The continuing saga of the "mystery" bumper guards

[alanmende]

So here's the dilemma: our '54 Commander Starliner's front bumper measures 5" high. The cut-outs of these "mystery" bumper guards also measure 5", but when I align the mounting bolts with with holes in the bumper, they don't fit. And not only that, the bolts are too short. The consensus is that these fog light bumper guards are not from a '55; the cut-outs are too small. I'm told that a '55 bumper measures 5-1/2". So what the heck are the bumper guards that I have? Here are some pictures:





Look at the gap.



My chassis parts catalog says there are two different numbers for '53 and '54 front bumpers:

532012W for 14G and 4H
534728W for US-built 15G and 5H
Canadian-built 15G and 5H used the 532012W front bumper.

The catalog also gives only two numbers for the fog light bumper guards:

533832W Right 14G, 15G, 4H, 5H
533833W Left 14G, 15G, 4H, 5H

So does anybody have any ideas?

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

[StudeRich]

Very interesting, I hear what you are saying about the '55 bumper being taller (wider) so the cutouts should be bigger since they do not fit the '54 they should be '55 but do not appear to be!

Really does not make sense! The only other fog light bumperettes I could find are the 536710W & 711W for 15G, & 6H, (All '55's) I was thinking '57-'58 Sedan/Wagon, but they did not have fog lights.

You know because the bumpers are "V"'d, the guards do have deeper cutouts on their inboard sides than outboard, to aim them forward, so I hope that is not throwing your measuring off. Also you should have 2 totally different guards for left & right because they are opposites.

I think the different bumper part #'s you found in the Parts Catalog for '53 vs '54 are for the different bumper guard holes for the plain vertical guards, which are way different between the two years.

Looks like after all that expense, you may end up with a clean looking '54 instead of a cluttered one! [:0] [}]

StudeRich -Studebakers Northwest Ferndale, WA

[alanmende]

Hi Rich,

It is, indeed, a puzzlement. These bumper guards are definitely a pair -- identical but opposites. Regarding the different bumper part numbers because of the different locations of the plain vertical guard holes; do you know if perhaps in '53, the holes were slightly off-center? That might account for the guards I have not fitting a '54 bumper. As I said, when I align the mounting bolts with the holes in my bumper, the guards don't seat neatly against the face of the bumper even though the dimensions of the bumper and guard cut-outs are the same.

Kindest regards,

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

[StudeRich]

Alan; I do not think they would ever drill them off center. I wonder if the inboard or outboard location would cause this. The only car that had these standard was the Land Cruiser Sedan and they were mounted outboard, if you are trying to mount them near the center maybe thats the problem.

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[jackb]

same issue with the 63-64' bumper guards. I can't remember which bumper, but outboard vs. inboard location leaves a bit of a gap too...

[Dwain G.]

Take them with you to a Stude gathering and hopefully find a '55 or later C-K so you can hold one of these housings up against the bumper.
I'd (almost) bet these have to be '55s. I think the 'mystery' is that the '55 housings don't fit the bumper curvature all the way around from top to bottom like the earlier ones do. They stop maybe an inch before the top edge of the bumper.


Dwain G.

[alanmende]

Well, I'll certainly bring them to Lancaster. Maybe someone will need them.

Alan