'33-'34 vs '35-'36 bumpers

[rich b]

Just to confirm a single line in the bumper face would indicate either a '33 or '34 bumper while two lines would indicate either a '35 or '36 bumper.

[FlatheadTed]

Yes a single line 34 ,the turned end of the 34 bumper matches the 35 were 36 end has more angle to it

[rockfla]

Exception to that rule is European bumper's which had NO accent (or rabbited) grove/groves. Just plain smooth bumpers for 33-36. *****Would be interested IF anyone had some 35-36's by the way***********

[DavidG]

Robert,


While I can't say for '35 and '36, the non-rabbited bumpers on '33s and '34s appear to be confined to the Ford Werke cabriolets as I've archival evidence that the rabbited bumpers were used on British, French, and German (closed body type) '33 and '34s such as in the photo below taken at Koln.

[TJ]

Originally Posted by rockfla

Exception to that rule is European bumper's which had NO accent (or rabbited) grove/groves. Just plain smooth bumpers for 33-36. *****Would be interested IF anyone had some 35-36's by the way***********

Interesting regarding the lack of grooves in the European bumpers. Just saw one of those at the Turlock swap meet a couple of weeks ago and thought it was a custom job where they filled the grooves and then chromed it. There was a wide single rib on the back side of the bumper. The chrome was decent and the price was $50.

[DavidG]

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Robert,


I spoke too soon; the un-rabbited bumpers weren't confined to the semi-custom cabriolets. While those '33s in the photo above are at the Koln factory, it would seem that their bodies (at least) were not manufactured there, but rather elsewhere in Europe as they are typical of the North American/rest of Europe bodies. Note the windshield frames, placement of the door hinges, and the roof line over the quarter windows in the Tudor in the foreground. Compare those characteristics with those of the Koln 2-door sedan in the photo below, which has un-rabbited bumpers. They are not the same bodies. I've also added the Koln 4-door sedan, which also has many unique body characteristics compared to the North American/rest of Europe Fordors.


To add to the mix, notice that the two Koln sedans have two different un-rabbited front bumpers. In the case of the 2-door, the bumper is attached with two capped round head bolts through the face and at the ends with something of a tongue and groove arrangement. The bumper on the 4-door has four capped bolts on the face and a slightly different arrangement on the ends. The outer bumper brackets for the two different types of bumpers are unique to each type of bumper.


I've repeated the photo from my earlier post to facilitate the comparisons.

[Steve in Denver]

'35 and '36 are similar, but each is unique I believe and not interchangeable. The '35 is a straight wrap-around, while the '36 is more of a 45 degree wrap-around.


Hopefully someone will post a shot of the '35 bumper end.

[Tinker]

My understanding and current bumpers also concur with a 45* and wrap also on 36.

[rockfla]

Here are a few 35's I have.

[rockfla]

David
Here are a few more 33-34's.

[rockfla]

Here is one more "alternative fuels" 35, AS for 1936, my photo archive is "very" thin as I only have one 36 which is not a clear enough photo to definatively say yes or no? It appears to have a accent line but it "could" be a reflection as it is the "crown" of the bumper??

[rockfla]

David
One more whip of the "dead horse". I do have "one" more (one of two 1936's) 1936 and it is as close to 1936 as I have, a "normal" 4 door and it has "smooth" bumpers. I have gone back through my archive of "in country 35-35 photo's and "some" 35's have the "rabbited" bumpers a some don't. David, I wonder IF the flow of materials was to supplement the lack of ability to meet demand OR vice versa????

[DavidG]

It appears to me that in your first photo of a '36 (cabriolet), the ends of the bumper are vertical and consistent with the earlier 'smooth' bumpers whereas in your second '36 photo of the '36 sedan, the end of the bumper conforms to a typical North American '36 bumper as in the photo below.


The '36 cabriolet appears to have '35 bumper guards.

[alchemy]

Since you are discussing the minutia of 35 vs. 36, it should also be noted that a 33 bumper is different from a 34. The bolt-to-brace spacing was changed.

[DavidG]

Right, 22" vs. 26". Another lesser known difference is their stainless-capped bolts that go in those holes. The '33 bumpers were attached with 7/16" bolts and the '34 through '36 bumpers (without bumper guards) were attached with 1/2" bolts. You cannot attach a '33 bumper using the '34-'36 bolts without enlarging the holes in the pair of inner front and the rear bumper brackets. Starting in '37, the bolts reverted to 7/16" threads, but those later bolts have a somewhat different shape to their stainless steel capped heads and were differentiated by their '78' part number prefix. True '33 bumper bolts (40-17758-A) are scarce unlike the 40-17758-B bolts for '34-'36 and the 78 version. It takes a keen eye to spot the difference between the '33 and '37+ bolts as they are the same length and have the same threads.


The '34 chassis parts catalog lists only the 7/16" nuts and lock washers for the '33 version of the bolts, which adds to the confusion.

[Terranova]

There's a page from an old drake catalog that explains it all but I can't get my pic to load.

[Terranova]

http://www.who-sells-it.com/cy/bob-d...013-37101.html

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[DavidG]

Except for the unique 7/16" '33 bolts. The Drake catalog lists 1/2" bolts for '33 which won't fit in the holes of either the '33 bumper nor the two center brackets without enlarging those holes.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by DavidG

...I've also added the Koln 4-door sedan, which also has many unique body characteristics compared to the North American/rest of Europe Fordors...

I have nothing to add to the bumper discussion but that Koln 4-door is a good-looking car - reminiscent of the Model A "Blind Back" Fordor.

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by CHuDWah

I have nothing to add to the bumper discussion but that Koln 4-door is a good-looking car - reminiscent of the Model A "Blind Back" Fordor.

Another interesting note for the 33 discussion is how the regular looking loop style handle is at the corners of the hood sides A La 1934. Off topic I know!!!