[Dale Sizemore]

I plan on welding the bumper bolts on my 1960 Ford Falcon so as to "Smooth" the overall look of the vehicle when I'm done. The bumpers now have many bolts that seem to detract from the overall look of what I am trying to acheive.
Do I just cut off the head and weld the square shank in the hole in the bumper? Do I weld the rear first then tack fill to avoid heat distortation on the front?
Lastly are there any good chromers that anyone has used on the east coast?
Thanks for any and all help..This is my first post..

 

[Ratchet]

Saw them doing this on overhaulin on the boob tube.

They put the bolts in the bumper and then put a washer over the bolt from the backside and welded the washer to the bumper and the bolt to the washer then they ground the head of the bolt off and welded all around the front side and ground the weld down to smooth it in.

They said the washers were used to add strength.

Ric

 

[IROC100]

I've done this with my 54 years ago. I put the bolts in the holes and welded them from the back, once they where done I ground the front down and took my time welding up the front. there a couple of things you have to be careful of, grind down the bolt head first, then weld slow, don't try to fill in the hole all at once, spot weld, let it cool and go back, spot weld and go back. The second thing is and this should be the first thing you do is make sure that you put nuts on your bolts before you weld, if you don't , it has been my experience, that the heat from your welder will warp the threads and you'll have a hard time getting a nut on, if you put them on before it is ok. Also , be careful when grinding down your front welds, try not to grind into your bumper, makes it hard for the chrome shop to a good job. hpoe this helps, good luck.

 

[[email protected]]

The way I like to do it is cut off the bolt head first. Then taper the square shoulder on all 4 sides so when you put it in the bumper there is a nice V-trough on the front side to fill with weld. Weld it in just proud of the face of the bumper, filling the V-notches with weld penetrating to the back side of the bumper. This procedure literally makes the head of the bolt part of the bumper, yet lets the shank of the bolt under the square maintain it's fillets and stress relief as designed by the bolt engineers.

 

[IROC100]

Hey Willys, thanks for telling about the bevel, I should have remembered. It's been awhile since I've this. Thats why i'm here.

 

[[email protected]]

Basic welding 101!! If you do much of it, you mistakenly assume others just know it, so it's good to revisit the basics now and then.

 

[Dale Sizemore]

Smoothed Bumpers

Thanks to all that replied...Now I'm on my way..Any good chrome shops out here on the East Coast???

 

[AngliaBob]

Dale,
It has been awhile since I have used a chromer in NJ. But, 20 years ago, allot of them were in the Newark area. Give a call to the Stillwater Garage or Hibernia Restorations, and ask who they use.
AngliaBob

 

[Nightfire]

They showed this on the TV show "Trucks". What Stacey did was, he put the bolts in and a washer on the backside of the bumper right against the bumper that fit tight over the bolt. He said if the bumper is curved too much you might have to curve the washer to follow the contour. Then he welded the washer to the bumper (from the inside). Once he did that he welded the bolt to the washer and built up a nice strong weld all the way around letting cool in between. Then he ground down the head and spot welded unitll he filled it up nicely, then ground them down again.




Mike

 

[[email protected]]

I sort of see where he was going with that method but I don't really like the idea of creating a heat affected zone @ the bolt threads. Since the bolt is not in shear, just in tension, by doing a good penetrating weld @ the bolt shoulder/bumper interface, as far as the bolt threads knowthey are doing the same work as if the bolt were just dropped in the hole. The threads don't really need any added support that the washer might add but you could do damage to its strength by welding in that critical area. Probably doesn't matter, both methods will hold the bumper on!

 

[tc33]

Re: Smoothed Bumpers

Thanks to all that replied...Now I'm on my way..Any good chrome shops out here on the East Coast???

I used a good one down in south Jersey. I was real happy with the finished product.

C.M. Company
2308 Auburn Ave
Atco, NJ 08004
856-767-7726
Collen is the owner

Good place for annodizing is

B&M
Kennilworth, NJ
908-241-5640
ask for Tony

These folks also do gold annodizing where most other places don't.

 

[Dale Sizemore]

Thanks for all the info to everyone...Dale

 

[Charles F. Smith]

Chromers

Can anyone reccomend a chromer in the Houston, Texas area. Had a bumper chromed at A-1 Chrome Shop near Hobby Airport in Houston and am very dissapointed in their work. Rust is comming through after ~ 6 months. Plus it took about 3 weeks longer than they said for a total of about 5 weeks.
Charlie Smith

 

[Kevin45]

I would still put a washer and nut on the backside before welding. Do as Willys stated but the nut will hold the washer flat and the washer will let it lay perpendicular to the bumper. You will have to hold it against somehow until you spot the front, then weld from the frontside solid. You don't have to weld the washer and nut but just use it as an aid for alignment.

 

[[email protected]]

Good point. A pro welder set-up tip!

 

[troy-curt]

I always bolt the bumper on and get it perfectly aligned, then one at a time I grind the heads off and weld them up. If you do any welding on the inside, be careful as you could affect the alignment.

Troy