Hey fellas, had to take a week off doin' other stuff, but got a little more done yesterday. Of course, before drilling any holes in the frame, I want to measure thrice and drill once, so I spent some time lining up the bumper to try to match pictures of original small bumper cars in height and setback relative to the side turn signal and headlight bucket. I took a long time to do this, hard to get it just right, but I think this position looks good and matches the correct original position in most pics I have. And wouldn't you know it, when I measured the front bracket hole center point, it was EXACTLY where rthomas771's template said it should be.....3-3/8" back from front of frame, and 2" up from bottom. Not that I ever doubted you! But I just wanted to be absolutely certain. Tomorrow....drill, baby, drill!
Just like Trump, promises made, promises kept! So I got some drilling done. I tried removing the lower fender "wing" bracket on passenger side, but as you can see the screws were locked to the speed nuts and so broke through the holes....yet another thing to add to the list. So I did not do that to the driver's side. As you can see, I just barely got my drill in there, but after some time a good chest and arm workout, was able to get through the outer frame. Thicker than I expected. Even though I used a center punch to start the hole at the exact location, the drill bit still wandered about 1/16" upward off center. But I figure it's not an issue, since the bracket hole is 3/4" tall, so that's plenty of "slop" to account for the drilling error. I'm still tempted to try to push a nut up through the hole in bottom of frame, rather than drilling through the other side and using a longer bolt, as rthomas771 suggested (and did himself). Still thinking about it....I'm pretty sure the inner frame wall is thinner than the outer, so drilling through it should be easier, I'm just apprehensive about improper alignment, and all those shavings piling up inside the boxed frame....should I worry about that?
Now I need to find some big serrated body washers to cover that 3/4" bracket hole, and really bite into the bracket so it doesn't wander after I align and tighten it.
QUESTION: does anybody have a part number for, or can post pictures of, the OEM bolts/washers used for the skinny bumper brackets? In the pic, I can see where the serrations bit it into the metal, and I want to try to replicate that with a serrated fender washer, or very large-flanged bolt, if I can find one in 1/2" size. But not finding any P/Ns or pics of original Ford hardware.
ALSO NEEDED: rubber insulators, P/N 17B947. They insert in slot on top of each bracket, prevent metal-to-metal with the bumper. One broke while straightening the bracket, and one is missing on one of the "outer bumper arms". Typical of many Maverick parts, Google can't find anybody who carries these. Not super critical, I can always jury-rig something....double-sided Gorilla tape and a piece cut out from an old heater hose, maybe...
Here is the rubber bumper for the bracket. Melvin's Classic Ford Parts Not 100% factory correct but will look better than an old heater hose
Thanks, I'll try a couple of those. Running through their site, I ran across "Bumper Bolt Wave Washers" - I didn't know about those. Ford shop manual does show some kind of "shaped" washer between inside surface of bumper and the bracket, but no part number. Melvin's says wave washers help keep the bumper chrome from cracking....any truth to that? Couldn't I just use a rubber washer, same effect?
Looking through the master parts catalog I don't see the wave washer. Maybe someone else can chime in with the answer. My Falcon use wave washers, don't remember about the Maverick. The image from the parts catalog has part# 17A924 is for a Comet bumper. Is this the same photo you're seeing in the shop manual?
No, mine's a little different, less part number detail. 1970 Ford Shop Manual. Googled that part number, sure enough, Ford 1965-70 "wave washers". I guess I need to get some - but I'm not worried about "concourse correct", nobody will see them anyway - I just want to make sure the bumper is protected and correctly attached, as much as I paid for it! I still think thick rubber washers would accomplish much the same thing, maybe I'll try both.
Since you have your parts catalog out, can I ask you what is the P/N for the washer at the very top of your pic - the one between the bumper bracket bolt "350..." and the bracket itself? If my OEM brackets are any clue, as in my pic above, that is very large external tooth lock washer, or something similar, that made those teeth marks in the bracket around the 3/4" wide hole. Thanks!!
