Bumper guards on my '57A Coupe (100461)

[Wayne Arny]

(I am resubmitting this note, as I initially put it in the wrong discussion group! Apologies!)

I am reassembling the bumpers on my ‘57A Coupe, and I wonder about my bumper guards. (Pictured below.)

These are the four that came with the car years ago, but two appear to be polished aluminum and two appear to be chromed. I’ve read through past threads in the Forum here, and I gather that for European delivery early 356As had polished aluminum for the front bumper and the chromed guards on the rear.

However, as we all know after participating in this forum for years (to quote, partially, an old mentor of mine): When it comes to Porsche 356 parts, “Consistency is the Hobgoblin of Narrow Minds!”

So, what’s the answer? Clean up what I’ve got and put the polished ones on the front and the chromed ones on the back? Or go out and find two more of the polished aluminum and make them all look the same?

The car came with a muffler that exited out under the rear bumper, and there were no indications in the rear valance or bumper that it had ever had “through-the-bumper” exhaust pipes.

I must confess that after driving this car for the past twenty years, I guess I was more interested in driving it than closely examining the bumper guards, as it never caught my attention.

Thanks!

[Mike Wilson]

I'd say for the sake of originality, clean them up and reinstall.

Mike

[Brad Ripley]

You've got two original "short fats" (anodized) and two repro narrow euros (polished - I don't see them as chrome in the photo).

Assuming you car was a Euro delivery without protection tubes, then it would have come with the short narrow diecast chrome guards, front and rear. Here is a link to currently available reproductions: https://www.stoddard.com/64450503202c.html

The short fats were for earlier cars, both front and rear. Here is a link to current reproductions, polished not anodized : http://www.sierramadrecollection.com/Fr ... 15959.html

[Wayne Arny]

Brad, Just to be clear, the "short fats" are the ones on the left; the rear ones? Thanks!

[Dick Weiss]

Wayne,

Your car is a '57T1 and having just the plain guards, all 4-should have the same finish w/matched pairs--2-rights & 2-lefts.
The same thing having thru the bumper exhaust guards, unless chromed as an option(?)

Dick

[Alan Hall]

I think, but can't be sure, that for the "A" cars all thru the exhaust guards, both w and w/o overriders, were chrome plated but guards w/o the thru exhaust were bright dip finish and not chrome. Suspect it may have been done that way because of the corrosive nature of the exhaust.