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TR2/3/3A Bumper bracket to frame question

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Frank Canale

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I feel like I will be in the same league as Columbo. So much detective work to figure out the chrome scene. Bead blasted the bumper brackets to the frame. Where the bumper bracket attaches to the frame bracket there is a giant hole that looks like it was tourched out. One of the brackets had 2 flats left of a nut attached to the back of the frame bracket. It appears that the bracket originally had weld nuts on the bracket. I think the nut is a 1/2-20 nut. Can anyone confirm this? Frank
 
Hello Frank
There are two tubes that were welded into the frame on both sides for each bolt. The front bolts hold the radiator guard in place.
Barry
 
The front bumper bracket had a nut welded to the back and then the bracket for the chrome bumper attached to that. The nut is not always there sometime just the hole. Possibly the later cars had the nuts on the back. Most of the cars I have owned the nut was missing and 7/16 or 3/8 sounds correct the ½ sounds too big. I might have one for a pic with the nut if we are on the same page.
steve
 
Thank you Steve, yes you are on the right track. When I get home I will see if I can check the spare parts manual and figure out what hardware was used. At least I know that there was a nut on the back side. A long way from needing bumpers but everything will need cleaning and repairs sooner or later.
Thank you Berry, I have not gotten to the supports, I am not sure if I have them at all. They were not on the car when I took the body off. Frank
 
I checked the spare parts manual and it does not show the later TR3A brackets. There was enough of the threads on the little piece that was still on the bracket that I could check the thread count with my thread pitch gauge. It is a 24 thread pitch so I am going with a 3/8-24 bolt. The only way to get this size weld nut is to buy 100 and I will probably never use them again so I am going to get a couple of 3/8-24 heavy nuts and machine the locating ring on the nut. The hole in the bracket will get repaired and the nut welded back in place. When I get the nuts and get back to this repair I will post pictures . Frank
 
When you look for bolts, remember one of them on the driver's side also supports a bracket coming down from the steering gear. ISTR that it also has a spacer between the bumper bracket and the steering bracket...but it's been so long I don't remember the details of the spacer. I am sure Steve does...
 
I looked through my old bent brackets and could not find any brackets with the nuts on back or evidence of there being any, but the last ones I put on had the nuts. I believe the nuts where put on the later cars, say 60, 61, 62. The holes is bigger than I thought, say 9/16, so the nut would be special. Perhaps some kinda nut with a washer welded to it to increase the overall size for welding or just a special nut.

When the times comes to fit the brackets, apron, and second bracket for the bumper onto the apron, try and get a few test fits in because that is often a real pain. Our old buddy Randall once told me to loosen everything up---- get it on the car and tight down slowly. I figured that could crack the apron paint or putty, but in the end that is what I did after egg sharing a few holes a little and bending a little, difficult area because the reveal/ gap around the apron caused by the bumper shape is small with variables of fenders and frame, and bumper.

steve
 
Thank you Steve and John, you are correct about the support bracket and spacer. All of that was intact on the car. I did not get a bumper or the brackets that attach the bumper to the frame bracket. I plan on getting a front bumper but not sure if I will try and re chrome a used one, or go with reproduction. Plenty of time to decide that one. Frank
 
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