1956 Bumper / Exhaust Tips

Hi everyone! My '56 Superior funeral coach seems to be missing the exhaust ports that exit the oval holes in the bumper tips on a typical 1956 Cadillac. Instead, it appears that the "crosshairs" are cast into the bumper tips.

Does anyone know...

* Are these bumper tips are unique to the commercial chassis?

* Are they different from one coach maker to another?

* Was the exhaust actually routed to them, or were the tail pipes maybe just turned down short of the bumper?

Here are a couple images of "typical" '56 Caddy bumper tips:

http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mLsn6Wqv_VIruoPdUMqMplw.jpg

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-auto-body-pa...-awesome-condition-no-rust-through/1023490244

..and the exhaust tips that would mate up to them...

http://www.kepichexhaust.com/cadill...ip-inserts-exact-original-factory-replacement

http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/m1dopK-3iqKugeBxawm3Pgg.jpg

Now, here are mine:

https://www.dropbox.com/home/1956 Cadillac Superior Funeral Coach/Exhaust tips?preview=DSCN1585.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/home/1956 Cadillac Superior Funeral Coach/Exhaust tips?preview=DSCN1584.JPG

I also just realized that the "typical" ones might be steel, by the looks of the second pic above, whereas mine are pot metal.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for all your comments!
 
Dropbox requires login. Unable to view.

In short, bumper ends are specific to commercial chassis. They do not differ between coach builders. They are typically cast aluminum (possibly an aluminum alloy - not pot metal) as opposed to steel passenger car counterparts. Exhaust went through them. Here's closeup of a spare one year only '56 CC left side end I had years ago. Again, not pot metal.

17974062299_2c2bd9f860_b.jpg


And Chuck Seagal's freshly renovated '56 Superior Moderne displayed earlier in month at SERM showing exhaust tips mounted through bumper ends.

18134080276_a7a97329c9_b.jpg
 
standard caddy are steel. commercial chassis were made by Alco aluminum for GM. they mate up to the CC center section. they would use the same insert to route the exhaust thru. the aluminum ends are not easy to find but can be repaired in any welding shop set up to handle aluminum and replated. both are a costly event.

when posting a link to drop shots open your account and post the link to that picture
 
Great answers, gents! Thank you for sharing the knowledge!

I'll have to educate myself on posting embedded pics this weekend if time permits. Meanwhile, my bumper tips looked identical to Attila's first pic, prior to replating. Each of them has a 1/4" hole on the top center spoke of the "crosshairs", which I thought was used for mounting the "trim" ring for the exhaust tips. Live and learn I guess! Now I wish I had welded up the holes before replating.

Anyway, it would appear that the polished stainless "crosshairs" and trim rings used on the standard Caddy exhaust tips just do not apply to the CC style bumper tips. Am I correct in assuming that the CC exhaust still uses the same bellmouth tip, and just terminates on the inside of the bumper tip?

Attila, that Moderne is an absolute stunner! Is that the former Monocles' / Ghastly Ones' coach?
 
Does anyone have a pic of what the CC exhaust tips should look like?

Kepich Exhaust will accept a return and issue a full refund for the set I ordered, but they're not interested in making a set for the CC. Can't blame them; I'm sure there's not much of a market!
 
should be the same as the standard caddy. the casting was changed to accept the CC centerpiece. the stars were the first part to go south in that system
 
Yee-haw! I'm finally smart enough to post images!

should be the same as the standard caddy. the casting was changed to accept the CC centerpiece. the stars were the first part to go south in that system

Jon, do you mean that the CC and standard are the same, except for the centerpiece (aka stars, crosshairs), along with the thin metal trim ring and its mounting hardware? If so, I'll see if Kepich could just build me a set without those items. Thanks again sir!
 
no I meant when they were new they were the same as the standard caddy. the very same.

now to post pictures on this site you need to be a site supporter
 
now to post pictures on this site you need to be a site supporter

Well, shucks...they showed up on my screen, so I thought everyone could see 'em.

no I meant when they were new they were the same as the standard caddy. the very same.

My bumper tips are a single aluminum casting, like Attila's spare above, with the stars cast in...
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7773/17974062299_2c2bd9f860_b.jpg

..but the regular steel caddy ones seem to have a large hole...
http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mLsn6Wqv_VIruoPdUMqMplw.jpg

...which gets filled in with the polished stainless stars and beauty ring that are part of the exhaust....
http://static1.squarespace.com/stat...5eb32f/1420744897872/IMG_3646.JPG?format=750w

Are you saying the standard caddy ones started out with the stars cast into the bumper tips but have all rotted out, and that the exhaust tip inserts take the place of the cast-in piece?

Sorry if I'm slow on this one, John; just trying to get it all straight! Thanks again!
 
it's your car you probably know more about it then I do.

John, you're right, but the exhaust tips are one of the few "hard parts" missing from the car when I got it, so I don't know what they look like. I was hoping someone on here had seen a set of them in person or even had a picture, but they seem to be pretty elusive!

Thanks again for your input on this and other topics.
 
Back
Top