[Lang]

Thanks for that David.

I think the Chevrolet ones were chrome as I have seen plenty of rusted ones - see photo below. Not to say they did not have stainless as well. The engine side strips could well have been stainless. The bumpers were certainly chrome.

I believe the most common "shiny" bit on this type of civilian/military vehicle is the vertical centre strip on the Dodges - of all sizes. This is commonly stainless and may have been in use right through although painted over in many cases. The horizontal dress strips (probably chrome) were dropped.

I agree about the huge stocks of parts in the store. This was before the days of "just in time" supply chains and hundreds of millions would have been invested in dead stock awaiting use in stores at the factory. The production and transport systems were inadequate at that time to guarantee no assembly line stoppages awaiting parts as they can now. As little as 24 hours reserve stock is now held on production lines sending out over a thousand cars a week.

Lang