Chrome bumper guard without slot

[356rider]

I'm trying to determine if these guards are original to the car. It is a late May '65 production. The car is unrestored and complete but I'm not ruling out the scenario where the orig owner might have replaced these. Has anyone seen guards without slots on very early cars? Please share any info you have. Thanks.

[Jim Breazeale]

That is a factory early bumper guard. More than likely it is original to your car. They put slots in later ones.

Regards

Jim

[Bobs 67S]

Jim, we asked that of a 1964 car owner #027 as we had witnessed slotted guards and non-slotted guards. His was a one-owner car that he bought new, and acknowledged they had never been replaced. Came back to the phone and said "one is - one does not".

All we can conclude is they came both ways. What was the purpose of that slot anyway. It sure makes for real fussy fabrication.

[356rider]

Anybody else have an early car with original front guards? Slot or no slot?

[JT912]

'66 912. All chrome. Both with slots.

[Jim Breazeale]

Jim, we asked that of a 1964 car owner #027 as we had witnessed slotted guards and non-slotted guards. His was a one-owner car that he bought new, and acknowledged they had never been replaced. Came back to the phone and said "one is - one does not".

All we can conclude is they came both ways. What was the purpose of that slot anyway. It sure makes for real fussy fabrication.

Hi Bob

I, too, have observed early cars with mismatched guards. I can only assume that nobody on the assembly line cared and there must have been a short time where both types were in parts bins at the factory. I think we can also assume that the "no slot" guards came before the slotted ones.
Bottom line, nobody has a concrete answer.

Ciao

Jim

[mshaver51]

FWIW, my information is that the very earliest cars had all-chrome without slots. i was told that slots were added as a production issue by the supplier and that they have no function. i have yet to find definitive documentation, however.

[Unobtanium-inc]

I think Jim has nailed the answer on this one. The factory didn't care, and at some point their supplier gave them bumpers with no slots, then slots, and possibly back and forth between the two a bit. We see LOTS of examples of "the factory didn't sweat the gritty details" come through here. - Matt