1956 front fender ornaments ?

[Pete Phillips]

A mostly unrestored 1956 Super two-door hardtop from Greenville, Texas showed up at our monthly North Texas Chapter meeting yesterday. The car appears to have its original upholstery and possibly much of its original paint, but I really am not sure about the paint. We looked at the vehicle ID number, and David Corbin says it is a very early 1956 from the Arlington, Texas G.M. plant. The car has two of these odd chrome mouldings on top of the front fenders--one on each fender--closer to the rear of the fender than to the front, and closer to the hood than to the outside of the fender. The chrome on these appears to be in the same condition as the other chrome on the car--somewhat aged and a little dull as you would expect on an unrestored 1956 car.

They don't look right nor factory-installed to me, but the question came up, could this be an early 1956 Buick moulding that was deleted on later cars?

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Leonard, Texas

[JohnD1956]

Looks aftermarket to me. Perhaps it's just the sunshine ( which we have not seen here since last week) but the portholes look like they are painted white?

[buick5563]

That looks like possible placement of aftermarket fender mirrors. I've seen them in that location. Was there anything broken on top?

[NTX5467]

That looks like possible placement of aftermarket fender mirrors. I've seen them in that location. Was there anything broken on top?

Both ornaments are the same on each side. Solid chrome, nothing broken off. Chrome mirror bases were usually wider.

Pete didn't mention the J-bar factory rear bumper guards, which are still there. Corbin mentioned them in talking about the car, though. Something he thought we ought to go look at as they usually rusted off.

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

The angle of the photo and the Sun glare makes it a bit difficult to tell for certain, but it looks very much like the fender ornaments from a '57 Cadillac Eldorado, which actually had two on each fender. Why two? Only Harley Earl probably knew for certain.

The same basic design concept showed up in general look as the hood ornament for '62 Oldsmobile Starfires.

Jim

Edited May 16, 2011 by Jim_Edwards (see edit history)

[old-tank]

It also has wire wheels, which would not be correct for 56...perhaps the original owner could not wait until 1958 to have more bling.

[Bhigdog]

My 55 had hood lollipop orniments on the front fenders, mud flaps, curb feelers, a JC Whitney continental kit, some kind of sheet chrome thingies on the rear quarters, dual rear antennas, and a Bermuda bell. Those things are mere childs play..........Bob

[Pete Phillips]

They are certainly similar to the '57 Eldorado ones above, but have more of a spear in front of the little vertical fin. The portholes look white due to the angle of the sun and the fact that our meeting location required all cars to drive about a mile or so down a dusty, gravel road, so that is white gravel dust you are seeing in the portholes, I think!

Pete