47-59 Radio bezel and glove box door finish

[aldowns]

I am trying to determine the original way the dash was trimmed. Are the raised areas polished and the low areas painted? If so, what color were the low areas?

[nvrdone]

what year are we talking about? If I remember right there were variations by year.
ON my '49 the lettering is red, the grill part is flat silver, the top & bottom rails are polished stainless and th whole glove box lid is polished stainless. Cant guarantee its original.

[aldowns]

Sorry, I should have made that clear. It is a 1950 1/2 done I have.

[mr48chev]

From the Dev's Technical network site

1952 Exterior door handles are now push button type. Speedometer changed from a max of 80 mph to 90 mph. Half way through the year, GM stopped using 3100, 3600, 3800 emblems on side of hood whereas CHEVROLET kept them all year. No rear bumper offered. Horizontal strips below and above radio speaker grille plus glove box door changes to painted steel and not stainless steel as in previous years. Hubcaps change from chrome to gray painted steel with black block letters, but stamping and shape remain the same as prior years. Bumpers are no longer chrome, but gray painted steel.

Pre 52 = stainless strips above and below the speaker grill / 52 and 53 painted. I have no clue as to exactly what color the speaker grill and face of the ash tray were originally either a satin silver or a gray.

http://devestechnet.com/Home/History

[mr48chev]

I spotted this on FB a minute ago and think this one is about as close as you can get to being the right color.

[51 3600]

I think the pic mr48chev posted is from what I've seen is the correct way the dash was finished. I polished the high parts and painted the low parts. Color I used was Rust-Oleum Metallic Dark Bronze. According to Stovebolt.com that color was the consensus closest to factory color, which nobody knew exactly.

[Second Series]

Here is a link to an article on the Jim Carter website: https://oldchevytrucks.com/blog/2010/02/1947-1953-dash/
It describes painting the ridges silver. I don't know why that was done if the glove box door is stainless.

[joedoh]

mr48 is right but the reason the glovebox changed is because of the korean war. the hood got a steel emblem that year too because of war shortages.

the most original/preserved one I ever saw was painted in the center of the glovebox (the whole center, ridges and valleys) with the same color as the speaker grille. I have a picture, I will find it.

[mr48chev]

I'd say what 51 3600 did is about as close to right as you can get.

As Joedoe said, the Korean war caused some changes in the trim on Chevy trucks. Mostly chrome or plain painted steel replacing stainless or chrome with painted accents trim.

[mr48chev]

I'd say what 51 3600 did is about as close to right as you can get.

As Joedoe said, the Korean war caused some changes in the trim on Chevy trucks. Mostly chrome or plain painted steel replacing stainless or chrome with painted accents trim.

This is the glove box door off the 49 cab I have and after cleaning it up a bit I'd say that the satin between the polished bars is unpolished stainless. This one most likely will go on the 51 1-1/2 ton.