Rear bumper help (UK)

[Lowlifedub]

Hi guys,im after a bit of help if possible.Im awaiting delivery of my 72 C10 Fleetside from North Carolina(currently on the ship in the container)
I only have pictures to work from now and as it's a project im trying to get a few things in place before it gets here.

The rear bumper doesnt seem to look right.It looks too low and seems to be a large gap between the tailgate and the top of the bumper.

Is there a make up piece I am missing or is the bumper not for my truck year or is it a badly fitting aftermarket one?

I do like the look of the exhaust cut out LMC one but while im doing the bodywork id like to make this one fit better.

Thanks in advance guys

[Security guy]

I believe that rear bumper is for the '73-'87 trucks. I could be wrong, but that's not a correct bumper for that year truck. Most people go with a 'sport' bumper which is a lot smaller and smoother appearance

[michael bustamante]

that is a FEY aftermarket diamond plate bumper. an inexpensive alternative to the OEM style. youre most likely wanting the OEM style sprt bumper. it matches the front bumper

[Lowlifedub]

Thanks guys.Yeah it just doesnt seem right somehow but id like to try and make it fit a bit better before i get a new one.

The one im liking at the minute is this one from LMC



There is another C10 in the uk with a bumper similar to the one that is on mine but it just seems to fit much better.


Thanks again guys.

[michael bustamante]

they probably used the OEM brackets instead of the ones that came with the FEY bumper

[Acorn]

Here is a pic of my rear bumper on my '70. Notice the vertical piece on the back.
If you need more pics, let me know.

[Lowlifedub]

Originally Posted by Acorn

Here is a pic of my rear bumper on my '70. Notice the vertical piece on the back.
If you need more pics, let me know.

Ah thats a good shout,thanks Acorn.
If you happen to have one of the return lip on the back that would be really handy.Thankyou

[Acorn]

Here is a pic of the side and the back side. In the first pic I posted that rusty spot on the left side of the bumper is where the licence plate was.
Can't find any of my pics with it installed but I hope these help.

[Acorn]

Oops! Upside down and only one pic......let me try again.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Lowlifedub

Ah thats a good shout,thanks Acorn.
If you happen to have one of the return lip on the back that would be really handy.Thankyou

Probably easier to make your own at this point - 40 + years later. Take a strip of aluminum diamond tread and have a metal smith put a 90* bend in it, so that the flap covers your underbed gap. Rivet it on. Or use steel and weld it on.
Maybe 2" or 3" angle iron?
Have you tried loosening the step bumper mounting bolts and raising the bumper level? On my SAF-T-BUMPER the mounting holes are elongated ovals -- allowing a little height adjustment. Try that first.

[Lowlifedub]

Originally Posted by Acorn

Oops! Upside down and only one pic......let me try again.

Thanks again Acorn,thats a great help thankyou.

[Lowlifedub]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Probably easier to make your own at this point - 40 + years later. Take a strip of aluminum diamond tread and have a metal smith put a 90* bend in it, so that the flap covers your underbed gap. Rivet it on. Or use steel and weld it on.
Maybe 2" or 3" angle iron?
Have you tried loosening the step bumper mounting bolts and raising the bumper level? On my SAF-T-BUMPER the mounting holes are elongated ovals -- allowing a little height adjustment. Try that first.

Cheers sunshine.Im a mechanical engineer by trade and we have a brake press at work so there would be no issue folding a 90 in a bit of chequer plate.

I havn't taken delivery of the truck yet,ot's still in Norfolk Virginia after leaving New York Port and then its heading to Southampton.

Im just trying to get a head start on knowledge before it gets here ha ha.

It has a 350 in it and the distributor has snapped off in the block so i have a replacement Mallory super comp replacement ready for it.
It doesnt shift into 3rd as the turbo350 leaks so i have that to sort also.

Cant wait to make a start.

Thanks for your help.

[NorCalC20LWB]

Here is what came with mine, no idea if original or aftermarket. I think the sport bumpers look cleaner, on the looong list of to do's. Anyway, hopefully this helps if you want to fab up your own vertical piece to cover the gap.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Lowlifedub

Cheers sunshine.Im a mechanical engineer by trade and we have a brake press at work so there would be no issue folding a 90 in a bit of chequer plate.

I havn't taken delivery of the truck yet,ot's still in Norfolk Virginia after leaving New York Port and then its heading to Southampton.

Im just trying to get a head start on knowledge before it gets here ha ha.

It has a 350 in it and the distributor has snapped off in the block so i have a replacement Mallory super comp replacement ready for it.
It doesnt shift into 3rd as the turbo350 leaks so i have that to sort also.

Cant wait to make a start.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers, Mate,
Can't fry your chickens before they've hatched.
I'm a proponent of the step bumper. It's a Manly bumper. You can step on it. You can use it as a anvil in the field. Adds ballast to the rearend. You can even pull a light trailer. Can't do any of that with a 'girly' sport bumper. [JK]
Good to see more Chevy Trucks in the UK.
I used to be a Harrier Handler in the '70s. Our aircraft were Hawker-Siddeley, then BAe-made AV8As [GR1/GR3]. Made in England. So I know why the Brits drink warm beer: Lucas Electrics.
Here's mine. It had no trailer ball, so I added a Class IV hitch.

[Lowlifedub]

Originally Posted by NorCalC20LWB

Here is what came with mine, no idea if original or aftermarket. I think the sport bumpers look cleaner, on the looong list of to do's. Anyway, hopefully this helps if you want to fab up your own vertical piece to cover the gap.

Wow what a lovely colour! Thanks for the pic Cali that's another help. I must admit I do prefer the sport bumper but I will get the step bumper looking nice for now as I have lots to do in the meantime before making pretty ha ha. Thanks again buddy.

[Lowlifedub]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Cheers, Mate,
Can't fry your chickens before they've hatched.
I'm a proponent of the step bumper. It's a Manly bumper. You can step on it. You can use it as a anvil in the field. Adds ballast to the rearend. You can even pull a light trailer. Can't do any of that with a 'girly' sport bumper. [JK]
Good to see more Chevy Trucks in the UK.
I used to be a Harrier Handler in the '70s. Our aircraft were Hawker-Siddeley, then BAe-made AV8As [GR1/GR3]. Made in England. So I know why the Brits drink warm beer: Lucas Electrics.
Here's mine. It had no trailer ball, so I added a Class IV hitch.

Ah Lucas electrics. The reason half of British Leyland, rover and jaguar spent more time at the side of the road than on it ha ha.
I live in Lincoln Lincolnshire so we have a few air bases near me Waddington being the closes that houses the Vulcan and the red arrows
I agree the rear looks more manly with a tow bumper on but I have a Caddy sts for daily duties and Thays for towing ha ha. The pick up will be a toy ha ha.
We have had a lot of classic American cars in our family ranging from 60 flat top caddy to 53 buick specials and keeping it Chevy a nice 78 cheyenne blazer. Thus will be my 1st pick up though so im really looking forward to it

['68OrangeSunshine]

As we say on this board -- It's your truck. You can do what you want with it, and that's nobody else's business but your own. I was just kidding about the rear bumpers anyway. But I'm sure by the third pint of scrumpy, you'll see it my way.
What a strange world, my Dad had a couple of Jaguars. A Silver Grey '58 Mark VIII Saloon [3.4(?)L DOHC inline 6] a 4 speed w/electric OD, and no brakes. Loved the fold down tray tables and bar in the back. We drove it from Illinois to LA and stayed. In LA, a few years later he bought a clean two-tone Green/Cream Mark IX '59 body and swapped the same engine into that. Unfortunately he traded the good 4-speed trans with the silver body and got a Leyland license built Powerglide 2-speed automatic with the green body. That car's brakes locked up after 15 miles. He also got me a used '61 Mercedes 190 sedan to drive to school. I loved it to death. Literaly. When I blew a rod on the Newport Freeway, late to a rugby game, I decided to get a Chevy truck. Still got it.
Godspeed on your international shipment of "Machine Parts." You'll have to post us on how a distributor can sheer off an SBC.
Brian