Durwood,
Flame you? Heck no! Your knowledge on these trucks is well respected by
all on the list, and appreciated.
My information stating no chrome grilles on the '51's come from statements
I (believe) I read in the book "How to restore your Chevy Pickup". Mr.
Carter could be very correct in his statements regarding the '52 & '53
models. (I was still in diapers when these models were new, so I sure as
shoot don't remember!) Seems to me that over the years, since early
childhood, that I have seen loads of what I understood to be original
'52's & '53's with chrome grilles. Personally, I couldn't give a
golly-gosh-darn if any owner wants chrome or not for his truck. It's his
title on the machine, so knock yourself out! To me, it's more a point of
curiousity, what models came with or without the chrome, specific to a
particular year.
Different subject (as long as I have your attention)
Several years ago I recall watching a movie on PBS that was made in the
early 50's (B&W). It was either a documentary or one of those "Jack Handy"
Industrial films that was shot in a Chevy assembly plant and it revolved
around a fellow installing window glass and doors on new pickup truck cabs.
I remember that the cabs were moved station to station on wheeled dollies.
Does this ring-a-bell with any of you? It was kinda cool for what it was.
Bob Heil
'51 3600 (with at painted grille) in pieces
"Durwood B.
Darbin" To: RobertHeil@hellausa.com
<dhckdkcsk@ho cc: oletrucks@autox.team.net,
tmail.com> owner-oletrucks@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: [oletrucks] Grille on
'50
05/10/01
09:09 AM
Bob,
The latest Jim Carter 1947-1955 first catalog, page 6, titled 'For the
Perfectionist' reads, "Shortages during the Korean War are the primary
reason for the eliminating of bright work on the 1952 and 1953 truck.
Therefore, painted items on these trucks included: hub caps, bumpers,
grille, radio speaker horizontal trim, glovebox door, etc. Interior window
cranks and wiper knobs changed to maroon plastic." One can only wonder why
the hood emblem was changed to stainless steel during 1953.
Also the chrome grill was an option for all other years and not standard.
If ya didn't want to pay the extra bucks for chrome then ya got a painted
grill.
Once I thought that I made a mistake but it turned out that I was wrong!
(Just kidding!) Please don't flame me for that last sentence.
>Chrome or no Chrome? My understanding is that all grilles were painted in
>model year 1951 only, and chrome grilles were a standard option for all
>other model years. The quality of the plating was very poor in '52 & '53
>due to the reduced nickel content in the process. Nickel was critical in
>the production of artillery shells.
>
>Bob Heil
>'51 3600 in pieces
Durwood
51 Chevy 1/2 ton Deluxe 5 window
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