Chrome 71-72 bumper guards difference in old & new

[Arrington01]

I am trying to get some clarification on the old chrome bumper guards as in what do 1971-72 GM ones look like compared to the new repop ones. Is the metal thickness different? The shape? I know supposedly the early ones had
Smooth rubber pad. Some say the design rubber pad is aftermarket or was GM's later year production style. By the way I am looking to buy a old set to. Any knowledge on this would be appreciated.

[fatbass]

I have a set on my '71. I'll look tomorrow if the rain breaks.

[special-K]

Do you have a picture for comparison? I know what the GM accessories look like if you can show the new ones.

[Arrington01]

I don't have pics of ethier one. I figure someone does. Do the new repop aftermarket ones have a stamped part # on them.

[special-K]

I don't know, they could I guess. But GM guards don't as I recall. They aren't factory parts, they are aftermarket supplied to the GM accessories program and put in GM boxes. The best way to describe is above the bumper, GM ones are wider on the sides. They aren't cut back like the others. GMs can have smooth rubber pads or have a ribbed design.

[undertaker72]

Jason do you still have the pictures that I texted you when I offered the ones to you for sale, ive never heard anything back , maybe I was off on price but they are getting hard to find in oem , anyway that's shows you the difference if not I can look and see if I still have my pictures and repost them

[Arrington01]

First pic I believe Kevin is saying is original GM and second pic is new repop. Correct if I am wrong Kevin

[Arrington01]

So I have a set that I am wondering about. A guy says theses have been on a 72 that has been sitting in a barn since 1985. They have the 4-5 digit part #'s on the inside of them like some other other ones I have had that were GM accessory guards. They have they design impact strips but, like one forum member said. He bought new GM impact strips for these style guards along time ago and the new impact guards were the designed rubber instead of smooth.

[undertaker72]

correct, there is a gm with the rubbers that have ribs, like stated before there were venders licensed for gm to produce and then gm packaging do you have the picture straight on , the gm smooth are wider base at top

[special-K]

I don't think those last ones are GM accessories. The sets I bought from GM, one with smooth and one with ribs, both had the same metal. They are fatter in upper portion than that last set. What is the part#? It could be possible GM ad a batch made somewhere else like those, but I bought my two variations (that match ones on trucks I had that I know were GM) in '89 and unless somewhere in the middle they had a batch made, I doubt they would have had more made all those years out of production. That second set in post #7 are aftermarket, also. Look at how they're not made to fit the bumper as well

Here are trucks with GM guards, if you can tell anything from them (maybe blow them up?):

[Arrington01]

The inside of the guards are marked 118LF with the rib design. That number is stamped in the metal.

[fatbass]

Sorry I'm late. I just took this pic of the guards on my '71. They are originals.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by fatbass

Sorry I'm late. I just took this pic of the guards on my '71. They are originals.

How are you sure those are GM? The ones I've bought from GM were not like those. The rubber pads on the GM ones can have smooth or ribbed. I know this because I bought them from GM in GM boxes, both at the same time. You were correct about the ones Kevin showed. The first set are GM... or they are exactly the same.

There may be some confusion here. The title says old vs new, then in your post you say "repops". Back in the day there were GM accessories as well as aftermarket. Repops would be the new ones being "re-made" after years of no production and the old ones would be both GM accessories or aftermarket.

[fatbass]

Originally Posted by special-K

How are you sure those are GM? The ones I've bought from GM were not like those. The rubber pads on the GM ones can have smooth or ribbed. I know this because I bought them from GM in GM boxes, both at the same time. You were correct about the ones Kevin showed. The first set are GM... or they are exactly the same.

There may be some confusion here. The title says old vs new, then in your post you say "repops". Back in the day there were GM accessories as well as aftermarket. Repops would be the new ones being "re-made" after years of no production and the old ones would be both GM accessories or aftermarket.

How am I sure? Honestly, at my age I'm not! What I do know is that these were put on within 2 years of purchasing the truck new (by the original owner). I was shown dated photos when I bought the truck and have no reason to doubt. Also, I had a pair that looked just like these in the GM boxes that were given to me with my old K10 in '82 that I traded for a brush guard. I was told that they were NOS but that could have been a lie.
I also saw but didn't buy a set of ribbed replacement rubber inserts at a swap meet a few years back that were in a GM box but I don't recall if it was the real box for them.
I'll humbly defer to your wisdom here. I'm not the expert. You are.

[Arrington01]

Fatbass's guards look like the ones I just picked up in post #8.

[fatbass]

I recall seeing smooth as well as ribbed rubber inserts on these guards back in the day. I believe the rubber inserts could be replaced in the early '80s with the ribbed inserts but the smooth ones were earliest production and weren't available after that. The ribbed inserts seemed a little beefier anyway.
At least that's what I recall.

[Arrington01]

Fatbass I think ur right.

[El Dorado Jim]

dang, now I want a set also.....they look cool

[Arrington01]

Yeah I am wanting clarify which ones are GM accessory one. Which styles did GM Rebox and sell as there own. How many different styles we're there. Did the design rubber and smooth rubber come GM accessory guards. I am just trying to get some good knowledge on these pieces and also so other people may learn. I would like to see some NOS sets with boxes to be shown to see if there parts are like some of the rest of GMs famous one area or plant got one style from one producer. Or if different years had a slightly different metal shape or rubber design.

[special-K]

I only asked because just showing a picture and them being on there since new wouldn't mean they are GM, since there were aftermarket ones since day-1 as well. But if you saw ones just like them come out of GM boxes that works for sure. That's what I was wondering, too, if maybe there were more variations than just rubber strips. I am only going by my experiences as well.

So to be clear, GM never made any of these. Their accessory program offered a mix of popular aftermarket accessories you could buy elsewhere under the mfgr's name and options you get a second chance at having in your truck, like the production AM radio or wheelcovers. GM never made the door window visors, those were straight-up Ventshades. It can be confusing all these years later because back then GM's intent was to create the illusion that they were buying 100% GM parts. It's not exactly crooked, because many production parts are jobbed out or outsourced. Buddy buckets were made by Bostrom, a seat mfgr, mostly for big trucks. You can buy a new Peterbuilt with Bostrom seats today. The wheels, including wider ones, were Kelsey Hayes. They were an option, but Kelsey Hayes were sold through any tire or wheel shop. I used to buy my 16.5 x 9.75s from a place called Standard Wheel that specialized in commercial chassis and wheel parts. The last set I bought around '89 were listed as trailer wheels with a sticker. When the guy heard me say they were for my truck he talked like that wasn't a good idea and tried to deter me. I told him trailer wheels specs exceed truck specs, since tires scrub sideways when turning tight

[Arrington01]

Here are some pics of I found today.

[DeadheadNM]

These were NOS examples...

[special-K]

^^^ Those are what I am familiar with as GM.

Arrington01, I wish you had side shots of those. From what I see, it looks like those are more like the ones you bought...and I see the GM 1971 on the instructions. Were you also thinking these looked more like yours? I can tell they are more "scooped out" above the bumper, but side shots would tell for sure

[Arrington01]

Special-k, yes I am more familiar with the guards that deadheadnm has pictured. But the one set that I bought in the upper post looks to be just like the NOS set that I posted pics of. Like you said they both have the smaller scoop out area at the top of the guard.

[Arrington01]

I am thinking GM sold at least these 2 different chrome style guards like this and the 2 different rubber impact strips. Still would like to see some more nos examples to see what's out there to maybe help prove this idea.