The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Speaker Grill Screens

A while back we debated what was factory on the AD/NP trucks on the radio speaker grills. I have recently aquired two parts trucks one a 1948 GMC the other a 1947 Chevrolet. Both had the original screens intact up to and including the press clips in the middle. These screens are a metal mesh so at least through 1948 it appears the factory screen was metal. Sometime in mid-49 I believe they went to the heavy muslin product. Please see the attached pictures for detail.
Front
Back

Brad -

Here is a pic of the metal mesh behind a '48 passenger car radio grille.
< CLICK > '48 passenger car

Just to clarify a confusing term ...

The term "radio grille screen" might be interpreted two ways and refer to two different parts of the radio area of the dash.

The wire mesh or muslin "screen" is permanently attached to the dash or to the removable section in front of the radio speaker. There is no wire screen or removable dash section on my '54.

There is also a "radio grille screen" that is cardboard. The cardboard "screen" was installed at the factory to hide the wiring and mechanisms behind the dash that would be visable through the opening for the speaker. The cardboard radio grille screen was to be removed and discarded when a radio was installed. I betcha most of them disintegrated and fell off over the years. It was on passenger cars and on trucks.

The Chevrolet Radio Shop and Service Manual for 1951 Passenger Cars and Trucks describes the cardboard screen in trucks on page 47, step #7: "Remove the decrative plate, the two buttons from the center of the instrument panel and the black cardboard baffle from the rear side of the radio grille."

Similar instructions for passenger cars on p. 6, step #9

The '54 Accessories Installation Manual for installing a manual radio in a truck (Step #7, page 92, and illustration #213, page 93) states to "Remove the radio grille screen and discard." The 1954 passenger car section describes the screen to be removed as "fiberboard"

< CLICK > to see an original paper screen from a '50 passenger car.

< CLICK > to see the Installation of the Radio Grille Screen shown on a 1954 dash in the Factory Assembly Manual.

Lonnie,

The paper screen from the 50' car is what I have seen in bits and pieces on later trucks. If anyone has a shot of a good original similar to Lonnie's pic from the car please post. It would certainly be a good reference piece as we figure these items out year by year.

> Brad -
I sent an email to you with more info.

> All -
The paper grille screen feels kinda like thin tar paper. Here is a pic showing the thickness of the 1950 passenger grille screen:
> '50 screen thickness

Here is my '54 dash including info on the grille screen at the bottom of my post:
> Stovebolt post