Cadillac rear bumper-work?

Will this rear bumper from a 1971/72 Cadillac work on my 73 Lifeliner? My Lifeliner does not have the wide back-up lights like this bumper has so I;m unsure how that will affect the rear step when I cut the bumper and have it installed.

Richard


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1971...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

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I did a little investigating on this rear bumper matter, and was told by a knowledgeable pro car person that the rear bumper is a pro car proprietary piece. In simple terms, this means that it was made by Cadillac specifically for the commercial chassis, and isn't a standard Cadillac part. The best solution for your problem is to have the chrome stripped off the bumper, and have a welding shop repair the old bumper, and then have it re-chromed. If it is rotted through, a good welder can fabricate steel to put weld in place of the rotted areas. It won't be cheap, however, that appears to be the only solution other than finding a replacement.
 
I did a little investigating on this rear bumper matter, and was told by a knowledgeable pro car person that the rear bumper is a pro car proprietary piece. In simple terms, this means that it was made by Cadillac specifically for the commercial chassis, and isn't a standard Cadillac part. The best solution for your problem is to have the chrome stripped off the bumper, and have a welding shop repair the old bumper, and then have it re-chromed. If it is rotted through, a good welder can fabricate steel to put weld in place of the rotted areas. It won't be cheap, however, that appears to be the only solution other than finding a replacement.

Makes more sense Paul and as far as cheap, nothing ever is when it comes to a Pro-Car. You know this better than most. TKS

Richard
 
Richard, my 1970 had a rust problem with its back bumper when I got it. I, like you, tried to find a replacement, with no luck. It looks to me as though yours is very similar to mine in that it has two separate pieces on each side of the step. I finally took the bad side off and went to a metal fabrication shop and asked them if they could make me a copy of it. They said they could but it would not be chromed and it would be one gauge thinner. Their price wasn’t that bad either so I had them make it. Sent it out to have it chromed and to this day no one has been able to tell that it is not the original.
 
Richard, my 1970 had a rust problem with its back bumper when I got it. I, like you, tried to find a replacement, with no luck. It looks to me as though yours is very similar to mine in that it has two separate pieces on each side of the step. I finally took the bad side off and went to a metal fabrication shop and asked them if they could make me a copy of it. They said they could but it would not be chromed and it would be one gauge thinner. Their price wasn’t that bad either so I had them make it. Sent it out to have it chromed and to this day no one has been able to tell that it is not the original.


Are you able to give me the company that did that? I have a chrome place just 30 miles south of me that could re-chrome for me.

TKS

Richard
 
if you want to take the bumper off take it apart run it over to Joe let him put the patch in then take it to the plater. save you a lot of trouble. if Joe can't weld it in then he knows some one that can. the big thing is to smooth it with 50 grit then 80 then 100 to cut off the weld and grind marks.or send it to me I'll make the repair and send it back. but honest Joe is your best bet. if you take it apart and hand him the piece rather then him take it apart.he may be a lot easer on you. same as any other welding shop. just be ready for a lot of pieces. one only needs to cut out a square bigger then the rust and weld the patch in grind it down smooth the send it off. the plater may even be able to do that. while it's off weld all the brackets back in that have broken off and your good to go. the hardware store has chrome screws and bolts to put it back togather. at least Ace hardware carries them.
 

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Bumper

The end pieces are unique to each year the center bars and center connector that ties the bumper together and holds the license plate are the same from 65-73 only difference between 65-73 some years are cut for the back up light if the bumper ends did have the back up light in them.

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Sorry, Richard, but I believe that he has sold out to another shop, but I just look in the yellow pages and found that there were four metal fabricators listed.
 
Richard, try "The Bumper Boyz" in California. They hit alot of car swap meets year-round and you can drop off the bumper at a swap meet to save on shipping. They'll take it back to their shop & rework it to it's original beauty no matter how rusted & dented it is & re-chrome it, then you can pick it up at a later meet. I've dropped off bumpers with them in the fall & got them back in the spring, but i'm cheap & didn't want to pay the shipping to get them back much sooner!!! here's a link to their website: http://www.bumperboyz.com/main.htm
 
When picking a chrome shop, I usually search the car clubs to see who is reporting on the present quality of the shops work. Many shops that at one time did great work, now are not doing the same quality, as a result of trying to keep the costs down. I used to send my bumpers to Qual Krom in PA, however, they stopped doing them a couple of years ago, and now only do smaller pieces. They were very reasonably priced for the quality of the work. Shipping is always the expensive part of having bumpers done, so the best way is to ask at local cruise nights who did the bumpers on the cars that impress you. There are still some local shops that are not well known that do great work. Just don't expect fast service this time of the year from any shop. I sent my bumpers out in late January, and don't expect them back until sometime in June.
 
Richard, I forgot to mention that The Bumper Boyz do excellent work and are reasonable on their prices. Also... go to their website, they have a complete 2009 show schedule and are in Florida several times per year. You can give them your bumper in the fall, then pick it up @ a winter or spring swap meet. They show up in a huge semi truck & have the trailer all set up with customers' bumpers as well as 'popular" car bumpers already restored for sale. I know a local chrome shop would be best, but the EPA has shut down all the small chrome shops with their strict guidelines & restrictions. Also alot of shops that are left only do chrome plating, not rust or dent repair too. You poor guy you live in sunny Florida, but have a "northern" coach that was exposed to the elements up here! You oughta see the underside of my work van... had to remove the left rear shock last week. Thanks to the "brine water" they use nowdays I have no rear shock mount, just a 3" around gaping, rusted hole in both sides of the frame. Don't take that bumper off yet... Flint is coming up... LOL :D
 
Richard, I forgot to mention that The Bumper Boyz do excellent work and are reasonable on their prices. Also... go to their website, they have a complete 2009 show schedule and are in Florida several times per year. You can give them your bumper in the fall, then pick it up @ a winter or spring swap meet. They show up in a huge semi truck & have the trailer all set up with customers' bumpers as well as 'popular" car bumpers already restored for sale. I know a local chrome shop would be best, but the EPA has shut down all the small chrome shops with their strict guidelines & restrictions. Also alot of shops that are left only do chrome plating, not rust or dent repair too. You poor guy you live in sunny Florida, but have a "northern" coach that was exposed to the elements up here! You oughta see the underside of my work van... had to remove the left rear shock last week. Thanks to the "brine water" they use nowdays I have no rear shock mount, just a 3" around gaping, rusted hole in both sides of the frame. Don't take that bumper off yet... Flint is coming up... LOL :D

I'll probably talk to my guy and see if he can at least weld a patch in it, grind it smooth, get it mounted and then rechrome after Flint. I'm fortunate even though this ambulance is from the Cleveland, OH area, the body and undeside are really solid.
Richard
 
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