VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 '52 Deluxe Sedan grill

I am looking at photo of what I believe is a restored Canadian built '52 Deluxe Sedan without the five "teeth" :grin: in the grill.

Were the "teeth" :grin: in the grill like dentures leaving the horizontal bar intact; or did the Canadian '52 model have cosmetic differences looking more like a '51 grill?

:)

The Canadian and US cars had the same grille. The grille has been replaced with a 1951. Possibly due to collision at one point in its life or the Korean Chrome 1952 grille needed rechroming and a shiney 1951 was available. The 1952 did not have the Chevrolet script on the top moulding and the deflector behind the center horizontal moulding was not ribbed.

Chevgene,

Thank you. I was scratching my head at this one. This Korean Chrome syndrome is something I had read about in other postings but did not fully appreciated.

Since some other exterior mouldings were manufactured with stainless steel, what other parts on the '52 were affected by the Korean Chrome blight?

This might explain why the front and rear bumpers were painted body colour...

The upper bar on the grille should be chrome plated also.

:) :grin:

The bottom also, at least mine is.

By looking at the exterior that car would scare me. If the mechanical part is done as shoddy as the exterior it would be a good car to pass on.

The entire exterior part of the grille, minus the center and lower deflectors, which were painted argent silver; the front and rear bumpers and guards, plus any bright accessories that could be bought to bolt onto these (trunk guard, "wings", etc.); all plated die castings (door handles, emblems, tail light bezels, wiper shaft escutcheons, etc.); bright plated sheetmetal stampings (the escutcheons on the assist straps in two-door cars, the escutcheons around where the robe rails pass into the seat backs, the bezels around the speedometer and gauge cluster, etc.); in short, if it was shiny and not obviously stainless steel like the side trim, windshield and back glass trim, headlight rims, and interior door panel trim, it was that God-awful lacquered Korean War chrome! Even the interior trim screws were victims of this blight.

When I re-did my '52 Fleetline, the plating was the single biggest expense, bar none, and the hardest things to find turned out to be decent, restorable cores for plating for the hood ornament and emblem. I thought a decent core for the trunk emblem was going to be the toughest thing to find -- they're unique to the Fleetline -- but I lucked out as someone was selling an NOS one in the G&D with only a few pits. (Given enough time, Korean War chrome even goes bad sitting in the box in a heated storeroom!)

Chevgene,

I am considering driving the 4 1/2 hours one-way to go see this '52 prospect. I have a few other photos, if I PM, would you mind telling me more about what you think?

Obvously this is not a fresh photo as typically the snow is gone in August. (1992 here we had 4" of the stuff August 26th) Any way could you get some fresh photos which would include side views E-mailed to you. Gene has a point.

I have a few more photos (I now the seat covers are not as per original). What is your impression of this prospect?

The most important thing is how much rust is hidden by bondo...The area around the rear fender skirts, the rocker panels and the body supports the attach to the frame along the outside of the frame rails next to the rocker panels.

If its a Canadian car with a stick shift it will have the low side cover 216 engine (side cover about 6" tall) unlike US cars with the tall side cover.

It could cost over $1000 to have the bumpers and grille rechromed.

Strangely the left rear door sill plate is missing or? as it should cover the sill and the top of the buldge thats under the fender buldge on the door. This is an area that frequently rusted off and fell off and the aluminum sill plate fell off with it. This area is now painted red and dosen't look original from the picture. If this all has been replaced it means that the car had/has serious rust problems.

After looking at all of the photos, all I see is a lot of $$$$$$$$ being spent...and the car is a four-door to boot.

:) :grin:

The side cover on the 216 is the push-rod cover?

Can I identify the origin of manufacture by the information on the V.I.N. plate as well (located on the firewall, A-pillar or other)?

The sill plate in the photo is black in colour and does not appear to be aluminum or the shape required (it could be plastic or rubber???). From your description, the sill plate is about as original as the upholstery and carpet (yet all appear to be functional).

My intent was to find an imperfect, reasonably priced "driver" made of predominantly metal as opposed to Bondo that I could drive home and satisfy my Chevrolet compulsion. All the while until I can find a way to repair the rear main bearing oil leak on the '32 LP and pay down the mortgage it's restoration.
(listen to me talk)

I guess I'd better take a frig magnet with me to see what it sticks to and what it doesn't stick to, a pair of coveralls to crawl under the car to have a look see and my level-headed wife to keep me from swallowing hook, line and sinker!!!

JYD,

Do you mean: spent by the current owner or the possible future owner???

Could I need a seeing-eye-JYD to guide me around a deep hole on this one?

32 Confederation,

I may have missed it; but in re-reading this entire thread I can't seem to find any mention of the price, or what might be called the "asking" price. I'm not sure it matters that much, unless it's unbelievably low. I'm thinking the car is in need of so much work (translation = money) that even at $1000 it isn't the one for you. And I don't suppose it's for sale for $1000.

I'd be willing to bet the more you look at the car, the more you're going to find it "needs." Again, the translation = money.

I'd further "bet" the ONLY reason to go check it out is for the "learning experience." If you do go check it out, just stay cool. Take along a big bottle of ice water. You'll want ice water flowing thru your veins when you check this one out. Maybe even take wifey. As you suggest, to keep you under control. I suppose a Junk Y Seeing Eye Dog wouldn't hurt either. To help keep you from falling into the hole. Remember that old Tom Hanks movie, "The Money Pit." ????? I'm betting it's the same idea with this one. Even tho it's a car instead of a house.

Well, lots of ramble here. Just trying to advise you to take it easy. Real easy....

Bill.

I do not know what the price is or what your goal would be, total restoration to original or take what you have which does not appear to be all that bad and just make a real nice daily driver out of it. Paint appears good, interior may not be correct but is certainly in good shape and would wear well. Chrome is the big problem, It would be pretty costly to redo the chrome on the car, but it appears that a lot of the expensive work is done. I would buy it. As a matter of fact the 52 I have is similar, very good paint, very good but not correct interior, excellent chrome redone in late 70s, mechanically it as required a lot of work but that is what I enjoy.

The fact that the sill plate is incorrect is not the problem. What happened to the old one is the question (and what it attaches to)

The side cover is the push rod cover.

Canadian cars used different ID plates than US cars. Not sure where to to look for it in 1952 models.

The 1952 Can. serial numbers will run from 2106900001 and up

The 2 =1952, the 1069 would be a DeLuxe 4 door, remaining numbers production sequence number.

Not enough money was spent by the current owner and lots of money will have to be spent by the future owner! I agree with Chevegene.......this is one car to stay away from.

:) :grin:

Thanks, that was the point that I was trying to make.
If obivous things were "butchered" what about the tons of things that you can not see.

This is great!

This is just the type of commentary I was hoping for and there are good points from both sides.

(The asking figure was well over 1,000 and under 10,000)

The Mrs. will be along on the trip and this is likely going to be a learning experience on what to look for, what to watch out for and what to run away from.

I'll take some pictures while I am there of anything I find interesting.

My inexperienced Chevy eyes are at least half open now.

(Considering I passed this over this '51 today at a swap meet - asking 10K insides very rough!)

Thanks.

Chevgene & JYD,

You guys could smell this one coming from across the boarder but this young pup just had to go check out this polecat for himself.

I won't bore you with the details, however, over-spray and the masking tape on VIN tag (Canadian built) was enough for me.
I'll have to keep looking I guess.

The day was salvaged by the fact that I got to spend it with my Mrs. :love:

Sorry that the car was a disappointment but us old dudes with "Eagle Eyes" could tell from the photos that this car had been rode hard and put away wet, and that it was mediocre at best.

:) :grin:

Good to hear you took the advice from Gene and JY Dog to heart....

Saw a DeLuxe four door sedan in need of an engine rebuild in the Antique Auto Trader for the very reasonable asking price of $2200.00! If you can't find it, email me and I'll try to get the contact info for you. Good Luck, EH! Tom

Hey JYD, we all know you have a good nose...Oscar :)