Antique bumper identification #1 1920s?

[8ton]

I recently picked up a pallet of bumpers at an estate sale, I am hoping to identify they so that they can go to people who need them. 

Per the rules, I will post each separately and number each title.

 

I believe  this one is from the 1920s, and was once nickel plated.

 

Thank you all for your help!

 

 

[8ton]

Right around 62" long

[TerryB]

Bumpers were accessories in the 1920’s with many being supplied by outside companies that you could choose when the car was new.  As an example here is a Weed bumper purchased for a 1925 Chevrolet 

[TerryB]

The car with the bumper

 

[keiser31]

Looks like about a 1926 Lincoln bumper to me....

[keiser31]

1 minute ago, TerryB said:

The car with the bumper

 

1926 Chevrolet.

[8ton]

1 hour ago, keiser31 said:

Looks like about a 1926 Lincoln bumper to me....

Looks like a great match to me! Thank you!

[13Caddy2]

I had one on my 23 Studebaker touring car--Tom

[Larry Schramm]

A friend has one on his 1923 Buick that is exactly like yours.  I would guess it was an aftermarket accessory product.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[dibarlaw]

I believe that is a BiFlex. I have a 1927 Wolverine accessory bumper on my 1925 Buick Standard and a WEED set on my 1925 Master.

 Many nice styles to be had then. The problem is acquiring the special make and model specfic mounting hardware and brackets.

[wayne sheldon]

It IS a BiFlex bumper, I have had several of them over the years. They were very common, offered as factory options on dozens of marques, as well as popular after-market accessory for anything from a model T on up! They came in lighter weight versions (which are actually not very common!) for smaller cars. And most of them were about the size and weight of yours, but in varying widths to fit or style for different larger cars. The cast clamps that hold the two sides together came in several styles, some fairly plain, others with diagonal ribs or even the BiFlex name cast in. The variation may have been a year/style thing or not, I don't know.

 

I think I still have most of one badly damaged one in my junk pile. It had collision bends when I bought it for very cheap a very long time ago. It turned out to be a fortuitous purchase a few years later when the plating shop lost the clamps for a very good friend's bumper he was restoring. I gladly donated my bumper's clamps to his car. I could still straighten and make replacement clamps for my bumper if I had a car that could use it.

[Mark Gregush]

"The problem is acquiring the special make and model specific mounting hardware and brackets." I was going to say about the same thing. If you look at early automotive supply catalogs, the bumpers were pretty much the same for each listing there in, but the mounting hardware/arms was specific to each model or make of car being fitted to. Without the hardware/arms the bumpers are pretty much bent spring steel wall hangers. 

[dibarlaw]

I searched for years to find correct mounting hardware. I had to adapt the 1927 brackets when hanging my rear Wolverine bumpers to my 1925.

 

The front brackets needed no reworking.

 Below a BIFlex on a 1925 Buick Standard coach.

  

                                                                                      Rear mounting bracket.

WEED bumper on my 1925 Master

 

 

Edited November 21, 2022 by dibarlaw
spelling (see edit history)

[CHuDWah]

On 11/20/2022 at 11:43 AM, TerryB said:

Bumpers were accessories in the 1920’s with many being supplied by outside companies that you could choose when the car was new.  As an example here is a Weed bumper purchased for a 1925 Chevrolet

Off-topic but I'd guess the Dunlop tire and tube were for the spare?  That was extra cost on some cars, especially the lower-priced ones.

[Mark Gregush]

7 hours ago, CHuDWah said:

Off-topic but I'd guess the Dunlop tire and tube were for the spare?  That was extra cost on some cars, especially the lower-priced ones.

Often you would get the rim and carrier for the spare tire, but the tire and tube were extra. Even with Ford Model A's spare tire and tube were extra but you at least did get the spare wheel as part of the base price.  

[thomas k]

Gentlemen,

On the picture where you reference "adapt the 1927 brackets" for the car with the Pa. plates:

What type and color paint was used to restore the bumper? Is it a Silver CAD or some other shade of gray?

I need to repaint the bumpers on my 1927 Master Six sedan that was restored 40 years ago but the bumper has now become worn and dinged up a little.

[wayne sheldon]

Generally, the two upper and lower bars of the bumper before 1928 would have been nickel plated. The clamps that hold the assembly together may have been painted black, possibly some other color or also nickel plated.

There were numerous exceptions. Another brand of bumper (I don't know who the manufacturer was?) of which I have seen several, the two bars were painted black. However, they then had a nickel plated trim piece attached to the front side of the bar by a few special bolts with decorated heads showing on the front side.

[dibarlaw]

Thomas:

 My cars are for go... not show....I did a powder coat "chrome look" silver. Also on the brackets with the red and black I in-painted myself. When new these were indeed nickel plated. The bumpers when I bought them had remnants of plating. The cost of plating at the time was quoted at over $2,000. Powder coating at a couple of hundred. This included the mounting brackets done in semigloss black. Even so the steel bumper plates were pretty wavy and would need much grinding and finishing to make them presentible for plating. The rear bumpers looked presentible with the original plating so all I did was hand paint the inside surface with a silver paint and polish up the outside surface.

Edited September 13, 2023 by dibarlaw (see edit history)

[thomas k]

Thank you Larry. I appreciate you taking the time to reply. Your bumpers look great.

This may be a little to granular but did you do the powder coat "chrome look" silver yourself? If so, would you recall the paint brand and name ? And would you have the brand and name of the silver paint you used on the inside of the rear bumper? (or would it be the same silver you used on the front bumper).

Mine is a GO car as well :)

Tom

[31plymouth]

Biflex on my 21 Paige

[dibarlaw]

On 9/20/2023 at 7:20 PM, thomas k said:

Thank you Larry. I appreciate you taking the time to reply. Your bumpers look great.

This may be a little to granular but did you do the powder coat "chrome look" silver yourself? If so, would you recall the paint brand and name ? And would you have the brand and name of the silver paint you used on the inside of the rear bumper? (or would it be the same silver you used on the front bumper).

Mine is a GO car as well

Tom

Tom

 I sent the front bumper to a comercial powder coating shop in Boonsboro, MD. The silver I painted the inside rear with was probably Rustoleum. 

A better close up of the front bumper.

It does have some gloss and reflectivity. It is just that it is in shadow and basicly reflecting asphalt in the photo.

 

 

[thomas k]

Thanks Larry, that is very helpful and the additional picture of your front bumper looks fantastic!

I have purchased Rustoleum Automotive "universal silver", I hope that fits the bill.

The red and black brackets you painted yourself are a work of art. You should go into business :).

Regards,

Tom

[thomas k]

One other silly question, why red on the bracket? Is it to match the body color?

[thomas k]

Also Larry,

What type of paint did you use for the black and red colors used on the brackets?. Auto body paint or something else? Enamel or something else? What gloss level did you choose? and finally did you use a clear coat spray after all the painting was complete.

I finally removed my brackets and would like to attempt something as nice as you did.Thanks !

Tom