1962 Chevrolet 1-piece (Cali) front bumper

[Verne_Frantz]

Mark, No problem from me. I doubt that there is anyone who can say for certain "why" California specified one-piece bumpers. The quote above is from an unspecified source. What-ever the reason, they did it. It's simply part of the history of these cars. Whether it was for safety or road debris really doesn't matter to me other than curiosity.
For what its worth, there are no service replacement numbers for those one-piece bumpers. I believe the edict was that any car "delivered to California" must have them. It was definitely not only cars built in California because I have documented several cars with one-piece bumpers (orig) that were built at other plants out of state. So, having those bumpers is no guarantee that the car was "built" in California; only that it was "sold" new in California. And 1962 was the last year for the one-piece.

Verne

[al8apex]

Verne, the quote from above is from the link provided above as well, they also state that the one piece bumpers went through 1964 ...

"This'll give you something else to look for: I've seen one-piece bumpers on California cars from 55 to 64 (the full-size cars). They're nicer looking than the two or three piece bumpers, because they have no visible seams. "

I am not an expert on early 60's Chevies, so I couldn't tell you if 64 is fact or fiction ...

Here is some info on the 57 one piece bumper from a Hemmings article:

"Most front bumpers were three-piece units, but even in 1957, California law prohibited this, and all new 1957 Chevys delivered there had a one-piece bumper."

linkie: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/se...p;client=safari

[Verne_Frantz]

Perhaps '64 was the last year the one-piece bumpers appeared on some models in Ca. but '62 was the last year for Chevys.
Verne

[John Brown]

Also, the 57 one piece bumpers weigh about 10 pounds more than the corresponding 3 piece bumper.
The drag racer story was that the one piece bumper was lighter, but it wasn't true.

They did look a whole lot nicer though.