When did hood emblems change? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

53 292 · 10-18-2013, 11:43 PM

I've noticed that the front hood emblems on the 47-53 pickups changed from chromed pot metal to stainless at some point. Just wondering what year this change was made? I know my 53 has a stainless stamped one, and I have a spare stainless one, but the 50 I just got is missing the emblem so I might want to look for a pot metal piece. Thanks

mr48chev · 10-19-2013, 11:55 AM

Good question. Most of the ones I have are stainless but I have had a couple of chrome ones and don't remember any die cast.

It might be due to which plant the trucks were built in and who the supplier was too. You see some slight differences in trucks from different plants.

53 292 · 10-19-2013, 02:19 PM

That's a good point, I hadn't thought of that actually. I always thought they were the same until I saw the back of some that had the built in threads instead of those clips with the threads. If that makes sense

mr48chev · 10-19-2013, 03:28 PM

Now you have me going out behind the shed to look at the hoods stashed back there to see what I do have.

mr48chev · 10-19-2013, 04:02 PM

I did go out and look.
Three hood ornaments (none on the other hoods)
Two stainless and one rusty that I think is chrome or real bad stainless.

The one on the red hood and the one on the green hood both came on 51 trucks on original hoods.

53 292 · 10-19-2013, 04:44 PM

That helps quite a bit, maybe they made the change in 51. I got some pics off ebay of the front and back of a metal one and the back of a stamped stainless one. The chrome ones look like they have "sharper" lines. I'm not doing a nut and bolt restoration, but I just happened to notice this and got curious as usual

53 292 · 10-19-2013, 09:34 PM

Ok for anyone interested, after some more research I figured out that from 1947-48, they were chromed die cast, and changed to chromed stamped steel around 1949 depending on the plant. Then somewhere around mid year 52 they changed to stamped stainless.
Some links: http://oldchevytrucks.com/Articles/Hood-Ornaments.php
http://antiquechevytrucks.com/year-designations/

mr48chev · 10-19-2013, 10:01 PM

That could very well be as My truck hasn't had the original hood ornament that came with it on it since the mid 70's. I'm not sure if I changed it in 1973 when I put the truck together the first time. Actually I'm not sure now if I ran the hood ornament then as I think I filled the holes on that hood. Things I did 40 years ago sometimes are a bit hazy.

10-18-2013, 11:43 PM	#1
53 292 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Salinas Ca Posts: 104	When did hood emblems change? I've noticed that the front hood emblems on the 47-53 pickups changed from chromed pot metal to stainless at some point. Just wondering what year this change was made? I know my 53 has a stainless stamped one, and I have a spare stainless one, but the 50 I just got is missing the emblem so I might want to look for a pot metal piece. Thanks

10-19-2013, 11:55 AM	#2
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,314	Re: When did hood emblems change? Good question. Most of the ones I have are stainless but I have had a couple of chrome ones and don't remember any die cast. It might be due to which plant the trucks were built in and who the supplier was too. You see some slight differences in trucks from different plants. __________________ Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. Last edited by mr48chev; 10-19-2013 at 12:06 PM.

10-19-2013, 02:19 PM	#3
53 292 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Salinas Ca Posts: 104	Re: When did hood emblems change? That's a good point, I hadn't thought of that actually. I always thought they were the same until I saw the back of some that had the built in threads instead of those clips with the threads. If that makes sense

10-19-2013, 03:28 PM	#4
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,314	Re: When did hood emblems change? Now you have me going out behind the shed to look at the hoods stashed back there to see what I do have. __________________ Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around.

10-19-2013, 04:02 PM	#5
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,314	Re: When did hood emblems change? I did go out and look. Three hood ornaments (none on the other hoods) Two stainless and one rusty that I think is chrome or real bad stainless. The one on the red hood and the one on the green hood both came on 51 trucks on original hoods. __________________ Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around.

10-19-2013, 04:44 PM	#6
53 292 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Salinas Ca Posts: 104	Re: When did hood emblems change? That helps quite a bit, maybe they made the change in 51. I got some pics off ebay of the front and back of a metal one and the back of a stamped stainless one. The chrome ones look like they have "sharper" lines. I'm not doing a nut and bolt restoration, but I just happened to notice this and got curious as usual

10-19-2013, 09:34 PM	#7
53 292 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Salinas Ca Posts: 104	Re: When did hood emblems change? Ok for anyone interested, after some more research I figured out that from 1947-48, they were chromed die cast, and changed to chromed stamped steel around 1949 depending on the plant. Then somewhere around mid year 52 they changed to stamped stainless. Some links: http://oldchevytrucks.com/Articles/Hood-Ornaments.php http://antiquechevytrucks.com/year-designations/

10-19-2013, 10:01 PM	#8
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,314	Re: When did hood emblems change? That could very well be as My truck hasn't had the original hood ornament that came with it on it since the mid 70's. I'm not sure if I changed it in 1973 when I put the truck together the first time. Actually I'm not sure now if I ran the hood ornament then as I think I filled the holes on that hood. Things I did 40 years ago sometimes are a bit hazy. __________________ Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around.



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