Funny these Kevin. My dad always called them "Bumperettes". Late 60's, early 70's he always wanted them if he could get them on his Dofasco company cars. He always had the biggest cars of course. Ford, Mercury and Plymouth's (sorry no GM's)

In customer service my father Sid had the Detroit Windsor stamping plants, and as such drove the 401 all the time. He told us that he pushed many a car off the road to safety during that time, and he liked having these, said it was hard to do easily with a pointed bumper. 100% true. So they have (had) a reason.