'67 Rear Bumpers

[Leif A.]

I was at a car show this past weekend and noticed a '67 with two holes in each rear bumper on the vertical sides next to the license plate approx. 5/8" in diameter. A friend is restoring a '67 roadster and he has the same four holes (two in each bumper). Having never seen any others like this, I was curious if anyone out there knows what the holes would have been for? thanks.

[Steven B.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

Leif, I have seen a few back in the 60's and 70's. Trailer hitches were mounted there. I had a friend who mounted a hitch on his '67 in that manner so he could tow his boat. A Fort Wayne, Indiana Chevy dealer stocked them. Steve

[Leif A.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

Steve,Thanks for confirming what I "thought" it may have been. Kind of hard to envision anyone using their Corvette to tow anything. Leif

[Carl N.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

I have a pair out in the shed along with the U-Haul hitch and bolts - I had the hitch installed on my C2 when I was discharged at Ft Benning and pulled a U-Haul trailer back to Texas with all our belongings July 4, 1970. Not uncommon back in the day when these were just transportation.

[Leif A.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

Carl,I have to agree that they were just "transportation" back in the day. My first Corvette was a '59 that I sold when I was discharged from the Air Force in Hawaii back in '72...got $850 for it and was thankful just to sell.

[Paul Y.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

There are old stories and rumors of someone towing a two wheel trailer stacked much higher than the old fuel injected corvette pulling, it to many swap meets out in the west, in the 1980's and 1990's. It was even seen as far east as Chicago and west as far as California. It appeared that the owner was dealing in used 63-67 parts and seemed to feel that pulling a trailer did not take a lot of effort from the 1963 Coupe that was sporting a primer and bare fiberglass patina. I think that there have been other members on this board that may have towed trailers with their corvettes or have seen this same strange aberration also.

[Michael M.]

[Paul Y.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

That hitch looks like the good kind that you don't have to drill the bumper but you are able to use the existing bumper bolts and it has a long tongue that goes under the spare tire and attaches to the differential. All you have to do is pull a pin and it drops down and you can get to your spare tire for a change of flat. Those were great because they could be unbolted and left no scars and were actually stouter for more tongue weight and trailer weight. Good hitch.

[Gerard F.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

Leif,

Yes we used to tow trailers with our Corvettes. Here's the aftermarket one I put on my 67 in 1969:



Also put the luggage rack on in 1969.

Used the trailer hitch to haul a hydroplane boat trailer from home in NYC (Queens) to Little Creek, VA where I was stationed in the Navy Seabees.
When I left the Service in late 69, I hauled a rent-a-trailer with my furniture back from VA to Queens.

Then I needed the luggage rack with an older Samsonite luggage to move from Queens, NY to California with everything I owned in the Corvette in Dec 69. No trailer that time.

Moving around California a few times in the early 70's, I would rent a small trailer.
It was my only car then.

In the 90's I took the trailer hitch off and put plastic plugs in the holes.

But true to the NCRS restoration spirit, I had the hitch re-chromed and put it back on a few years ago.

The picture is from the San Diego Convention Road Tour in 2012. It is not the same old gray Samsonite luggage from 69 (which I still have, see picture next my name above), but a color matching Samsonite my wife got me.
But I had to put the sign on it "California or Bust 1969" in memory of that trip when I was just a kid.

[Bill M.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

my 66 convertible has the same holes i was told that they were for a trailer hitch and the car was used to tow a small boat. when we removed the body from the chassis we found the rear end cross member loaded with sea shells and sand. i will probably leave the holes and find a hitch. want to use the car as a winter driver and perhaps to tow a small trailer when needed.

[Leif A.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

Bill,Read post #4 above...maybe Carl will sell you his.

[Gerard F.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

Bill,

Here's my 1969 over the counter C2 hitch after siting in a cabinet in the garage for some 15 years. It was pretty generic and to make it fit my 67, I had to have the shim plates on each side made. But being in a Seabee battalion at the time (ACB-2), it was just a little time at the machine shop with some "Can Do".



In 2010, I had it re-chromed and put it back on the 67 for the memory. Haven't towed anything yet, and somewhat afraid to with my elderly 67. No longer young and foolish



This hitch is really not rated for much, it says 1000# maximum load and a maximum 100# tongue load. So I wouldn't tow anything big with it.
The dealers did have a little better hitch which had a brace to the frame under the spare tire compartment, which might be a little better.

But whatever you do, consider the age of your suspension and bumpers. I remember the car going a little wild towing a boat.

[Timothy B.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

Jerry,

I have some old Samsonite luggage at the house if you need more for your next trip. :-)

[Bill M.]

Re: '67 Rear Bumpers

Jerry

i was just thinking a small trailer to tow stuff to farther away shows. getting older and we ussually take our coupe but when you throw in a couple of chairs and some clothing we just run out of space. i guess that part of getting old. i will keep my eye out for one.

Bill