Now remember, we’re all part of the big show, we’re on in ten
seconds so get ready to have a good time, all right, here we
go……this is exciting isn’t it! 10….5,4,3,2 now let us imagine
that we’re standing behind the parts counter at Phil O’Keefe
Chevrolet in 1977 and you’re in the middle of the afternoon.
This guy comes in with a request for a new set of silver chains
for his 1953 pickup truck. Now he’s not very happy when you
drop the set of black chains on the counter. Sad news is
they’re the same part number and have replaced the earlier
plated ones???
So, with the ammunition that George and Huck has supplied us
with and with a couple of pages out of our May, 1977 parts book
that we have on the counter, it looks like my explanation to my
customer will be that the chains up to ’53 were plated and
after that they only came with the black oxide or is it paint?
Huck, my guess would be that your chains were replace at some
point in the 60 year life of you trucks and that’s why they had
the black ones on them.
George, the trunnions must have been miss labeled since they
don’t have anything to do with the chains. They are actually
for the pivot point of the end gate. Also the later revisions
moved them to gp. 17.208 and the chains to gp. 17.225.
Also if you noticed the listing for the covers, they were
available in black or inca silver most likely to accommodate the later
trucks.
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/154412618/originalhttp://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/154412619/originalI think Tim is correct, along with the changes in the body
for '54, in preparation for the big body style change later
in '55, there were a lot of minor changes in the parts supplied
as replacements. Such as the elimination of the plated chains
and the addition of the silver covers.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
