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Mod | | | Forums66 Topics128,051 Posts1,055,711 Members48,426 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 | Just curious. Has anyone actually come across the bumper plug bolt for the center hole in both the front and rear bumper as per assembly manual. Like many, I just used another stovebolt.
Drew
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | Yes: it is an unthreaded bumper "bolt" and a spring nut (as I dimly recall). I'll see if I have one or a photo of one.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 | Cool. First time I've actually seen one. I think the front bumper only uses it if there is no addition of the apron which would require an actual threaded bumper bolt.
Drew
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | Cool. First time I've actually seen one. I think the front bumper only uses it if there is no addition of the apron which would require an actual threaded bumper bolt. I think you might still use that same "plug-bumper-bolt" on the: - 47-53 front bumper with this front splash apron (that has a tab with hole in the middle of the apron) or - as a filler on the 54/55st front bumper with this front splash apron (that has no tab in the middle of the apron) or - as a filler on any 47-55st front bumper that is installed with no front splash apron. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,272 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,272 | Why did they put a hole in the center of the rear bumper in the first place?
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 | likely it's provision for mounting some design of optional grill guard
Bill | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | likely it's provision for mounting some design of optional grill guard
Bill Not in 1954 (I do not know about earlier years, that used the same front bumper). In 1954/55st the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton bumpers are the same. The GM accessory grill guard does not use that hole. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 176 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 176 | | | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 | Geez. Learning all kinds of cool info from a simplistic question. Ain't Stovebolt great ?
Drew
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | Thanks, Peter,
JC refers to the "center hole at the front held a vertical steel bracket which was needed if the truck was hand cranked".
One of the used Advance-Design bumpers that I bought came with that bracket - it was held on with a standard bumper bolt. I do not know if that bracket was standard-equipment from 47-53, when a bumper bolt was used in the center of the bumper to attach the front splash apron. It was of no use in 1954, when the harmonic balancer no longer had the "nubs" in the front for a hand crank.
I have only found that stud and speed nut on one used A-D bumper. It should be noted that from 47-55st the front bumper was used as the panel-body trucks' rear bumper, and that plug/nut might have been needed/used in those years?
Does anyone know the GM part numbers for that vertical steel bracket and the one inch long stud and the sheet metal speed nut?
Last edited by tclederman; 08/06/2014 12:51 PM.
| | | | | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 289 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2007 Posts: 289 | Jim Carter carries the center non-threaded bumper bolt as a part of their complete set. The dome shaped head doesn't match the other bolt heads though which are also chrome plated rather than having stainless steel caps. center bolt | | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 | Tim, as you maybe know, any parts illustration I have, car or truck, that points out the bumper plug just sends you to 7.874 parts sheet number which list everything as a bolt across 1936 to 1951 years. So I'm at a loss to find that particular number. I see no illustration for the bracket.
Drew
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