40 Specials will be missing the exhaust cutouts found on dual exhaust bumpers of the series 40 (optional),50,60 and 70 (standard) -- in addition to missing the required 4 holes one each side to bolt the J bar to the bumper. If you look at a Series 40 single exhaust bumper, it is flat across the bottom (no cutouts), and while 2 of the holes are there with chrome capped bumper bolts, the other two I believe are missing (at either end tip of the "J" bar). You will also notice in Leif's pictures that the two "main" bolt holes are larger on the inner, and the two bolts at the outer part of the "J" are smaller.

You will see some dual exhaust bumpers that are missing the J bars, and that is usually due to the fact that a) the originals were rusted out beyond repair, and they're too damn expensive to buy. Folks just put a nice chrome capped bolt to cover the holes and call it a day. In reality, I believe all dual exhaust bumpers with the proper dual cut outs for the exhaust tips are supposed to have the J bars in place.

What *is* an option is the nice little rectangular exhaust tips that bolted to the exhaust pipe outlets on either side.

Here is a single exhaust series 40 Special bumper.

Here's a pic of the J bars missing on a dual exhaust bumper. You can see the extra bolt hole I'm talking about at the 5 o'clock position from the gas door, smaller in size than the larger bolt hole to it's right.

Cheers,

Budd

[progoofoff]

I have a pair for sale but as a bonus, the wagon must go along.

$1200

Bob

NC

336 785 1922

[Guest DaveCorbin]

I seem to remember that someone reproduced these parts as solid brass castings some years ago. The problem with the originals is that the exhaust gasses curl back up and then condense inside the curved end. Since the gasoline of the time had sulpher in it, the parts were in effect dipped into low grade sulphuric acid. The plating on the inside wasn't great, so you wound up with a built-in recipe for corrosion and the parts ate away from the inside.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Guest imported_Thriller]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: progoofoff</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a pair for sale but as a bonus, the wagon must go along.

$1200

Bob

NC

336 785 1922 </div></div>

I shouldn't say anything at all, especially with the distance, but a few more details on the wagon would be great. Did I see 4 Ventiports (so a Century)? My Special could serve as a parts car for that...hmmm.

I guess rather than the thread hijack, we could take this to PMs.

[Budd]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DaveCorbin</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I seem to remember that someone reproduced these parts as solid brass castings some years ago. </div></div>

I too remember some folks discussing these same "reproduction" J Bars made out of castings. I have a set that was hand made as well (welded then chromed), but I haven't tried bolting them up to see how they look/fit. I got them from France a couple years back, of all places.

Budd

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear John:

Re: How do they bend it like that?

These parts were probably made on a press called a "bulldozer". Think about turning a press 90 degrees onto its back so that the ram runs horizontally. Next heat the part to about 1100 degrees and insert in machine. Die cavity closes so that part is actually coined into a completely closed space and the metal is forced against all surfaces of the die just like a press making coins does. Let cool, weld in cross-pieces, polish lightly and plate. Simple IF you've got a "Bulldozer" of around 1000 tons capacity!(and heavy duty metal dies set up for those kind of forces.)

Regards, Dave Corbin

[JohnD1956]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DaveCorbin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dear John:

Re: How do they bend it like that?

Simple IF you've got a "Bulldozer" of around 1000 tons capacity!(and heavy duty metal dies set up for those kind of forces.)

Regards, Dave Corbin </div></div>

Thanks Dave. It brings up a second question though, how do they make those heavy duty metal dies?