The repro bumpers are made in China. These bumpers have one coat of chrome plated onto bare steel, so better keep 'em waxed, or they'll begin to pit within a short time.

The repro bumpers are also lighter than the originals, so will dent easier.

I watched a guy in the parking lot at Truck & Car Shop (Orange CA) attempt to place a '69 Mustang rear bumper is his car. He dropped it, bending one end all to hell.

Guy shoulda known better. There is no way, NONE that this bumper would fit in the trunk of a '69 Mustang!

Meanwhile back at the ranch, chrome shops plate one (or more) coats of copper onto the steel first, then the chrome plating is applied. The more coats of copper/chrome, the more expensive it is.

You get what you pay for, buy the best and cry only once!

 

I bought a set 15 years ago, truck has been parked outside most of that time. No problems.

 

I bought both front and rear from LMC eight years ago, they were the premium ones, they were $50 dollars more each. They still look like brand new and have no rust anywhere inside or out, my truck is garaged most of the time and I'm sure that has helped, I have been completely satisfied with them. I could not tell much difference in the weight between the replacements and original ones, well at least the front, my original rear was a step bumper that I replaced with chrome one.

 

 

Tell me about it lol. I have my 1970 in the shop getting painted and I am running out of patience myself. It's been over 9 months. Stripped to bare metal and started over on. It is now in primer ready to be blocked. the door jams, inner doors and under hood already painted. But I also bought all new trim, moldings and emblems as well and it does ad up. Glad you posted this because I was also curious about the bumper quality. I was quoted 600 bucks a piece from a local chrome place. Not. I did run across an outfit call "Bumper Boyz" at a swap meet last summer that I was considering. 300 bucks for a rechromed original but that was with a core exchange I think. I haven't decided yet.

KOT390

 

The Bumper Boyz, if I remember correctly, used a chrome shop in Mexico. I used to see them at the Pomona swap meet, hawking their wares.

 

Yes it is expensive to chrome. If your quoted $200.00-$300.00 for chrome it most likely has a dip of nickel then chrome. A good shop will do copper, then check for any imperfections followed by another copper dip. Then the nickel and finally the chrome. Shops will tell you they do copper, nickel then chrome but your not there to see if they do. I had a 66 grille chromed and it cost me $700.00
that wasn't including headlight bezels.
Now imagine trying to find an honest place first to blast an old chrome job down to bare metal so you can get it fixed then chromed. The EPA has cracked down on shops who blast the chrome off of old metal. The shop has to have proper permits for disposing of old chrome. Big fine if caught without proper permits. The EPA also does surprise inspections of chrome shops. Proper MSDS and containers plus storage areas must be in compliance. You can read up on chroming and the EPA but that's it in a nutshell. Yes expensive so don't get ripped off know who's chroming and ask to see the shop. Verify their method and ask around.

 

 

 

Yeah dude. Apparently they are going to shoot it this week but we'll see. Either way it won't be too much longer but I'm getting antsy. Anyway, I reupholstered my seat also in the meantime. I have everything ready to go to finish it up. Whatever. Hope your truck looks great when you get it back. I wanted to start a thread on my paintjob process but I'm too lazy to upload all the pics lol. I am in Indiana.



KOT390

 

I don't think I'd go the cheap ones. Back 15/8 years ago they might not have been made in China like I'd bet they are now. I'd bet they were mexico or something before. If you do get the cheap ones heed Bill's advise on the waxing. My $.02.