Wagon Bumper History

[Jeepeta]

Not sure if it exists on this site yet but I am curious the history of bumpers used over the years on the GW.

UPDATED BELOW

Early years
1962 to ???
3 piece, painted, rust prone

1962 to 1978
3 piece, chrome plated steel, rust and pit prone
(note later runs have 3 bolt holes per side instead of two)

1979 to 1985 to 19??
1 piece boxy type aluminum, w/wt rubber nerf & bumps, prone to cracking under stress around mounts, duller finish

19?? to 1988 to 1991
1 piece boxy type chrome plated steel, w/wt rubber nerf & bumps, rust and pit prone

Unless this has already been covered, I will update the orig post based on your replies but for now i'll put confirmed years between the "to's".

To some this may serve as helpful information when searching/evaluating replacements.

Personally I like the box aluminum ones. No rust and can shine very well when polished. They can chip and crack thou.....

[ August 18, 2004, 06:57 AM: Message edited by: Jeepeta ]

[joe]

Not sure when "chrome" was first an option on the early bumpers but the same 3 piece(chrome or painted) bumper was standard from 62-78. In 79 AMC went to the one piece and was chromed steel. In 80 and till the end in 91 the same one piece was now polished aluminum. The rubber shopping cart pads were optional on some and standard on others depending on which model, option pak etc.

[67Wagoneer]

My '67 came stock with chrome bumpers.

To my best recollection, the "standard" trim package in 1967 had painted bumpers, and the "custom" package had chrome. My father rustproofed the inside of all the bumper components and kept the exterior polished. Still looks like new.

[keej]

Does anyone have picture examples of each type of bumper??? Good thread :)

[67Wagoneer]

I'll be taking some pics of mine to post here, I'll put some bumper shots on this thread.

[Tonka J200]

Chrome 3-piece bumpers were available from the get-go in 1962.

I know that later in the run of the 3-piece bumpers, they added an additional bolt-hole. I bought a couple NOS bumper end pieces and one of them was advertised as fitting a '75 to '78 and it has an extra hole. I bought it thinking that all 3-piece bumpers were the same. I figure I can just put an extra bumper bolt in it and see who notices!

[Bob Barry]

I believe the ones from '79-'91 were all aluminum. Originally, they tried chroming them, I think, but the chrome didn't stick. Then they were anodized aluminum.

[Jeepeta]

Originally posted by Bob Barry:
I believe the ones from '79-'91 were all aluminum. Originally, they tried chroming them, I think, but the chrome didn't stick. Then they were anodized aluminum.I can personally confirm that the 79-91 1 piece bumpers are indeed not all aluminum. The 88 wagon I am getting next week has rust on the bumpers and last I knew aluminum didn't rust.
smile.gif

Also can confirm from what I found in a salvage yard for my 85. I removed a twisted up alum one from my current 85 and swapped to a newer steel chrome one....

Thanks all for your replies. I'll keep updating the orig post. We still need to determine the span of aluminum 1 pieces and the beginning of the switch to chrome plated steel.

[mikeythefireman]

Sorry guys, but whats NOS? I've seen it only in reference to FSJ's and I'm confused. It seems to refer to stock parts, is that right?

[Jeepeta]

Originally posted by mikeythefireman:
Sorry guys, but whats NOS? I've seen it only in reference to FSJ's and I'm confused. It seems to refer to stock parts, is that right?NOS - 'N'ew 'O'ld 'S'tock

Basically, its been in a wharehouse, or dealer stock laying around for years. Parts are new/never used, hence New old stock reference.

[joe]

Originally posted by Jeepeta:
[QBI can personally confirm that the 79-91 1 piece bumpers are indeed not all aluminum. The 88 wagon I am getting next week has rust on the bumpers and last I knew aluminum didn't rust.
[/QB]Put a magnet to it. If it is steel I'm betting it's a swapped in 79 bumper. I've never yet seen an 80 up one piece that wasn't aluminum other than J-truck rears.

[Rande]

I can also confirm the existence of chromed steel, one-piece bumpers. I have one myself. It is unusable and I'm not sure what year vehicle it came from.

[Bob Davis '80 Chero]

'80 J trucks indeed did have one piece steel bumpers. Chromed. The steel seems to have been laminated as they tend to peel apart on the bottoms. No aluminum bumpers on trucks in '80. Can't say about later trucks.

[Jeepeta]

Originally posted by -joe:
Put a magnet to it. If it is steel I'm betting it's a swapped in 79 bumper. I've never yet seen an 80 up one piece that wasn't aluminum other than J-truck rears.[/QB]It is indeed steel, both front and rear, and its an 88 with its ORIGINAL chrome bumpers AFAIK.

I am 100% positive my 85 has its original aluminum ones. The one was cracked and I replaced, the other well I recently had to straighten and got a nice close look.

We could be dealing with variations due to location point of assembly, different factories could've had different stock of the 1 piece bumpers.

Looks like I am going to have to start pulling over fellow jeeps I see and taking a survey smile.gif

[Bob Barry]

Originally posted by Jeepeta:
It is indeed steel, both front and rear, and its an 88 with its ORIGINAL chrome bumpers AFAIK.

I am 100% positive my 85 has its original aluminum ones. The one was cracked and I replaced, the other well I recently had to straighten and got a nice close look.

We could be dealing with variations due to location point of assembly, different factories could've had different stock of the 1 piece bumpers.[/QB]Odd, really odd. I just checked the bumpers from THREE DIFFERENT '88 Grand Wagoneers that I have lying around (they are good scrap-value), and the magnet wouldn't stick to any of them. All the other bumpers of that era that I've seen have also been aluminum.

They were all assembled at Toledo in the 80's, so it wouldn't be an assembly difference.

Looks like we've got to start taking a magnet to all those FSJ bumpers we pass in parking-lots... smile.gif

[bvibert]

I'm pretty sure my '79 J10 has a chromed aluminum front bumper. I'll check it next time I see it. Our 86 GW definately had polished aluminum bumpers. The 89 GW that I got replacement bumpers off of from the junk yard were polished aluminum also.

[Bob Barry]

I'm wondering; would a magnet stick to a chromed-aluminum bumper?

[bvibert]

Originally posted by Bob Barry:
I'm wondering; would a magnet stick to a chromed-aluminum bumper?Good question, my initial thought is no... but I suppose its a possibility...

[Josh D]

The early three piece bumbers fit both narrow and wide track FSJ's. The center piece has bolt holes to accomadate both widths.

[uglyjeepling]

Magnet with not stick to aluminum or nickel(which is chrome).

My 79' WT has a chromed aluminum front and rear. The chrome is peeling off at jack points. The aluminum is now corroding which is white and semi powderey.

Nice thing about those aluminum bumpers is that if you hit something they are very springy. It is very hard to deform them to the point they look distorted.

[mdill]

Origional was three peice 63-78 (Some exports or
over seas ones were different)
79 One year only Chrome over aluminum
80 -91 Polished aluminum

The only one peice steel ones are aftermarket
replacments, to my knowlage all aftermarket
ones were steel.

Mike D.

[mdill]

One more fly, would be the 80+ bumpers were
avalible both punched for rubber strips and
unpunched for no rubber strips.
I think the late 70's three peice bumpers were
also avalibel punched, but what was the first
year that rubber strips were offered ?

Also Warn and Ramsey winch bumpers were also
offered as a factory approved item.

Mike D.

[fulsizjeep]

Originally posted by mdill:
One more fly, would be the 80+ bumpers were
avalible both punched for rubber strips and
unpunched for no rubber strips.
I think the late 70's three peice bumpers were
also avalibel punched, but what was the first
year that rubber strips were offered ?

Also Warn and Ramsey winch bumpers were also
offered as a factory approved item.

Mike D.I think the punched 3 pc. bumpers for the black strips started with the Super Wag in 66. The vertical bumper guards mount to existing hole in bumper mount.

[Bobbo]

I can also vouch for the chrome on steel bumpers in 79. Out family cherokee that my dad bought new came with them.

[76phoenix]

the 76 manual states that the rubber strips and upright guards where avalable for all models that year. My wag has both. I need a new section for the rear though.

[goldhammer]

Gotta love the alum. ones. With the tab on the bottom with the hole, outboard of the frame rails, they are easy to saw a hole in the shape of a fog lamp. Keeps 'em out of harms way.

[77 SuperChief]

Hello all,
I'm new to this tread and was looking for a little help please.
Can anyone point me in the diretion of a new or like new rear, three piece crome bumper.
I am having real problems getting one.
Thanks for your time