VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Double Bar Bumper Question

A friend restored the stainles steel medallion shells beautifully. They were dented,dinged and dingy. Now they're smooth and shiny and it's time to reassemble the bumpers.

What's the best way to protect the bumpers (re-chromed at much expense) from the medallion shells' steel backing (front) and small plates (back). Those points were where the bumpers were in roughest shape. I thought of using some kind of tape, thin neoprene or felt but am afraid it'd encourage entrapment of water. Any suggestions.

Tom

I don't think you need to do anything special to protect your bumpers. It has been 48 years and 40,000 miles since I completed the restoration of our 31 and the bumpers look like they did when I put them on. I made new skins for my clamps. Enjoy your car.

Interesting discussion. My '31 2-bar bumper medallions (front and back) appear to have been chrome plated steel (very little chrome left), no sign of any shell or stainless steel? Were some or all of these originally covered with a stainless skin?

My '31 2-Bar medallions, six total, are a stainless steel shell which form-fits onto a thicker steel backing. Tabs on the shell bend to hold it in place on the backing.

Tom

Hello july1231863,
If you wish to isolate your bumper medallions and backing plates from the chrome double bars, try making gaskets out of flexible plastic material. Things such as empty oil jugs and liquid laundry soap jugs, or the smooth sample credit cards that come in the mail. It's sturdy material and shouldn't deteriorate or hold moisture. Clean, degrease, cut-out the patterns, scuff with sandpaper, prime and paint and install. If gaskets don't stay in place during installation, use some spray adhesive to tack and hold position.

I've posted a photo and note about my original chromed "medallions". My car is Canadian built, and they may have been different up here.

1931 chevs in Australia only used a large centre Medallion as well.They different to the picture you have posted though.
All of the medallions I have from the US do have the stainless steel skins.

So another interesting variation between Cars produced for the domestic market and for the Canada/Export market. Would be interesting to see if a judge would deduct points if chromed medallions were used instead of skinned on a car built in Canada, likely would not know eh? Also puzzles me why they wouls use chrome bars and end bolts, and bother to stainless skin the medallions? I would thing chrome would stand up better than stainless to small bangs etc?

I have the bumpers all back together and they look great. With a little trial-and-error I solved the problem of protecting the chrome bumpers from the steel which backs the stainless medallion shells. I put silver-colored tape on the bumpers, installed the medallions and their backing plates and cut away excess tape with a scalpel.Thanks for all the input and suggestions.

Tom