I really don't think that happened, more than likely a frugal effort on one of the truck's previous owners to make a makeshift repair. What I have learned about the Korean war era trucks was that the absence of bright work was in preparation to what GM thought was going to happen next, keep in mind 7 years earlier was end of WWII. There was no quality control discrepancies that I have read about in the manufacturing of late 51, 52-53 trucks


1953 Chevrolet 3100
261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done
In the DITY Gallery
Video of the 261 running

1964 GMC 1000
305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration