Dealer engraved rear bumper??

[special-K]

I think you could request a plain bumper. Or,request a different type from the silver book. Step Bumpers were dealer installed except in '72. I'm sure these were stamped or engraved by a business that specialized in them and dealers would buy them in quantities,just like license plate frames and badges. Obviously,most back then didn't mind. These bumpers were seen in areas where trucks were hot. This area of the country tended to still be more about trucks only out of necessity than preferred vehicle over a car. Not as many well-optioned CSTs,etc,either.

[specialtyretail]

The dealers ordered trucks without bumpers. There were aftermarket suppliers that sold custom bumpers with the dealers name and city engraved into them. It was a really smart marketing move back then. I remember when I was little, we would see how many different dealerships we could see at the sale barns, auctions and places like that.

[bobs409]

That makes more sense. Too bad this one is rotted along the top on both sides.

[special-K]

Yeah,all bumpers were an option on pickups back then. Here in Maryland it wasn't until the '70s that trucks were even inspected. I remember if you had a window van,you could take all the seats out,take a picture,and register it as a truck to get around inspection. I also remember a lot of trucks running around with no rear bumpers,especially the first Japanese trucks I saw. Bumpers were more of an afterthought on them

[Daves70]

Caragan Chev Co. Cabot Ark on the back of my 67.It looks like they had a local shop make them because the welds are really sloppy on it.Around here we call them redneck bumpers.My 70 has one from Texas but I cant remember the dealer.Too bad about the title issue on that truck, It looks like a good one.

[cubber]

Mine says CAPITOL CHEVROLET NASHVILLE TENN. and apparently the brand is "Ruffneck"

[indasevens]

Mine says Clark Chevy on the left side and Graham Texas on the Right!!!

Cool

[burkeens]

Mine, with red letters restored, as original.

[Eddie H.]

They were about as common as fire ants in Texas. I have thrown several of them away over the years.

[kamikazekyle05]

My granpa bought his 72 c20 brand new from the dealer, it has a temple texas bumper on it

[Lou Boffa]

Chapman Chevy Olds on one side and D&D Uvalde Texas on the other. The dealership is gone, but D&D Ranch store is still going strong.

[tlcrz1972]

I've had several trucks with these bumpers, and most were Texas dealers.

My junk trailer still has one a little bent and rusty but it works.

Now Down here in Texas many scrap yards do turn in the titles to the state when they salvage them. And getting the title back I believe doesn't happen.
But the good side to it is that if you buy say a cab from a salvage yard, and install it on a good frame with a title. We can take them to a TxDot office and have it inspected, and they do a search on the part that has been installed. And after they deem it OK they put a sticker on the door jamb next to the vin tag denoting that it is TxDot approved. And not a stolen item. For out trucks that mainly means frames and cabs, beings they were the only things that were identifiable, via vin numbers. And then they do some paper work and it is noted with the title info about the deviation from original.
It's more involved than that but if you have good parts they can be reused on other worthy projects.

[tommys72]

That killed that idea so I just bought it for parts.

Are you needing those blue vent ball holders? Is be interested if you don't
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[CG]

Id like to see the process of how they do the engraving.

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by CG

Id like to see the process of how they do the engraving.

The ones from "Bill Wood Chevrolet" in Harrison, AR were stamped as I remember it. I bought an Orange and white and orange 72 Cheyenne new there. Nothing against wood, but to be different, I bondoed the script over.

In 1973 I took my truck to the Great Northwest and down the coast to Mexico and back to Arkansas. Hell of a trip for a 21 year old hillbilly.

[HSRACER]

My 69 has the exact same one as the Batesville Ark one in the picture above!

[oklalawnboy]

Oklahoma dealers had those bumpers too, then they went to painting the names on it.

[425HP409]

My Dad bought my truck new in our hometown of Mt Vernon, Texas, and it is stamped with the dealers name and town. It also has the manufacturer's name stamped to the right of the license plate, D&D Bumper Works, Seguin, Texas. The bumper is made out of channel iron with the top plate made out of Diamondplate. Mine also had some rust at the top due to mud being trapped there, but when I restored the truck and had the bumper Powdercoated Silver, I left the rusted area alone as a remembrance of living on the farm. It appears to me that the manufacturer may have heated the bumper and then stamped the letters on it.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Lou Boffa]

Originally Posted by 425HP409

My Dad bought my truck new in our hometown of Mt Vernon, Texas, and it is stamped with the dealers name and town. It also has the manufacturer's name stamped to the right of the license plate, D&D Bumper Works, Seguin, Texas. The bumper is made out of channel iron with the top plate made out of Diamondplate. Mine also had some rust at the top due to mud being trapped there, but when I restored the truck and had the bumper Powdercoated Silver, I left the rusted area alone as a remembrance of living on the farm. It appears to me that the manufacturer may have heated the bumper and then stamped the letters on it.
Posted via Mobile Device

Mine too. I plan on driving out to D&D in Seguin and visit them. See if I can learn anymore history.

[DGulliver]

They were everywhere in Alabama when I was growing up.

"Tuscaloosa Motor Company" was the Chevy dealer, those things were stamped on all of 'em as far as I knew. Like to find a stamped one for my '71 stepper..

[425HP409]

Originally Posted by Lou Boffa

Mine too. I plan on driving out to D&D in Seguin and visit them. See if I can learn anymore history.

That would be a really neat thing for you to do. I think we all would be interested in finding out how they stamped the dealers name and town on the bumpers. I attached photos of my bumper. I found that a good way to "paint" the letters in is to use a Sharpie Pen. I tried a touch up brush, but it was hard to stay in the indentations, where as the Sharpie is real easy to use.

[Lou Boffa]

I definitely liked the way you highlighted the lettering. I'll let the group know when I vist D&D. They are nice folks--I've purchased things from them before.

[CG]

Originally Posted by davischevy

The ones from "Bill Wood Chevrolet" in Harrison, AR were stamped as I remember it. I bought an Orange and white and orange 72 Cheyenne new there. Nothing against wood, but to be different, I bondoed the script over.

In 1973 I took my truck to the Great Northwest and down the coast to Mexico and back to Arkansas. Hell of a trip for a 21 year old hillbilly.

I guess I dont really know what that means. Someone pound in one letter at a time? Or did they have some sort of giant stamping machine like when they stamp out fenders and such?

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by CG

I guess I dont really know what that means. Someone pound in one letter at a time? Or did they have some sort of giant stamping machine like when they stamp out fenders and such?

I was looking at a dealer bumper at the Petit Jean Swap Meet today and wondering the same thing. "How" they did it would be pure speculation on my part. Surely someone has been around this sort of process that can shed some light.

[Leonard1]

Here's another thread on these:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=497529&page=2