VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Junkyard Road Trip

Took a road trip to our favorite used parts yard (very used) and got a few small trinkets BUT did not get what we needed. Mr Rust beat us to it! Anyway, attached are several photos that you might find interesting. Pics of a 1952 sedan delivery and a 1951 or '52 Bel Air. Interesting side note on the Bel Air - it's a rare retractable hardtop WITH the extremely rare sun roof accessory. Look at the steering wheel s/s trim. Are they the same for '51 & '52?

WOW!! That, to us Northerners, is what's known as rust......real rust, not just a bit of discoloration around a headlight bezel. The stainless trim on (what's left of) the steering wheel was standard trim on the '51-'52 Deluxe and BelAir models. Any idea how long those cars have been there?

All 1951 and 152 Deluxe models had the two spoke wheel with a stainless decrotive clip on was side of the cross bar.
The top options you mentioned were not offered by Chevrolet.

I hope I’m not hijacking this thread but thought this picture would be appreciated. I took it in April on my most recent trip to an old school yard.

Gene, I was just joking about the top. We literally lifted the hardtop right off the body due to all the rust. The rust hole in the roof was positioned where a sunroof would have been. Attached is a photo of the same car taken about a year ago.

I kind of thought that was the case.
The car is a 1951 as the front fender side moulding is visable in pctures

1951 it is and that front molding may be the most valuable item on the car.

From photos I have seen of this front fender molding, there looks like a metal backer that is inside of the S/S trim piece. Is this metal piece removable or not?

From my (somewhat failing) memory, I believe that backer strip is crimped into place. It holds threaded studs that go through holes in the fender to attach the strip to the fender. It's rare to see one of those Deluxe spears without a crease in it from where the front door flew open (like going around a corner too fast) and swung around, snapping the hold-open strap, and burying the door's leading edge into the rear portion of that strip.

Yes, the moulding has a crinped on plate in the back with threaded studs.

The reason the moulding got creased in the tail by the door opening too far is the door check link or the roller the link rode in would break and then the door would open too far.
We sold the check links by the dozens for the 1949-1952 models.

The backer piece is not removable except by carefully prying the crimp open. Then individual clips /and double face tape will be necessary to re-install it. At least that is what i plan on doing on my 51 Belair as on one of my moldings the backer was 75% missing.

Another road trip is planned next week. Will be looking at the front fender molding (hopefully both sides) to see if it (they) are worth taking off.

Check out the ones on Ebay and that may help in the decision, not that I think they are reasonable.

The new mouldings I had I had to almost give them away to get rid of them,

Well, the problem is solved. The front fender S/S trim pieces were removed before we could get to them today. We did get both of the S/S tracks above the rear quarter windows and the front vent window assemblies along with some other S/S trim pieces. All in all, a good day. No fingers were lost, no tools left behind and no wild life was harmed.

Isn't that amazing!! The car has sat there for years obviously, and not one soul has gone by it in all that time to take those spears until you show up and suddenly someone wants them. Truly amazing!!

Laying on floor of this '51 Bel Air were these two pieces of S/S artifacts. They look like they might be trim for the inside door panel. Do they even belong to this car? Any thoughts?

Yep. Those are the trim divider strips for the door panel. It's amazing how much can be salvaged from a "junk" car.

Steve, thanks for the information.