Bumper Question 79K20 Almost my last post!

[UNHLAW2016]

According to the build tag my 79 k20 came with a painted rear step bumper. Does this mean the front was painted too?
Thanks!

[tucsonjwt]

Keith can verify, but my 76 had a chrome front bumper and a dealer supplied painted rear bumper. I think the rear bumper was an option from the factory - you could omit the rear bumper and the dealer could install one with his dealership information etched into the bumper - that is what I had.

[SS Tim]

No a painted step bumper could be ordered with a painted or chromed front.

[UNHLAW2016]

How can I tell if I have an OEM bumper?
Did GM stamp part numbers?

[UNHLAW2016]

Also,
If the build tag says nothing about a chrome front does that automatically mean painted?

[80SPORT]

Usually the painted front bumper(in white) was only standard on base level trucks.The painted rear step bumper(in silver) ....from what I remember...was supplied on all levels as V43 ...the chrome rear step RPO was V42.
The chrome front bumper would only show on the SPID if it was optioned on to a base truck;it was standard on all other levels.

[UNHLAW2016]

How do I know if mine is s standard truck?
The fender tags say "Custom Deluxe"
I am sorry i know so little!

[Titomars]

Many dealers ordered all their trucks without rear bumpers even special orders. If I remember correctly rear bumpers were all optional in that era. They would dealer install all the rear bumpers as required. The dealer made more money installing it in house with a GM accessory pkg bumper then spec'ing it out on the order for the truck. Example: Ordering truck with a chrome step bumper approx. a $45.00 option. Ordering the truck without, dealer installed GM accessory pkg chrome step bumper $150.00 + 1/2 hr labor. After target discounts and accessory line discounts a total dealer cost of about $65.00 netting a profit of about $120.00 vs. dealer cost to order it RPO $35.00 nets a $10.00 profit. There was a side benefit to this method. The parts dept. made money and the service dept. made money with almost every truck sale. That's how it was at the two GM dealers I worked for.

80sport is 100% correct. The painted bumpers only came on the base models.

A Custom Deluxe is the base model.

[esbstuff]

If you are dealing with an original truck, rear bumper delete trucks always had a license plate bracket bolted under the driver's side of the bed. GM had to put a place for the rear plate and light... These were almost never removed my the tech when installing a dealer installed rear bumper.

I should also note that rear bumper delete trucks are no more because someone figured out that the trucks did not pass crash standards without them and the Feds threw a fit... 87-88 time frame? Maybe Keith can say for sure. There is also a GVW thing that comes into play too...

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by UNHLAW2016

How do I know if mine is s standard truck?
The fender tags say "Custom Deluxe"
I am sorry i know so little!

Custom Deluxe was the base trim level in 79, thus a painted front bumper was standard.

This might start your education...
http://brochures.slosh.com/index.shtml?1979
https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf

[Pine Bark Auto]

If you have a 79 Custom Deluxe with a chrome front bumper, look at the SPID and see if you have a "appearance pkg" or "chrome grill pkg" listed. It was a very inexpensive option that really dressed up the base trucks especially when combined with Ralley rims (also relatively inexpensive). Chip.