The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk front bumper brackets

Help, got 51 GMC 1/2 ton longbox, got new bumper and filler panel from CD, was expecting to mount on cleaned up bumper brackets that came with truck but after mounting together, the brackets are some 31" apart where they would bolt to frame. frame is some 25" there. tried putting brackets on reversed but they just get wider apart. are GMC Brackets different than Chevy for this, CD seems to think so.

when i got out the older bumper (so bad i could not clean up)to compare it was shorter than new one which is why it would fit onto truck.

i got 2 new bumpers from CD, i am assuming the one that is more curved is the front bumper and the rear bumper is the straighter one.

if i need "GMC" brackets, does anyone know who might supply these. CD says i should start looking around in junkyards.

:confused:

On the chevys of that year, each bracket is two pieces of spring steel looking stuff that bolt to the frame with three bolts.. bumper attaches with two bolts on each bracket.

With all the other stuff that's interchangable between GMC and Chevy in those years, i'd have thought the bumpers and brackets would be, too.. but it wouldn't be the first time i'd thought something and been dead wrong!

Here's an outfit that lists the GMC brackets..

Goodmark Industries

Those parts are listed to fit 1947-55 Chevrolet / GMC 31-36-3800 1st Series Pickup / Panel / Suburban / Canopy Express so it looks like all those parts are interchangable, unless there is a specific part listed for a specific model.

For instance, the grills are obviously different between the Chevy and the GMC, so they list two, one for each.. but they only list one style bumper bracket.. which would suggest that the '47-'55 1st series trucks (both GMC and Chevy) use the same brackets.

The rear bumper is shorter and has less curve than the front.

I don't know if you are referring to the front or rear with the 25" versus 31" issue, but I would not be surprised if the rear frame width of a longbed 1/2 ton differs from the shortbed.

My guess is that your original brackets and bumper were a backyard rig job and not the right ones for the truck.

mystery solved

got new brackets from goodmark and they are different than what i had.. should work ok now.

doesnot look like chev and gmc are different when it comes to brackets

doug