My 1960 F-100 originally came with a white painted front bumper, which I am converting to chrome (a factory option) in the interest of looks, durability, and chip resistance. Were the brackets, riveted to the bumper bottom, chrome plated as well, or were they another color (chassis black) and installed after the bumper was plated?

 

While I may not be a 60 Ford truck expert, I can say that if the brackets are rivited to the bumper, not bolted, then most likely they would have been installed prior to plating. But that does not mean they would have been prepped or polished or pretty. They would have been left raw, just as they are now, and any copper/nickel/chromium stuck to them would have been purely incidental in the electro-magnetic process. That means, if you send your bumper to a plating shop, however it comes back would be pretty much how it would have been delivered when new.

 

The chrome bumper brackets on my 60 Custom Cab are as Wayne describes.

I actually just finished working on my front bumper. My truck is a 60 (according to the VIN on the title and the frame), but it has 58 front fenders with the round parking lights and a 58 grille. The front bumper was high enough that it covered part of the running lights, which never looked right to me. Tonight I lowered it so that the entire parking lights show.

Before:



After:



Good luck with your chrome plating...

 

Ive also got a 60 is there anyone out there that makes the grilles in chrome what id like is the part that wraps the headlights to be painted with a chrome grille and then a chrome bumper I managed to find a set of headlight chrome bezels the other night on ebay got a nos set fr 50.00 thanks to bad spelling

 

Tumblindyce,

Is your bumper an original chrome part? If so, it should be stamped B9T-17750-C on the top of the right lower mounting bracket (as you face the front of the truck). Just so we're on the same page, the lower mounting brackets and rivets were originally chrome (as a whole unit), however plated in raw form just as the back side of the bumper? BTW, super nice truck!

 

I'm not sure if it's original, but I can look for that number on Friday. After I lowered the bumper, I painted the frame horns and the inside of the lower brackets--probably covered up the #--but I'll check. And yes, the brackets and rivets were chromed, but in kind of a raw form as you say...you really can't see them unless you're lying on your back under the truck. Oh, and thanks for the complement--I'll check out yours in your gallery!

 

Love the color combination. What a trip that must've been! Maryland to California--are you kidding me??!! How fast could you go? Those loooong stretches of desert must have seemed like forever!! Now that's a pretty good testimonial to these old trucks in their stock form.

 

Transam, here's the number on my bumper bracket:



B9T-17750-A

Same as the number you posted, but with an "A" rather than a "C"...

...and, after closer inspection, looking past the rust, pits and corrosion, I'm guessing the bottom sides of the brackets and the rivets were originally plated to match the bumper itself...assuming this was an original chrome part and not chromed by the previous owner. That number you provided seems to indicate that it was not originally chrome though...?

 

Your bumper is stamped as a painted bumper, which was most likely chrome plated later on by a previous owner or parts supplier. Maybe Numberdummy will chime in to verify this with his experience and vast knowledge of the parts system.

The trip was the most memorable drive I have ever had. I only drive the truck at a maximum speed of 60 mph (3.73 gears and a 3-spd transmission). The first half of the (Maryland to Colorado) was originally planned for three days. After watching the news, and seeing a blizzard was on the way, we made the trip in two days, rolling into Denver just as the snow was heavily falling. The second half was also done in two days. The truck ran like a champ. Prior to the trip, I used the truck as a daily driver, 7-days a week, for four years. I used to sit in this very truck when I was 10 and act like I was driving. At the age of 12, I used to drive the truck by myself in my great grandfather's field. The engine has never been rebuilt, and now has 152,000 original miles complete with the original clutch. I'm starting a full concourse, frame-off, restoration in honor of my great grandfather and the ties to my childhood. I've been lucky enough to acquire all NOS parts for the restoration, to include some very rare parts such as a NOS Ford script muffler. Once the restoration is complete, I plan to purchase either a single axle trailer or camper and make frequent long distance trips with the truck.

 

Great story! When you get-r-dun, if you're ever passing through Vegas give me a holler. We'll cruise the strip in our '60's