1958 Cadillac Rear Bumper spacer(s)

Hi again. I had sort of posed this question towards the end of another thread but decided to give it its own thread in hopes of getting an answer before I talk to the steel cutting/fabrication guys.

The rear bumper I bought was missing one of the spacers where the ends connect (my understanding is this goes on the inside and the bolts go through it). I need to know if the bend that you can just about see in this picture is manufactured or if it is supposed to be flat and this one somehow got bent.

Or in the unlikely even that someone has a pair or one of these that I could buy, that would work too. Here is the pic.

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I believe what you are holding would be the squeeze plate. I can't say on the MM but the 58 Eureka and the 58 Superior did not have a spacer between the ends and the center piece. if it was such piece it would be the same shape as the of contour of the bumper, smooth and plated.

that being said. you are most likely correct. it should be flat and one on each side. likely bolted just in side the aluminium end and to the frame brackets. the bolts would pass threw it threw the end and threw the center so that you did not draw the steel heads threw the aluminium end as you tightened it up. but it's only a guess on my part. it could have been the other way.
any one taking one of them apart can tell you how the steel bolts will seize in that bumper end
 
I believe what you are holding would be the squeeze plate. I can't say on the MM but the 58 Eureka and the 58 Superior did not have a spacer between the ends and the center piece. if it was such piece it would be the same shape as the of contour of the bumper, smooth and plated.

that being said. you are most likely correct. it should be flat and one on each side. likely bolted just in side the aluminium end and to the frame brackets. the bolts would pass threw it threw the end and threw the center so that you did not draw the steel heads threw the aluminium end as you tightened it up. but it's only a guess on my part. it could have been the other way.
any one taking one of them apart can tell you how the steel bolts will seize in that bumper end

OK, Yeah that's what it is. Like you say, it doesn't go in between, its on the other side on the inside of the bumper. Makes sense since its just little tabs to connect to otherwise. I'm still not 100% confident that the bend isn't supposed to be there though. I guess depending on how expensive this process is will determine if I just try a flat version (probably 2 new ones). Since its on the inside, I guess there is some room for play.
 
as you have the hole in the floor you have the dimensions. standard MM rollers spaced the same as the straight Hearse. 3/4 in plywood flooring on both sides. but what your missing is the hardware. the handles and the trim.
and checking around you may find that that stuff carried back and forward a number of years.
 
Ok, I've been told the plate I need for the bumper (pictured in the first post) is a nut plate or sandwich plate, or as John said squeeze plate. It goes between the the end brackets and the center brackets. Before I dish out $130 for a whole set of brackets just to get this one piece, does anyone have any of these they can spare or a pair of them? I think its the same type used on the standard 54-55 Cadillacs.

I just got the bumper that I acquired re-chromed and picked it up this past weekend. Now the only thing preventing me from putting it on the car is this one missing plate. (and a little body work)
 
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just cut one out of a piece of plate. the holes need to line up and it should not be hard against the bumper. you have one. make another.
 
I took my one to a local steel fabrication place and they don't work with the correct steel in order to refabricate this part.

I also tried buying a set from gatelyrestoration.com for $130 shipped and even after sending a whole packet of color photos, they still managed to confirm they were sending what I needed, but sent one for a normal 58 rear bumper. I told them multiple times it could be from a 54-55 standard or a 58 ambulance/hearse. Not sure what happened there.

I finally saw a full set of brackets for a 54-55 normal caddy go up on ebay yesterday and I bought them for $50 the second I saw them. I think I may finally have the pieces I need.
 
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