Grill Mounting Question - 1956

[Eric Falk]

I've rechromed the bumpers and cleaned and installed the grill.  In doing so I noticed a tab on the bumper that appears to be another mounting point for the grill.  Does anyone know if there should be another mounting bracket in this location?  I've attached a photo for reference.

Thanks in advance.


(NOTE: The photo was taken before the cleaning and replating.  )

[2danreed]

Hi Eric,

My '56 does not have a bracket of any sort at that center tab shown in your photo. I only have those longer brackets on each side just like what the blue arrow on the left is pointing to. My car is unrestored-original so I would be currious to know if something was supposed to mount to that tab.

Dan

[Otto Skorzeny]

My car too has never been restored and it has no bracket or anything like that in that position. My guess is that someone may have mounted a license plate or fog lights or some such accessory there at one time. The cheesy spot weld doesn't look very much like a factory job. Maybe it was a club embem mount or some such thing.

[Otto Skorzeny]

Oh brother.

That's pretty weird. What did you do when you restored your car? Did you leave it on or mount anything to it?

[Otto Skorzeny]

I looked to see if there was any evidence of one having been on my car but there was not. No flash or broken bits or anything that would indicate that a piece of metel was ever spot welded in that area. If yours didn't have the screw clip, I would think maybe it was something to aide in manufacturing or assembly but since your's has a threaded clip, it was obviously used for something on the car.

Why do some have it and some not?

[Eric Falk]

I never thought the tab was added because it was welded the same as the other tabs and appeared to be in line.  Howevver, there wasn't a clip on mine.  Okay, lets try and figure out the mystery.  I wonder if it has anything to do with the  model or various features from the factory.  My car is a 6239DX with the following options: PS, PB, PW, 6 way seat, fog lights. 

Southpaw, which features do you have?

[Otto Skorzeny]

Mine is 6237DX

PS,PB,PW,2 way seats

[J. Gomez]

Eric,

Mine is 6219 same options as yours and that particularl center bracket is also MIA..! However, after dismantling the grill for cleaning I made one when all the pieces were put back together (what a pain..!) just to keep everything squared, and left it in place.

Regards,

Jose Gomez CLC #23082

[Eric Falk]

Jose,

From your comments I take it your bumper had the tab welded on it. 

Eric

[Otto Skorzeny]

Jose,

I don't quite understand your post. You said your car didn't have one and then you made one?

What does it connect to? There is nothing anywhere near that area on my car.

How did you even know where to put it or what it was if your car didn't have one in the first place. I'm confused.

[J. Gomez]

Eric,

That would be correct; the upper bumper has a tab already in place. I’m posting two pictures of the area under Ottos’ message.

Regards,

Jose Gomez CLC #23082

[J. Gomez]

I'm attaching two snap shoots I took of the grill area, sorry for the angle..!

In my case the upper bumper member has a tab already in place at the mid section. I’ve installed a small “J” nut since it had none (as the two on the left and right sides) to stabilized the vertical bars in place during installation. 

Regards,

Jose Gomez CLC #23082

[2danreed]

I'm still puzzled by the center tab.  I have a 6219 PW,PS, fog lights

I can't think of any option that would anything at all to do with that nearly hidden tab in the center of the grill. I've had my car ten years and never knew that mystery tab was there until this thread appeared.

Only one thought:  Is it possible this center tab was initially intended to be additional support for the middle grill bar - possibly designed in prior to engineers incorporating that little chrome vertical piece that seems to support the middle grill bar? I don't think the '55 grill has that chrome vertical support for the middle grill bar. Now I'm curious to take a look at a factory original '55 grill to see what, if anything, attached to that little tab.

Dan

[Otto Skorzeny]

I'll bet it is something found on either early 56's or late 56s. They probably made some thinking that it would need more stability and then realized it didn't. Or, they figured out later that they did need more stability there and started putting them in the later versions.

My guess is early and  pre-production grills had it and later ones didn't. Jose's is the first one I've seen with a bracket and he made it himself. Why would the center bracket be missing from so many cars and not the other two?

Maybe we can figure it out by listing id numbers.

Mine is 5662 150453

[J. Gomez]

I think you maybe into something..!!

Per the Hollander Interchange the front bumper for the 1955 60S and 62 would fit the 1956 60S and 62 and vice-versa, there is also a note “would fit in pairs”, not sure what is the significance on the notation. Although, the physical bumper layout of 1955 and 1956 are different i.e. bottom section, dagmar bumpers, it appears the center bar (which has this particular tab) seems to be the same.

So you could by dead-on, the center bars could have been left over from the late 1955 models integrated in the early production of the 1956, while later productions having the tab removed all together from the batch.

Too bad the Flux Capacitor is on the blink on the De Lorean so we could take a trip back to memory lane..! 

Jose Gomez CLC #23082

[Otto Skorzeny]

Flux capacitor. That's funny. That's a joke my brother and I always make about techno things that break down.

What is your ID number? You can see mine was pretty late production.

[J. Gomez]

Sorry forgot..!

Mine is 079962

Jose Gomez CLC #23082

[Otto Skorzeny]

Yes, much earlier than mine.

[2danreed]

Yeah, what spurred my thought was my hunch that the center grill bar could very well be the same for '55 and '56 Cadillacs. Also, the fact that the '55 grill does not have the chrome support piece below the center grill bar (only on the '56). That being said, it seems viable that in '55 that center tab did serve as a mount for a support bracket, but on the '56 grill they opted for having that chrome vertical bracket below the grill bar instead - leaving an unused tab.

The GN is only a few weeks away, so I'll be checking out lots of '55 grills to see if anything is mounted to that "mystery tab". Will the rest of you guys be attending the GN?  If so, look me up. I should be easy to find - I'm an automotive artist and will have my display booth setup in the main hotel - I'll be autographing and selling this year's GN posters.

Dan

[Otto Skorzeny]

Cool. Do you have a website?

I won't be going to GN, unfortunately. Unlike many people in this hobby, I won't be retired for 30+ - years. I have to work that week. =(

Let us know what you see on the 55s and 56s. It will be interesting.