Classic/Antique Car Repair: California bumpers, internet chat room, newsgroup on line

Question
Dick:

If you've been around awhile, may you can answer this one.

Many years ago, a friend of mine had a '58 Chevrolet with a one piece front bumper.  He insisted the car came from California and all California cars had one piece front bumpers.  49 states had the traditional three piece for '58.  He went on to say that '55-'57 Chevys were equipped the same way if they were headed to California.  Never gave it much thought 'til the other day a guy on an internet chat room started talking about his buddies recently acquired '59 El Camino with a one piece front bumper.  

I have a Chevrolet parts book, '38-'64, printed in '64 that lists three piece bumpers for ''55-'58 and two piece for '59.  No special distinction is made for one piece California bumpers of that era.

Was this real or am I dreaming?

Thanks,
Mike

Answer
Well, maybe it's too late, but I'm back from the fire evacuation and this one was still in my in-box.   I too have heard the story of one piece bumpers for California BUILT cars, but not for those that were shipped in from out of state factories.   I think this is probably because many parts were locally obtained out here, in other words from a different vendor than the back east plants might have used.  I know folks use that to identify a true California BUILT car, at least for 57s, and probably that same story holds for the other years.

Actually, there is probably a newsgroup on line that could tell you more than you want to know about this.

Good Luck.

Dick.