I don't think you were steering away from the topic. Thank you . Looks good. But this thread does have a point , seems that guys are just using whatever bumper upside down and they look horrible . I wanna say I see it more towards rat rods than anything Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
sometimes they look ok, like watsons grapevine... but most of the time they look like shit. people seem to do it because it is the "in" thing to do... they flip the bumper with no thought what so ever about lines and styling, ones that really frustrate me are those you see on 6 figure builds where the flip the bumper and seem to forget about how the end flows in relation to the wheel well and/or chrome trim. look at the front bumper on the green sub.. while the flip does not look too bad the original end of the bumper upside down works against the line of the wheel well.... why wasn't this addressed? rush job to get it done in time for sema?.. or more likely just a builder and customer with lots of money and talent, just no taste or vision.... ...or how about the rear on this boyd built 56? check out how every line they created by slapping an upside down 55 bumper on there clashes with the rear of the car... If I had been the gold chainer that received this car I would have been pissed!
I recall seeing a '56 Victoria on the ISCA circuit either last year or the year before - burgundy (?) color with flipped bumpers that were cut down in width to pull the ends against the body, but I don't recall what happened with the bottom edge and if it was removed/smoothed out. I liked the idea of doing that because of the stock "cow catcher" versus "rolled pan" profile.
It can look good if done 'right', but most seem to be just reflex mods ('I saw flipped bumpers on that car, I'll do mine too..') with little thought to the details.... If you look, the 'reveal line' on most OEM bumpers was at/near the bottom until the mid-50s and by 1960 it had moved to the top on almost everything. So the 'flip' would make the car look more 'modern' (which traditionally what customizing was about) but doesn't always integrate well with the rest of the styling.
I think the point of the green suburban's bumper was to match the shape of the grille opening. That chevy had a ton of work dumped into that tail pan and bumper for sure
i think its okay if it's not too overdone. like a bumper that looks relatively the same upsie-down as it does right side up, like the earlier forties and fifties cars is fine, i really dont even notice it. but a late fifties car is a big no-no.
Old thread and sorry. Also not sure how to ask because I feel this is hijack. Anyways I'm curious about how to cut a chrome bumper will it need to be re dipped or to cut it will be fine or what. I'm asking because I like this flipped bumper for this trucks for this purpose
I am under the impression that most of the examples I have seen missed the mark but I really like this one and think it works. This one was posted on the 52-59 social forum. stock flipped finished look,not sure if it's the same car but it's the same look. I think with this car it looks great. HRP
Watson's Chevy was one of the first maybe the only car with flipped bumpers, it was not a 50's trend.
or in your picture TUCKED in/er moved in tighter... on the Henry J (without bumperettes ) it can be Upside down , the ONLY way to tell is the Angle of the curved in side ...it is tapered .... sometimes there re-installed upside down by mistake.
Flipped front on a '51 Chev looks better as the end profile of the bumper follows the wheel opening better. Also, it lines up with the gravel pan better too. Stock wise looks like its sticking out its chin. I do like the '53 Pontiac rear bumper on a 49-52 chev, however, apparently the station wagon rear bumper flipped fits the rear of the chev much better.
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