[Gas455]

I'm not sure what these things are called....But are they available anywhere??

If not....does anyone have 2 in good nick that they would be willing to sell???


I'm sure I will be asking for more things as I progress.

[PRC]

Everyone restoring a '57 is looking for bumper caps. Ames made a batch of repros in the 80's but they are long since sold out. If you find a set expect to pay a couple hundred dollars. At the POCI convetion in July I saw a guy with bumper caps on his '57 that he had someone machine out of aluminum. They were not exactly the same as the originals but they were close. This cost him a couple hundred bucks too. It seems to me that there are enough people looking for this part that it would be worthwhile for someone to make another batch of repros but that hasn't happened. Good luck with your search.

[mike nixon]

Dumb ? are the Chey units the same?

Mike

[PRC]

Nope. They are different than Chevy.

[Gas455]

No worries.

Thanks for the replies.

I hope that mine can be repaired then.

I will post some pics up of the results.

Here are a couple of pics of the rest of the bumper.

Will post up some after chroming.

[62 bv]

who is going to do the work on the parts that you have

[Gas455]

Originally Posted by 62 bv

who is going to do the work on the parts that you have

Local guy in Sydney.

[PRC]

Actually, based upon your photos, your caps are in better condition than most. Usually they rust completely through from the inside. If yours are solid with only surface rust they can probably be rechromed for less than you would pay for a set of better ones, if you could find any.

[Gas455]

Originally Posted by PRC

Actually, based upon your photos, your caps are in better condition than most. Usually they rust completely through from the inside. If yours are solid with only surface rust they can probably be rechromed for less than you would pay for a set of better ones, if you could find any.

The one that is in the close up pic is the good one.

I didn't actually get a close up of the other one. It has rust holes through it. But they are going to attempt to fill with brass and chrome them after that.
But he said that it will be expensive. Looks like I don't have a choice. I'm sure they will come up fine though.

[Gas455]

Realised that I didn't post up the finished products.

Very happy with how it turned out and the repairs that needed to be done to the caps.



This shows what the guys cut out of the cap and replaced with new metal.
You can't even tell anything has been done from the front.
Very happy with that.

[Ron of Chicago]

Great job.

Ron

[PRC]

It looks like they did excellent work. Maybe some '57 guys in the US should ship their parts to Sydney for refurbishing.

[60man]

Looking good Greg ...very nice work.
Some 57's IIR actually ran the exhaust through the tips...can't imagine them lasting with the crud from gasses.....
Maybe PRC would know..

[Gas455]

Originally Posted by 60man

Looking good Greg ...very nice work.
Some 57's IIR actually ran the exhaust through the tips...can't imagine them lasting with the crud from gasses.....
Maybe PRC would know..

I personally am not a fan of seeing the exhaust go through the caps....especially now I need them without holes!

[PRC]

I am not sure what determined if a car got through-the-bumper exhaust. I don't know if that came when you ordered the dual exhaust option or if it was a separate option. It was not standard on any trim level except Bonneville. I assume that those parts rusted even faster than the solid bumper caps but I have no personal experience with them. Larry Gordon could probably shed more light on this subject.

[Gas455]

I need another set of caps for another 57... So I will check the others that I have...if they are beyond repair...I may get a fibreglass mould made off these and get them "Plastic chromed".

See what I have in the garage first though.

Can't believe how hard it is to get parts for this car sometimes, when it seems that there are plenty of people out there doing them up still.

[Safari Larry]

Originally Posted by PRC

I am not sure what determined if a car got through-the-bumper exhaust. I don't know if that came when you ordered the dual exhaust option or if it was a separate option. It was not standard on any trim level except Bonneville. I assume that those parts rusted even faster than the solid bumper caps but I have no personal experience with them. Larry Gordon could probably shed more light on this subject.

Here's what Todd Crews, POCI 1957 Tech Advisor, wrote.

... the open bumper caps were included with factory dual exhaust EXCEPT on Safari wagons, in which case the exhaust went to the side so it would not affect people standing at the tailgate or be sucked into an open tailgate window. The open caps were never included with single exhaust, which came out below the bumper.

As far as dealer installed dual exhaust, we do not know for sure and it could have gone either way IMO. A dealer could certainly have ordered all the parts to do open caps and all, but that would have cost enough that I would think many may have gone under the bumper, especially when people realized the inconvenience of bumper exhausts.

The post noted the 1980s repros of both open and closed versions, which I bought and was well satisfied with. My recollection was that Gere Longrie did the project, not Ames (1957 spinner hubcaps too). Either way, they were of good price and quality and I think they would sell well if someone could access the tooling and run a new batch.

A "Pontiac Service Craftsman News" issue verifies that through-the-bumper exhaust was NOT to be installed on any '57 station wagons.

[Ron of Chicago]

Good post Larry. I would think that all people with wagons needs to know this. If you have ever driven a wagon with the rear window down and the exhaust out the back, they'd understand.

Ron

[PRC]

I don't know who manufactured the reproduction caps but Ames did sell them. Mine were purchased from Ames sometime in the late 80's or early 90's. Ames still listed them in their catalog as late as 2003 but they were discontinued shortly thereafter.

[poci1957]

Originally Posted by PRC

I don't know who manufactured the reproduction caps but Ames did sell them. Mine were purchased from Ames sometime in the late 80's or early 90's. Ames still listed them in their catalog as late as 2003 but they were discontinued shortly thereafter.

That is all correct. In the mid or late 1980s someone made some from bronze that were like $700 or so and shortly after the steel repros came over from Taiwan, both open and closed, good quality for $289 a pair or less. At the time spinner wheelcovers were $400 or more a set in average used condition and the repros were good (but not perfect) for like $225 a set. These items were cataloged by all the Pontiac parts houses and we sort of took them for granted in the 1990s, but then supplies ran out and no more have been made. I agree with PRC that is a bit of a disconnect that 1957 parts seem to have been snapped up but no one seems to see many 1957 out and about. Better snap up repro parts while you can, Todd C