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My front bumper finally showed up around Jan 3rd.
The label was created on Dec 11 so I had given up tracking it when it suddenly came off the UPS truck.

It was only the upper half. I am not sure I will press them for the lower half that I paid for. I feel lucky to have got this much. I know that good, lower halfs are hard to find but I will see what I can do.

We are ice/snowed in at the moment and it is to cold to be in the shop.

Before too long I'll have a nice straight front 1955 bumper but unfortunately the lower half, which is quite straight, will have to be rechromed.

It always amazes me how much 3 different grades of steel wool can improve a nasty old piece of chrome.
The first two images are an interior piece.

Not sure if I have already posted an image of the bumper or not so, here it is sitting on the floor.

I am attempting to straighten out my original, lower bumper piece that I have. I'm not holding out hope for it as I do not have a great workplace for this task. I need a big ass anvil as a base and an extra set of hands for support.

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  After.jpg (898.38 KB)


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That's how I cleaned up the sad chrome on my 54. Also a vise works great to squeeze the dents out of the bumber along the edge. Especially the ones from wayward bumper jacks!

Quote:

Good call on the vise. I hadn't thought of that. What about dents in the center of the bumper? Have you tried an air hammer on the inside of the bumper? Curious if that works.

Bumper metal is thick, closer to frame thickness vs body thickness. A body hammer used for sheet metal isn't going move it. Something that "presses" the crease and dents out or at least less is also going far less destruction on any remaining chrome.

Another option is to use a press with a couple dies. The you could get more towards the middle. Your aiming for better vs perfect. If you want perfect, send it out for rechroming.

An air hammer may work with right crowned hammer. But you need to back up the work somehow.

I'm sure chrome shops are also probably using torches in addition to hydraulic power to help smooth bumpers before rechroming.