This might be a little off-top because it has to do with colors and not the fine work that Denny has done on his grill:
Regarding 47-53 A-D "back bar color" being white, maybe I am misunderstanding terminology but some sites that have info on A-D year-differences show the following information (Jim Carter and an early Vintage Truck precursor-magazine article, for examples):
1947: Grille bars and "back splash" bars were body color. In addition, the leading edge of each painted outer bar had a horizontal stripe matching the cab stripe. There was also a single stripe on the cab "belt molding".
1947-48:
• During 1947-48, the Chevrolet painted grille-bars and "back splash" bars were body color. In addition, the leading edge of each painted outer bar had a horizontal stripe matching the cab stripe.
• On chrome grilles, only the outer bar was plated and the "back splash" bars were painted the body color, same as the painted grille.
early 1949:
• The "back splash" bar of the painted grille is silver gray and the outer bars have no pin stripe.
• On chrome grilles, only the outer bar is plated and the "back splash" bars are painted silver gray, same as the painted grille.
[Note: The above information does nor agree with information in the 1949 truck specifications manual, 5-15-49, which shows the inner bars being Waldorf White. It should be noted that several significant changes in a variety of areas were made during the 1949 "model" year.]1950-51: The "back splash" bar of the painted grille was (Waldorf) white. On chrome grilles, only the outer bar was plated and the "back splash" bar was painted as the painted grille.
1952-53: Shortages during the Korean War are the primary reasons for the eliminating of bright work on the 1952 and 1953 truck. Therefore, painted items on these trucks included: hub caps, bumpers, grille, radio speaker horizontal trim, glovebox door, etc.
• The “back splash” on painted grills was light gray (Thistle Gray) to match hub caps and bumpers.
Therefore, it looks like the Waldorf White true-color conundrum is a 3-year "authenticity" concern.
Here is a
1936-1962 Chevrolet car/truck web-page with paint and ID-codes information from the specifications manuals. Need I ask that anyone who reads the information differently, should post corrections or alternative interpretations. (that web-page is "work in progress" - extracting the pages from manuals and resizing/enhancing/converting them is time consuming. I try to add a few years every of information every few weeks.)
