Front Bumper

[Buckaroo]

Unfortunately we hit a deer with our 57 Fairlane.  We bought a rechromed front bumper from Bumper Boyz.  It looks great.  Our old bumper had slotted holes for attaching a license plate.  This one has two round holes and much closer together.  Should there be a license plate mount that goes onto this bumper?  If so where can I find one?  I do not see one listed in the catalogs that I have.  Thanks for any help  on this.

[RICH MUISE]

Sorry about the deer thing......much damage?
My bumper has just the two small holes you mentioned.........kinda wished they were not there as I'm not using a front plate. In fact, Texas only issues one plate for the antique autos. Should be pretty easy to fabricate a bracket.

[Buckaroo]

Any damage is too much.  Front bumper, both sides of the grill, the piece right below the hood, the filler piece between bumper and grill and a kink in the right front fender.  Luckily the 58 hood when up over the cowl so was not bent.  Body shop will be painting entire front end and right side.  It will be going in in mid October.  Hopefully have it back before the first of the year.

Thank you for your info.

[RICH MUISE]

"Luckily the 58 hood when up over the cowl so was not bent"
Well, sorta lucky. The hood going up over the cowl is the reason Ford stopped hinging the hoods at the front.........decapitating front seat occupants in severe accidents.!!! May be an old wive's tale, but that story has been told for many many years. Yours is the first I've actually heard doing it.
With that hood movement backwards, I suspect there is more to the damage than what meets the eye, such as core support.
Have you found all the parts you'll need?

[Buckaroo]

I believe we have found most of what we need.  I have a replacement grill being re-plated.  I have the bar that is in between the hood and grill.  The hood was only pushed back about an inch.  There was enough adjustment so the body shop could adjust the hood so it opens and closes.  I did get a bumper and bumper guards from Bumper Boyz.  I could use a front license plate mounting bracket.  My bumper had elongated holes.  This new one has two round holes near the center.  Interesting comment regarding the front hinged hoods.  I had never heard that before.  Thanks for sharing.

[glr7533]

I had the opposite problem. My original bumper had the two round holes and my new one had the slotted holes. I could not find a license plate bracket for the slotted holes. I put some nylon spacers between the bracket and the bumper and used the holes for mounting the license plate. This moved my license plate up but it still worked. This is what my bracket looks like. The two holes that are close together were used on my original bumper.

[SkylinerRon]

I haven't heard any reasons why there are 2 different mountings for the front tag.

Kind of odd though, seems about 50% each way.

Ron.

[Ford Blue blood]

My Ranchero bumper has the two holes close as well.  original CA car.

[Buckaroo]

I wonder if it was a mid year change or different assembly plants.  BTW  I am still looking for a license plate bracket for the bumper with the two round holes.

[rmk57]

  Could be something to with license plates not being standardized yet when that bracket was manufactured. I think 1957 was the first year of a standardized plate. Up until then you had all sorts of different shapes and sizes.

[57chero]

Buckaroo ,I sent you a PM.
i have a bracket for the front bumper.

[SkylinerRon]

Just drill 2 more holes in the bumper to match the bracket.
If you later have it rechromed weld up the unused holes.

Ron.

[cokefirst]

License plate sizes were standardized in 1956 for the US and it's territories and possessions.  all the 1956 and later license plates are the same size.

[KULTULZ]

If the license plate was same sized, why would FORD release two style bumpers?

There was a tag bracket (B7A 17244-A) released for the two small holes (shown in a post above) but the bumper with the two slots the tag was mounted directly to the face bar ...

Is my thinking correct?