VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 Hood Ornament Question

I have a Chevrolet hood ornment collection 1927 - 1956 and need to fill in a couple missing ones. and want to label the ones I have correctly.

1) What year is correct for the Golden Gazelle 1951 or 1952?

2) Is the standard hood ornment the same for 1946 - 1947 - 1948 or is the 1946 different?

3) How many different hood ornaments did Chevrolet offer in 1951, two or three?

4) Is the standard hood ornment for 1949 and 1950 the same?

5) Was there a standard and deluxe hood ornmant offered in 1954?


Looking at eBay or Googling does not necessarly produce accurate results.

Thanks for your help!

#1 Golden Gazzelle Is a 1951 accessory.
#2 The production ornament is a 1946 only and is the rather heavy projectile with a hint of wings. The 1946 accessort has a plastic blue lady.
#3 1947 and 1948 production ate the same had has a slightly raised tail with red stripes.
The 1947 access ory has a clear ib=nsert with a chrome lope over the top - towars the front. The 1948 accessory does not have the chrome loop.
#4 1949-1950 production is the same.
The 1949 accessory has the red plastic insert. The 1950 accessory has the twins ears canted to a V shape.

1952 had no accessory.
!953 has the big eagle accessory.1954 did not have an accessory.
1954 did not have an accessory.
1942 had an accessory with a plastic lady insert - rare
1938 had no accessory.
!939 had a high bird (early) and low bird (late). The leading top edge of the low bird was rounded down a bit.

Thank You Chev Nut! That is the information I am looking for.
When I am done I will have a complete collection from the 1956
bird (last true hood ornament) to the 1927 quota trophy.
Here is what I am missing:
1936 production
1937 production
I have a 39 bird, but not sure which one.
1941 production
1946 production
1952 all

If anyone has an extra in decent platable condition I am interested.

I have a '39 in good condition. I think it is the low bird. "Wing" is 2 1/4" high.

I have a 1936 Production and a 1941 production.

Gene... can you take a look at question # 3 again. You didn't answer it. I think the answer is 3, the Gazelle, the Jet, and a Stubby Wingless thing on standard models, but I'm not entirely sure about that last one, as I may be thinking of 1950.

I think the jet and the gazelle are 1951.
And the stubby wingless thing is 52 only
It is a small wonder why the 52 guys want to put a 51 gazelle on.

PM sent

PM sent

So what's a "golden gazelle" look like? Sounds like something I need!

They looked like a golden gazelle a-trying to leap off the car. No wonder there.

Anyhow, I suspect the reason they were not carried over to 52 was that they didn't look so good. Its front legs were chopped off for one thing. To me, they looked more like a skeleton of a gazelle than the real thing.

The WERE eye catching. Sorta like noticing something that seems out of place. Like a spot on a masterpiece canvas. Like collards on the plate with your Porterhouse. Or, emerald green, anywhere. You know

To me, the regular 51 rocket looked much better. Fit nicely with the rest of the chrome. Just my opinion. Many people liked them.
Charlie

The hood bird for 1954 cars was specific to that year only.

That was probably one of the best looking production hood ornaments. There was one problem with it. Folks would reach up and grab the long front nose on it when the closed the hood. This would cause the nose to eventually break off. We sold a good number of replacements back then.

In 1951 the golden gazelle was never a big seller as the production ornament looked pretty god with its big wings.

In 1953 we had an oversupply of the accessory eagle ornament. At the end of the year we put them on the 210 and BelAir models in stock just to get rid of them.

That's interesting, I think I used the "nose" to help open, too. As a youngster...I had never heard of a nose breaking off, though...I yanked on that thing all the time...

I guess they had alot of extras laying around cause....The 1953 car eagle was also used on the 1954 & 1955 1st series trucks {using a different base to adapt it to the truck hoods}.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT HOOD ORNEMANT BEAST (GAZELLE) IS NOT A IMPALA???...Same family!
Maybe Chevrolet was just testing the water for 1958 when they would come out with IMPALA Model?????...ED

Eastern Ed,

The female impala has no horns. So they couldn't be used for a hood ornament on account of the women folk not a-liking it none. Plus the impala's horns, after curving rearward some, then sweep back forward, thus not keeping the rakish form.

The gazelle's horns, however, have a continuos long sweep to the rear. As does the 51 hood ornament. See?

And, whilst I'm a educating you on subject of hood ornaments, the Chevrolet "bow tie" is actually meant to be a propeller.

Also, there is no such thing as a pronghorn antelope. It's simply a pronghorn and not an antelope at all. Ask MrMack. He has probably roasted some along with those tasty armadillos. Yum, yum! So I'm told. (I just threw this last part in.)

You're welcome,
Charlie

This is getting off subject. Sorry.

Charlie....Guess what..I was sitting out in front of my house and a red Chevy pulled up and on the trunk in chrome script it said IMPALA it also had a chrome image of the exact profile of that hood ornament, it was on both sides of the rear posts also.

I have never seen or heard tell of a CHEVROLET GAZELLE have you?????..... ED
BTW....Check it out and than have a CROW DINNER on me.

Ed before you get out your knife and fork it might behoove (on purpose) you to check out the antelope species in Africa. Then check to see if Chevrolet got it correct or not. They may not be 100% correct particularly as far as sales and promotion are concerned. Enjoy your Chevy Gazelle! and black bird too.