Between 1947-1953 the Chevrolet 1/2, 3/4, and 1 ton grills were made from the same tooling. However, the paint colors and some with chrome plating made a difference. For the perfectionist, the following data will help you build a correct grill during your restoration.
Painted Grilles
1947-1948
The standard grill has inner and outer bars the body color. Horizontally, a pin stripe is run on the edge of the five outer bars. It is the same color as the cab stripe.
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1949 to Mid 1952
Standard grills have outer bars the body color without a horizontal stripe. The inner back splash bars are white.
Mid 1952-1953 (Korean War Years)
Outer bars on standard grills are the body color as prior years. The back splash color changes to Thistle Gray (light gray) to match the newly introduced gray hub caps and bumpers.
Chrome Grills
1947-1948
The deluxe grill has the five outer bars in chrome. The four inner bars remain the cab color.
1949-Mid 1952
The chrome grills for these years are plated on the outer bars. The back splash color remains the same white as the painted grill.
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Mid 1952- 1953
No chrome grills produced due to the Korean War shortages. The grills are the same colors as the standard trucks.
Vertical Bar Supports
1947-1953 Both Painted and Chrome Grilles
The two outer vertical bars touch the fenders and are therefore this color. Unfortunately, the reproduction grilles are easily recognized at shows because the owners have not painted their outer bars fender color! The three inner vertical bars are semi-flat black. This prevents them from being easily seen when viewing the vehicle.
Tags: 1947, 1953, chevrolet, gmc, grill, old chevy truck, restoration, tips
