The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop step bumpers

So what is the story with step bumpers? I assume they were not GM but maybe a dealer installed option? My 54 has one and it is a perfect custom fit.

Now, I have seen a lot of stovebolt pictures on both this and other websites but never see one with the step bumper? What is the story? [img]http://www.southpointecc.com/P9160015.JPG[/img]

I don't think '54's had step bumpers as original equipment. I would say it was probably adapted to your truck. Looks like nice job thou.

Tony,
Seems I recall you saying something about the truck starting to rust after you got it home. Did you get that taken care of? Man, I love that truck!

Yes, I have begun to love the truck too. I think I made a pretty good buy and I have already made some good progress on it.

About the rust. We have been having some pretty darn bad west coast weather and I have not been able to sand and epoxy prime the truck. I have been keeping it covered and the slight rust that is starting to show through the primer is still very minor. I checked a small area underneath and it will be very easy to sand it off in preperation for the primer.

About the step bumper. Maybe they were a west coast thing. I have seen many old trucks with similar custom bumpers as mine. It is obviously made to fit just on that truck and is quite functional for towing. Though I will enlarge the bolts it is attached to the frame with, they seem a bit small for anything but a small trailer right now. But it is a fact that I have not seen any fixed up trucks with the step bumpers on the web. Anybody here have one besides me? I thought maybe you guys were taking them off opting for the smaller rear bumper, but maybe it is rarer than I thought?

These bumpers seem dealer options to me. I have seen too many that look the same for them to all be custom jobs.

I bought a 53 GMC 3/4 ton for parts that had a step bumper on it. It is quite heavy and very well made. Though, the step plate had rusted through from the under side where it overlapped the lip of the channel. I've since replaced all of the damaged original diamond plate with 3/16" diamond plate. It's a real gut-buster to lift into place now! The PO told me that he bought the truck from the original owner in California and that the bumper was apparently installed by the dealer. How much truth is in this is anybody's guess. When I purchased the truck, it was rusting quietly in North Florida.
I've only seen one or two others in pictures on trucks on the web. Usually, comments relating to the bumpers are that they are ugly and will be taken off as soon as possible. I'm real happy with mine and think that it gives the truck a "work" appearance. I must admit that it does mess up the clean, flowing lines of the rear fenders on the AD's.

I have a 64 fleetside that "had" a step bumper on it, we always called it a Barden Bumper. We've had the truck since near new, and definitely an after market item. The spare tire rack even had a notch cut out to fit the bracing for the bumper. That bumper is now sitting in the yard, making way for a nice chrome one.