1958-1960 grill trim piece

[Joe M.]

The originality of one of my grill trim pieces has come into question and I would like input from others. The trim piece is the long pot metal piece directly above the teeth bar. The correct GM part number is located on the back side as well as a maker's mark "BLC E" in the center of "Made in U.S.A.".

Does anyone have photos of the maker's mark on an original trim piece? Is "BLC E" a repro vendor mark?

[Bill M.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

The originality of one of my grill trim pieces has come into question and I would like input from others. The trim piece is the long pot metal piece directly above the teeth bar. The correct GM part number is located on the back side as well as a maker's mark "BLC E" in the center of "Made in U.S.A.".

Does anyone have photos of the maker's mark on an original trim piece? Is "BLC E" a repro vendor mark?

This is a GM piece. Based on the date, looks to be a service replacement, but it has been on the car since the 60s; long before repros were made.

[Tom B.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

Joe.
My original off of '59 #881 is exactly like yours. I've owned the car since summer of '69. There are no other numbers around the casting number like on the example Bill posted. I also have a NOS GM one in the box I bought in 1971. I haven't ever opened the new one. I can post pictures of both if you want. I'm watching the qualifying races right now.

Tom

[Joe M.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

Tom, for curiosity sake, what does the new trim piece manufacture mark look like? Inquiring minds want to know (OK, just my inquiring mind).

[Tom B.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

I just dug them out in the basement. Quite interesting in that they do not have the made in USA mark but the casting number and other letters are like the one Bill posted. Also in the next space over the part number is crudely attached. Looks like a mod to the mold late in life. Both upper and lower are like this. My camera is charging and I'll post photos of the part and the original boxes later today.

Tom

[Joe M.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

Tom, that is an interesting discovery! Now I am not sure what the original trim piece markings would be. Maybe the later GM replacement parts had the date stamp and "BL E", but not the Made in U.S.A. stamp. I would think they would have been made in the USA in the 1960s and early 1970s, but can't say for sure.

[Tom D.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

I have a later (70s) GM replacement with other markings. It doesn't say made in USA.

There is a small fisher body coach, as well as a upper case "W" with the letters "DC" inserted into the "grooves" of the larger "W". I figure that is a logo for the part supplier. "9402" is just to the left of this logo.

TWO cast part numbers are not the same as the part number I bought. 4\37 399991 and 3739558 (cast just below the 99991 number.)

[Tom D.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

Upper and lower are on E-bay, in WI. Showing GM box label also.

[Joe M.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

I asked the e-bay sellers to describe the maker's mark on the two trim pieces and it was "BLC" on one line and "E" beneath it; like the part on my 1960.

[Tom B.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

OK, I got it out in the light where I could see it better. Here is the box label and all the markings on the part. I was wrong. It does have a Made in USA with the BLC and the E below it but has an upside down 991 super imposed over it. The casting number 3739320 and the BLC and E with the 5 62 date is as the sample above. Between the next bolts to the right are some other numbers. Top is 37399991 on top. The 3s are reversed and the last 9 is double stamped. Below that is a 3739558 with reversed 3s. To the right of that is 9373. The 9 is hard to see as it is stamped very lightly. Run the picture size up to 3 or 400% and it is clearer.

I ordered these from my local Chevy parts department in the spring of 1971. I still have the receipts put away someplace. It looks like the molds had part numbers stamped in them later in life but the date was never changed. It's hard to say when in the 60s ot maybe even early 70s these parts were cast.

HPIM1722.jpgMVC-002F.JPG

[Tom B.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

Here's the other two pictures. You can see that the molds were not in nearly as good of condition when my new parts were cast as they were when the part in the 1st post of this thread were cast. My originals are sharp and clear like the ones in post 1 also.

MVC-005F.JPGMVC-003F.JPG

[Joe M.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

Thanks Tom for posting the photos. My upper trim piece did not have any date stamped on it. Maybe the original pieces did not have a date stamp, only the later trim pieces. Appears to be the same company that manufactured both, BLC.

[Tom B.]

Re: 1958-1960 grill trim piece

My orignal doesn't have any date stamp either. It's just like yours. My 1960 parts book shows 3739320 as the part number. My 1972 parts book shows 37399991 as the part number. I'm not sure when it changed or of the significance of 3739558. I don't find that in any of my parts books or parts number history books.

Tom