1956 Ford Front License Plate Bracket

[Herman Munster]

I've been trying to find a front plate bracket for my '56 Fairlane but haven't had any luck. Is there any sources for them?

[THRASHER]

I need one (or more) as well ..
Any luck locating these yet ???

[Herman Munster]

No. I'm still looking for leads. There's a possibility that one from a '59 might work.

[alt63bird]

They had brackets? I thought the slotted holes in the bumper eliminated the need for brackets.

[Herman Munster]

I'm pretty sure they did. The front plate bends when mounting straight to the bumper.

[Y-Blockhead]

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I'm wondering if you could just fab a couple of spacers for the bolts to pass thru just thick enough so the plate mounts straight?

[Ole Don]

I used one inch long one inch diameter rubber bumpers between the plate and the bumper. The plate stays straight, and when bugs hit, it gives just a little.

[Daves55Sedan]

Never seen one that had a bracket on the front, but it would be pretty easy to rig something up with spacers if you don't want you license plate bent around that curve.

[Herman Munster]

I was thinking about fabbing something but I didn't want to mickymouse something on a car that is mostly original. There is a listing for one in the Ford parts book but there is no illustration.
I just want to do things right.

[raceron1120]

What base # did you find in the book for the front bracket? I didn't see it listed for a '56. I'm thinking it would be 17A385 but it's not in my '49-'59 book.

[Herman Munster]

Originally Posted by raceron1120

What base # did you find in the book for the front bracket? I didn't see it listed for a '56. I'm thinking it would be 17A385 but it's not in my '49-'59 book.

I don't have the book in front of me but I think it was 17736. 17A385 looks like a newer number.

[Y-Blockhead]

17A385 is a generic part # for a Ford license plate bracket. Just about every Ford bracket on ebay has 17A385 in it, for example; XL3Z-17A385-AA is for a 2002 Ford Expedition license plate bracket.

Are there any other numbers with it like B5A-17A385?

[raceron1120]

I'm aware of Ford's part numbering system and their base #s - it's one of the first things I learned when working Ford Parts Departments and why I said it. No, there isn't a B5A license bracket listed in the 1964 edition '49-'59 book I have.

But once in awhile those Ford folks will toss a zinger # in that's not the same or common base part #, and one has to scramble to find it.

Base #s 17244 and 17736 are also front license plate mounting brackets; there may be others as well. The B7A-17244-A so is for a '57. The other one I found has 3 apps - B5S-17736-A ('55-'56 Bird), B8S-A ('58 Bird) and B9A-A ('59 full size).

[Herman Munster]

I've searched the web for many of those part numbers but the only ones that ever come up are for Birds.

[smtichy]

Hi Herman,
I stumbled across one about 2 months ago, but didn't tag the site. I will research and see if I can find it. It was really simple, a strip of metal, with ends bent up at 90 degree angles and a single hole in the angled section. In the main part of the strip were holes to mount it to the slots in the bumper.

Makes me crazy I can't find the site, I want to contribute and return all the good advice everyone's given me.

[Herman Munster]

That would be great Steve. Try looking in your internet browser's history. If you use Firefox, it can be fairly easy.

[smtichy]

Hi Herman,

I do use Firefox, but I have 3 computers, and a tablet so its a little tough to research the history.

Anyway I found something here similar to what I was looking at before, but the site refers to it as 57-59. But I swear I found the same part referring to a 55-56.

http://www.fordrestorationandparts.c...-plate-bracket

Let me know if you've already come across this and ruled it out as not original.

Steve

[Herman Munster]

Thanks but yes I have come across this before. I felt the asking price was a bit much for a simple rusty piece of metal.

[smtichy]

Hi Herman,

Do you know if that part is the same as the original bracket from a '55 - '56? As I'm also trying to figure out what the correct design is.

Steve

[Herman Munster]

I'm not sure. I've never seen what an original bracket looks like.