"New tooling" for bumpers??
 

Just noticed on the LMC website a note stating..

"Bumper is stamped from new tooling using OE-quality steel for strength and durability".

Anyone tried the "new and improved" Any better? I am skeptical..

Re: "New tooling" for bumpers??
 

Could be just that the previous dies were worn out and new dies installed. Stamping dies are a wear item. No new "improved" dies just replacing the old ones, which would lend to crisper lines and bends.

Re: "New tooling" for bumpers??
 

Different supplier.

Re: "New tooling" for bumpers??
 

And the steel may be o.e quality but that doesn't mean that it's the same thickness as o.e. Some of those new bumpers are so thin they warp like a fun house mirror when you tighten the bolts down.

Re: "New tooling" for bumpers??
 

Keep in mind, all reproduction sheet metal comes from one place, one factory, in China. None of it is made here. If you check the UPC code on each repro part, it has a country of origin code, which will be China/Taiwan. All suppliers get the same parts . Quality is hit and miss. And none of it is as good as original GM.

Re: "New tooling" for bumpers??
 

Even late model "after market" bumpers are thinner, so are the brackets. I was at a car show this past month and there was a car with repro bumpers, forget what kind of car, but sixties, early seventies. The rear bumper, OMG it was THIN, like 1/16" or something, it looked like CRAP.

I can't say it enough, get original stuff and fix it before thinking about reproduction, reproduction is the LAST RESORT for me.

I have found that if you have little patience you can find some awesome stuff for a reasonable price. My daily driver 59 Rambler, got an NOS Steering wheel for $75 and NOS horn button for $15.

I forget the prices but I can't make it clear enough, I am CHEAP big time, I am SUPER CHEAP, and I got an NOS distributor, door handles, door latches, head light rings, hood moulding, 53 Corvette intake, and many other things off eBay for super reasonable prices.

I need to do a "Basics of Basics" to how I use ebay. Basically you go to advanced search. You put in a basic description of what you want very basic so you get every one posted and not loose out by having too tricky of words. You change the "sort by" to time: newly listed and hit "search." You then save that to your favorites and you check it every morning. You will see the newest listed items, some with "Buy it now" and low prices, WHAM you have your part!

I have gotten crazy good deals doing this.

Brian