VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 Trunk Guard

Hello All,

I have a '51 Chevy Styleline and I'm trying to find a Trunk Guard for it. Could someone please tell me if the trunk guards are the same between 1949-1952? Occasionally you find these accessories on ebay, and the sellers state they fit between these years, but I'm doubtful...

Thanks in advance!
Erik

If you're talking about this one, it was available for 1949-1952. Fits both styles of bumper guards...

Yes, that's the one I'm talking about.
Thanks a lot for your answer!

Erik

The guard pictured clamps to the top of the original bumper guards. It works on 1951 and 1952 production guards.
1950 did not have a trunk guard.
In 1949 the accessory guards, both front and rear, replaced the original guards with straight up-rights and a cross bar bolted to the top of them and it was suggested the original up-right guards be moved to the outer bumper bolt holes. You sometimes see this version installed on a 1950 but would be considered incorrect.

So, is This guard pictured different from the '51/'52 bar? I'm pretty sure that the one pictured will also bolt onto my '50...

The up-rights are part of the package. The up-rights are necessary for the cross bar as they are flat on top and there is a stud in the cross bar (facing down) for attachment.
The up-rights and cross bar will fit a 1949-1952 but are correct for a 1949 only.
To add to the confusion the bar looks like the 1951 style but attaches to special up-rights in a different manner.

I have one on my 1950. This is wrong ?? oh boy.....interesting

I am curious as to why Chevrolet would offer an option in 1949, delete it in 1950, then offer it again in 1951 and later. Was it because of the increasing restrictions on metals caused by the Korean War?

They offered the wing tip guards in 1950, had taller production bumper guards in 1950, and general styling chane would be my guess.

1949 and 1950 were so similar.....was the trunk guard not that popular for 1949, and that is why it wasn't offered for 1950 ? I have seen it on 1950 models though. Extras left over and used for 1950 ?

I have both the 1949 and 1950 Chevrolet accessory catalogs and for 1949 the catalog shows "Guard Unit Front and Rear", part number 986260. The photo of the front and rear guard unit shows the front and rear upright guards (along with the front grille guard) and the trunk guard for the rear as part of the package. The 1950 accessory catalog also lists "Guard Unit Front and Rear" with the same part number 986260, and that accessory package also includes the same trunk guard that was used in 1949 as also being used in 1950. So, according to the Chevrolet accessory catalog for 1950 a trunk guard was part of the guard unit package for 1950.

I have seen that slso. In some very early 1950 material they list the 1949 guard being used in 1950.

From the 1950 Engineering;

"Massive bumper guards cover the bumper ends and extend approximately the bumper height above them. Because the regular production bumpeer guards are taller, there is no demand for the accessory bumper guards and they are dscontinued."

Pritned Dec. 15, 1949. I believe the massive guards they are refering to are the accessory wing tips, a new accessory for 1950.

Dealers and Chevrolet had a ton of the '49 accessory guards left over at the end of 1949 and many of them ended up being installed on 1950 models.

Also the 1950 parts book shows guard unit, grille and trunk, 986250, for 1949 (only). The replacement parts for the above as 1949 only also.

I think the tall production guards the the "points" on top and the front license cross bar look much better than the 1949 accessory guards.

If I remember correctly the 1949 full wheel covers were listed for 1950 in that same book.

The accessory catalog that shows the trunk guard for 1950 was printed in January of 1950, which is a later printing than the Engineering Features manual.

I guess the right hand didn't know what the left hand was doing or they discovered they had a huge stock of them to unload.

That is the only place to have them shown as being for 1950.
Not in 1950 Accessories Installation Manual either and there are other accessories shown there that were "legal" for both years such as O.S. mirror, heaters, etc.

They did that to confuse judging fifty years later...

I also have a 1950 Accessory Order Pad for the Chevrolet dealers that has all of the 1950 accessories listed, including the 1950 guard unit with the trunk guard, which is also available for order on the 1950 Accessory Order Pad. Anyway, it definitely appears that the 1950 guard unit with the trunk guard was available very early in the 1950 model year until it was apparently discontinued sometime in the 1950 calendar year.

The judges are already confused enough without the 1949-50 trunk guard issue added to the pot.

#986260 was discontinued 1-1-51.
That said it has no reference as to what car or years it fit.
In my digging up NOS parts in the '70's I found many of the small town dealers still had them in their stock.
The most exciting is when I found 6 new 1941 trunk guards in a dealership attic.

I am starting a new thread on dealer parts business in the '50's-'70's

If part number 986260 was discontinued in January of 1951 and since the 1950 Accessory Catalog, the 1950 Chevrolet Dealer Accessory Order Pad and the 1950 Chevrolet Accessories List shows 986260 as fitting 1950 then the trunk guard would be a correct accessory for 1950 as well.

I agreee as long as there was some documentation. I still thing was was offered in 1950 (only) was much better looking including the production guards which were to big looking to be moved to the outer bumper bolt holes like the did with the shorty 1949 guards.
I will leave it at that rather than get into another Country Club discussion.

Thanks all for the great info...I did some digging myself....and yes it was not listed in accessory installation manual I have.....didn't want to open a can of worms....but it is very very interesting....funny the things that were done years back.....appreciate the posts

Glad that we were able to help you out some with your 1950 trunk guard. I would say based on the documentation above the trunk guard that is on your 1950 is correct since it appears to have been available in 1950 as well as in 1949.

Really outstanding work Dog. I believe this post should be condensed and submitted as a article to the G&D as this does clarify that a '50 did have a proper trunk guard.

Again, good work!

Now, if only you could find something to help those '47/'48 guys with the 2x4's nailed on the sides of their cars.

Note that if you use the 1949 guards on a 1950 the front guards would need to be installed also as the front and rear came as a set.
This is clearly a case of Chevrolet being so overstocked with the 1949 guards they decided to put out a single publication encouraging the dealers to help them unload the surplus by pushing them on 1950 cars.

No help needed Russell, we wear our wood proudly

Yep......we could put an article in the G&D about the 1950 trunk guards right next to an article on the 1948 Chevy Town & Country. Those two articles side by side should really make heads spin!