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Question. Were all 22nd series rear bumpers factory equipped with the web painted to match the body color? I'm seeing different opinions on this.
My Pop had a '48 Touring Sedan in '49 and he said his was. Others on Facebook claim they were all chrome and their vehicles weren't called on it by judges at shows.
Some claim that late in the 22nd series the factory left them all chrome. Others claim Packard advertisements show them painted. Anyone have the skinny on this?

Custom Eights in the 22d series were not painted, but all the rest were. There are plenty of factory photos on site here to look at.

The only possible exception to this is that toward the end of the 22nd series they changed from a 6-piece front bumper to a one piece. I'm thinking they probably stopped painting the bumpers at that time.

Thanks! I always appreciate the info.

Whoa! I think Ross' response was to the front bumper. Unless I'm having a severe memory lapse, no paint on the rear bumper.

There are factory photos of 22nd series Packards that have the rear bumper painted. There is also an early factory photo of a Custom that appears to have the rear bumper painted which we know from the '48 Factbook didn't make it into production. The 48 Factbook states for the Customs "Full chrome bumpers" and for all other models "Painted bumper divider bars".

Well, it's a dull day that you don't learn something new. Thanks JD. The only 22/23rd series Packards I've owned were Custom 8s.

Ditto.

The early cars had painted centers, as the photos show, It makes sense visually to me - the chrome edges pick up the line of the stainless lower molding. Later there are are chrome ones (I've seen this on a 1949 22nd series Std 8. The front is the "open mouth" version with all chrome).

I think this was a response to get more bling on the car as tastefully understated was going out of style, and few Cadillacs of the era were accused of it.

Just to clarify--if the front bumper was painted, so was the rear. And, the solid front bumpers were never painted. There is a cool photo in the archives here of a bunch of late 22nd series cars with solid front bumpers on a car hauler leaving the factory lot.

Not to question authorities but sure those aren't '49 23rds that came out in late(Nov)'48?
I see '48's & '49's that are 22s or 22-9s that have paint on bumpers, but no paint on true '49 23rds.
The 22-9s were left overs so likely not changed. The 22's had a slot cut out of the middle in the front also. (a look which I like over the solid 23rd bumpers)
Just me looking at photos/parts/info.