I got a set of stock chrome front and rear bumpers for the '64-72 Styleside F-100s from Blue Oval Truck Parts (BOTP). They are available with a few options like license plate mounting hole variations and can also be had in a painted steel for those wanting more of a low-key look.
There are simple things about old vehicles that can make a big visual difference. Headlights, or the lack there of, in a project vehicle in the paper or at the swap meet can make or break a sale. The headlights are the eyeballs of the truck and even though it's a little detail, having them there for representation can help cinch the deal. After all, who wants to buy a vehicle with its eyes gouged out?
Bumpers are kind of the same in a way, even though they can be a matter of taste. You miss them when it looks like they are supposed to be there. I personally like bumpers on most all vintage vehicles. They are kind of like the bread at each end of the sandwich. Roll pans work well for many people and trucks throughout the years even left the factory without rear bumpers-to each their own. That's what makes all of this so much fun. If we all had the same-looking trucks, we'd be bored to tears!
I knew the '68 was gonna have front and rear bumpers from the get go, I just hadn't gotten around to the getting and going. I had never seen the truck with a rear bumper since I replaced the Flairside bed with the Styleside over a year ago, and had removed the twisted front bumper well before that. Even though I had kinda gotten used to looking at the bare rear end and the frame horns sticking out in front of the grille, my sandwich needed some bread!
Blue Oval Truck Parts (BOTP) stocks plenty of Ford truck items and had the bumpers I needed as well as the small but highly important rear bumper brackets. With so many old trucks over the years having their stock rear bumpers and brackets tossed in favor of a more rugged homemade rear "anchor" original parts for the aft end are tough to come by. No matter if you have Flairside, Styleside, F-1, or most other Ford trucks, BOTP can get you protected with new, stock, good-looking bumpers. Most of them are available in beautiful chrome or painted depending on your needs (that includes restoration projects!). If you want to get creative, you could order a painted set to trim and tuck if you are building a custom truck-which I may do when I have time-or just be happy cruising with them as is.
