Rear bumper confusion.

[37 Coupe]

I am confused about the rear bumper used on a 1931 Ford deluxe roadster with sidemount spares. I see some pictures of ones that have the two separate short bumpers that seem to be for a rear spare mount but I also see some that have a full bumper like the front. Was a full bumper bar available or optional for a car with dual sidemounts or are these guys using front bumpers? Which is correct? Couple catalogs I have like Bratton's and Snyders only show the pair short bars for rear.Thank you in advance.

[1931 flamingo]

My 31 with dual sidemounts has full size rear bumper. There was a thread a while ago discussing this same question. Try doing a search.
Paul in CT

[CarlG]

My pickup has a full size rear bumper.

[37 Coupe]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

My 31 with dual sidemounts has full size rear bumper. There was a thread a while ago discussing this same question. Try doing a search.
Paul in CT

I did do a search and so far still confused.I understand that a lot of the Deluxe option in 1930 included the sidemounts and other options like the luggage rack but in 1931 due to the depression some things were not included in the Deluxe and had to be bought extra. Mine (31) has dual sidemounts and the split or two bumpers that you normally see on rear spare mounted cars. No big deal as this isn't the only thing wrong with this car, but doing research I have seen this same deal on 1930 and 1931 roadsters,both ways. I guess it is a front bumper if a long one is used on rear.

[swo4rd]

Interesting in that the JCS does not address this detail...except in five simple paragraphs in the beginning of Divisoin 15. None of them answer your question. My research on all the "Deluxe Models" including the 190A is that all the (truly) Deluxe models had the continuous bumpers on the rear and the front. As an aside, I also noticed on original cars that I have studied, the rear has a slight bit more curve that the fronts. Ok that being said, I am showing Marco Tatrus's Deluxe Roadster with the continuous bumper bars front and rear. SOOOOOO if you have the split bumpers on the rear, your "deluxe" title might have been because an ambitious restorer of the 50's through the 80's was trying to "deluxify" his (now your) roadster by the simple addition of side mounts, lower windshield, and leather trim. It has been known to happen, in fact one Master Judge was overheard commenting once that there are probably more Deluxe Roadsters today than there were produced. So the deluxe cars with continuous rear bumpers were the Deluxe Phaeton, Deluxe Roadster, A190 Victoria, A400 Covertible Sedan, Cabriolet and Deluxe Coupes. There was also a Deluxe Tudor offered about June of 1931 but talk to Rick Black about those. It also seems that the continuous rear bumpers could be ordered...The JCS does say that the Deluxe Trunk Rack was offered in June of 1930 but my evidence suggest that it was October of 1930...which is also the time the Deluxe Roadster was announced.

[37 Coupe]

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Originally Posted by swo4rd

Interesting in that the JCS does not address this detail...except in five simple paragraphs in the beginning of Divisoin 15. None of them answer your question. My research on all the "Deluxe Models" including the 190A is that all the (truly) Deluxe models had the continuous bumpers on the rear and the front. As an aside, I also noticed on original cars that I have studied, the rear has a slight bit more curve that the fronts. Ok that being said, I am showing Marco Tatrus's Deluxe Roadster with the continuous bumper bars front and rear. SOOOOOO if you have the split bumpers on the rear, your "deluxe" title might have been because an ambitious restorer of the 50's through the 80's was trying to "deluxify" his (now your) roadster by the simple addition of side mounts, lower windshield, and leather trim. It has been known to happen, in fact one Master Judge was overheard commenting once that there are probably more Deluxe Roadsters today than there were produced. So the deluxe cars with continuous rear bumpers were the Deluxe Phaeton, Deluxe Roadster, A190 Victoria, A400 Covertible Sedan, Cabriolet and Deluxe Coupes. There was also a Deluxe Tudor offered about June of 1931 but talk to Rick Black about those. It also seems that the continuous rear bumpers could be ordered...The JCS does say that the Deluxe Trunk Rack was offered in June of 1930 but my evidence suggest that it was October of 1930...which is also the time the Deluxe Roadster was announced.

Thank You for the information.

[garyjohn]

Pickups did not come with a rear bumper

[briphaeton]

I think the deluxe Phaeton's came with the one bumper but if it's your car, you can do what you want.

[J Franklin]

Dealers added full bumpers, I have read that in the past but cannot cite the source.

[WTSHNN]

Your car do what you want.

Want to do it right? Buy the restoration guidelines for answers.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

I am confused about the rear bumper used on a 1931 Ford deluxe roadster with sidemount spares. I see some pictures of ones that have the two separate short bumpers that seem to be for a rear spare mount but I also see some that have a full bumper like the front. Was a full bumper bar available or optional for a car with dual sidemounts or are these guys using front bumpers? Which is correct? Couple catalogs I have like Bratton's and Snyders only show the pair short bars for rear.Thank you in advance.

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

I did do a search and so far still confused.I understand that a lot of the Deluxe option in 1930 included the sidemounts and other options like the luggage rack but in 1931 due to the depression some things were not included in the Deluxe and had to be bought extra. Mine (31) has dual sidemounts and the split or two bumpers that you normally see on rear spare mounted cars. No big deal as this isn't the only thing wrong with this car, but doing research I have seen this same deal on 1930 and 1931 roadsters,both ways. I guess it is a front bumper if a long one is used on rear.

From Marco Tahtaras' website - http://www.abarnyard.com/roadster/product2.htm

The open models were consistently popular for Ford. By mid 1930 however, sales of the open models were dropping rapidly. In an effort to increase demand, Ford introduced the Deluxe Phaeton in late June 1930 and followed with the Deluxe Roadster in late July.

The Deluxe Roadster was priced at $520. Differences included a shorter windshield, finished in chrome plate. An all new top assembly was used. It featured varnished natural oak bows and was trimmed in tan drab (light olive) fabric. The new interior trim included dark tan Bedouin grain genuine leather seating surfaces with matching artificial leather throughout the interior, and the floor covering was brown carpet. The seat was lowered approximately one inch to adapt to the lower profile (the seating drop was subsequently applied to the standard roadster).

The exterior was enhanced by the addition of a left side mounted spare tire. At the rear of the car, a chrome luggage rack with oak finished steel slats and full-length rear bumper were added. To add more contrast, the wheels were painted to match the stripe.

In early 1931 the spare tire was moved to rear. The left side mounted spare, luggage rack, and special bumper were no longer included as standard equipment. They could however, be special ordered at extra cost and installed at the branch during assembly. The base price was reduced to $475.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by swo4rd

Interesting in that the JCS does not address this detail...except in five simple paragraphs in the beginning of Divisoin 15. None of them answer your question. My research on all the "Deluxe Models" including the 190A is that all the (truly) Deluxe models had the continuous bumpers on the rear and the front. As an aside, I also noticed on original cars that I have studied, the rear has a slight bit more curve that the fronts. Ok that being said, I am showing Marco Tatrus's Deluxe Roadster with the continuous bumper bars front and rear. SOOOOOO if you have the split bumpers on the rear, your "deluxe" title might have been because an ambitious restorer of the 50's through the 80's was trying to "deluxify" his (now your) roadster by the simple addition of side mounts, lower windshield, and leather trim. It has been known to happen, in fact one Master Judge was overheard commenting once that there are probably more Deluxe Roadsters today than there were produced. So the deluxe cars with continuous rear bumpers were the Deluxe Phaeton, Deluxe Roadster, A190 Victoria, A400 Covertible Sedan, Cabriolet and Deluxe Coupes. There was also a Deluxe Tudor offered about June of 1931 but talk to Rick Black about those. It also seems that the continuous rear bumpers could be ordered...The JCS does say that the Deluxe Trunk Rack was offered in June of 1930 but my evidence suggest that it was October of 1930...which is also the time the Deluxe Roadster was announced.

Victoria, Cabriolet, Deluxe Coupe and Deluxe Tudor had rear-mounted spare and therefore split bumper as standard equipment.

[37 Coupe]

Originally Posted by J Franklin

Dealers added full bumpers, I have read that in the past but cannot cite the source.

Interesting ,but did they have an actual full length rear bumper or was it the same as the front and ended up curved more after mounting? A nice looking blue '31 roadster is on Ebay now and he just lowered the price into the thirties,it was in the forties .same bumper as mine .I guess some guys miss the mark even on expensive restorations. I probably will not change mine as its been on there for 60 years at least and probably since new if roadster was changed from a standard to a deluxe as mentioned earlier post. See one thing interesting body has never been off the frame which was probably the norm with a fairly good car at the time 25-35 years old,just a paint job and upholstery.

[Bob Bidonde]

Standard equipment is the double set of bumper bars. The front type bumper on the rear of passenger cars was an option.
Pickup trucks did not have rear bumpers.