Body / Glass: 50 Champion Starlight front grill trim

[wdills]

We pulled the front grills out of Dad's car this weekend. The trim piece is made from the same shape channel as the upper fin trim on the "finned" Hawks. Dad's car had a couple of the little sliding studs at the top of the trim piece but screw holes through the bottom. I am guessing the screw holes are a "modification" made by a previous owner. Can someone confirm that these pieces were supposed to be held on by the little studs and that the screw holes are not supposed to be there?

Another question on color. I know on a Champion the grills were supposed to be painted silver instead of being chrome. There were a couple oblong holes above the grills that had a trim piece in them. Are the trim pieces in the oblong holes supposed to be the same silver color as the grills? Are the grills supposed to be a bright metallic looking silver or a duller grayish silver? Anyone know the paint code for the correct silver color?

Thanks

[thunderations]

First, the grill surrounds were only held on by threaded studs, no visible screws.
My understanding of the grills is that the very front edge was chromed and the rest was painted a dull silver. I have used Krylon, Dull Aluminum and it seems to be about right.

[RadioRoy]

I've been lucky enough to find several 50's with original paint.

The grilles themselves are painted body color, with the front edge left silver or chrome about .050" from the front.

All of the other parts that are not chromed are painted body color. The silver paint adjacent to the chrome did not appear until 52 or 53.

[rockne10]

Are the trim pieces in the oblong holes supposed to be the same silver color as the grills?

Referring to the thin trim under the "eyebrows", it was body color.

[wdills]

Ok, just to be clear, I understand this piece is body color.


This piece is body color


This piece is body color


This piece is silver


Please confirm.

[TWChamp]

No, the last piece shown is body color.

Now I'm confused about the top egg crate piece. Every one I've ever seen has been a dull silver color with the front edge chrome or also silver. I'm going to have to dig out a pair I bought years ago on ebay that are supposed to be NOS and check them.

[thunderations]

NOS part may be all silver with the front edge chrome because the body color was an unknown, just like buying a NOS body part in primer.
I have had some grills with body color, but I thought that was from a poor repaint. Stripping the part shows the dull silver that, I assume, would be the remains of the chrome plating process done on the front edge. This poor finish is probably why Studebaker painted the parts body color.

No, the last piece shown is body color.

Now I'm confused about the top egg crate piece. Every one I've ever seen has been a dull silver color with the front edge chrome or also silver. I'm going to have to dig out a pair I bought years ago on ebay that are supposed to be NOS and check them.

[unclemiltie]

50 cars, depending on body number, either had chrome on the front of the egg crate grills and body color painted headlight rims OR OR they had silver on the front of the egg crates and chrome headlight rims Please check the chassis manual for the body number cut off