Bumper Guards

[Chuck Lutz]

In looking through the list of serial numbers and features I noticed that the vast majority of the cars delivered to Florida were done so with bumper guards. I read that Continental only added the front license frame for cars sold in states that requried the front plate and those also had bumper guards. Can anyone confirm that Fla. required this in the mid 50's?

[2MarkIIs]

I have to double check with mine and find out exactly where they were first sent but my parts car has a license frame, also did some cars not have bumper gaurds?

[Barry Wolk]

Why would you need bumper guards for a license plate? The license plate bracket is separate.

[2MarkIIs]

Why would you need bumper guards for a license plate? The license plate bracket is separate.

My question wasnt including the guards and the license plate frame, i know they are seperate. The question was if all marks came standard with guards because ive seen pictures of cars without them and with no holes in the bumper for them. Dont know if someone had changed it or you could get them without guards.

[Barry Wolk]

I believe you could get them without upper and lower guards. The car in the picture in the header appears to have none.

[Doc]

It seems that those with a factory front license plate bracket also had the bumper guards; upper and lower. Certainly that is the case for all the original California cars that I've seen. I suspect it was probably an aesthetic decision as much as a functional one in that the bumper guards really don't serve much utility in protecting the license, but they do serve to "frame" it visually. The cars that didn't have front licenses typically didn't have the bumper guards nor were the bumpers drilled for the guards.

[2MarkIIs]

Well in MI i believe cars required a front plate up until 1980, dont know about other states. My blue car came from Ohio dont know for sure if thats where it was originaly sent and the black car is from CO but again not 100% for sure. The database does not show anything for my cars. Anyway to find out? But the blue car has gaurds no plate frame (could've been taken off at one point) and my black car has a frame and did have guards on it........at one time. :(

[Barry Wolk]

What are your serial numbers? I'll look the cars up. The database I have shows a lot of the early cars that are missing off of the invoice list. If you're looking for the reason, do a search for Production Order.

[Harry Nicholson]

I have a two-toned Mark II that was originally ordered/purchased in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It does not have bumper guards or holes drilled in the bumper. It has no license plate bracket either. I don't know if Florida required front plates or not, but I believe that the car was driven there for at least 2-3 years before being sold out of state.

Harry

[2MarkIIs]

Have a picture of the car?

[Barry Wolk]

I have a two-toned Mark II that was originally ordered/purchased in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It does not have bumper guards or holes drilled in the bumper. It has no license plate bracket either. I don't know if Florida required front plates or not, but I believe that the car was driven there for at least 2-3 years before being sold out of state.

Harry

Could be a replacement bumper.

[2MarkIIs]

Could be a replacement bumper.

This is very true.

[Chuck Lutz]

I may have read the notation wrong. The "Bumper" feature in the serial number listing was for the front license plate bracket based on the note. I thought it referred to the guards.

[Mark_II_Mark]

You ONLY got the guards as part of the front license plate bracket...

[Chuck Lutz]

You ONLY got the guards as part of the front license plate bracket...

That's what I thought but .. that's not what it says. I think the "bumber" call out is for the front license plate frame.

More study...

[2MarkIIs]

My blue car has guards no license plate frame, could have been removed at one time not %100 sure. How bout rocker moldings? all cars come standard with them? My parts car does not have them nor are there holes. Also again i have not gotten deep into it to see if there were previous holes. I am finishing putting a core support and frame rail section on my ASC mclaren that i bought wrecked. Once i finish that its on to the marks. Hopefully another month.

[Chuck Lutz]

I thought the rocker trims were always part of the original car without exception. They are hard to find so maybe someone patched the holes and did away with the trims.

[Barry Wolk]

That seems likely. Run your hand between the rocker panel and the exhaust pipe. If they bondo'ed they'll be a screen or a blob that you'll feel.

[2MarkIIs]

Oh yeah for sure, its not it would matter anyways the car is rotted haha.

[Chuck Lutz]

oh yeah for sure, its not it would matter anyways the car is rotted haha.

more bondo! LOL :)

[depmike38]

more bondo! LOL :)

We don't say bondo:eek: anymore, it's body filler.:D

[Chuck Lutz]

Oh MIKE, you're so PC

[2MarkIIs]

No filler can save this one, the frame is shot.