29 President windshield frame color

[Aussi John 1]

Am I right in thinking that the windshield frame color on a 29 president should be satin black. I see many cars have the frame painted the car body color and some have it chrome plated.  Does anyone know which is correct.

John.

[starlightcoupe]

Chrome plated windshield frames were usually factory installed on Deluxe models, which would also include things like dual wipers, salon horns, side mounted spares, etc as standard equipment.

I believe painted frames were black, rather than body color, and installed on Standard models, lacking the options included on the Deluxe models.

Others have more experience with that decade than I.

As well, export models assembled down under may well have variations not found in our domestic market.

Edited December 12, 2020 by starlightcoupe (see edit history)

[Mark Huston]

3 hours ago, starlightcoupe said:

Chrome plated windshield frames were usually factory installed on Deluxe models, which would also include things like dual wipers, salon horns, side mounted spares, etc as standard equipment.

I believe painted frames were black, rather than body color, and installed on Standard models, lacking the options included on the Deluxe models.

Others have more experience with that decade than I.

As well, export models assembled down under may well have variations not found in our domestic market.

starlightcoupe has it correct.  Chrome on deluxe models and black on all others.   Unfortunately, issues of importing into Australia is the wild card.   

[Aussi John 1]

I may not have made myself clear, I am talking a bout closed cars. I had a 29 FE State President and I have a29 State Victoria, both US Studebaker bodies. They both have painted windshield frames and don't appear to have ever been chrome plated.

[Buffalowed Bill]

John,

 

When talking about a 30's President (any President for that matter) you can get into a sticky situation, by thinking what was usually done was always done the same way. As the top of the line car for an independent manufacturer, during the Depression, it was supposed to make a statement. Studebaker would bend over backwards to make an customer happy and make a sale. The term often applied to the President has been semi-custom. What this meant that, for a small fee, the company would make custom changes that the customer asked for. 

 

The policy that was instituted eighty years ago has provided current restorers some degree of latitude when making their own custom choices. A chrome plated windshield frame falls comfortably within the parameters of that policy, and what has become acceptable today.

Edited December 22, 2020 by Buffalowed Bill (see edit history)

[Aussi John 1]

Thanks Buffalowed Bill

 

 I have established, as I originally thought that the frames were painted black.

 

I am aware of what Studebaker would do to make a sale, cars sent to the dealer in primer etc.

 

I am temped to chrome my frame. "As I am almost having to mortgage my house" to pay for the chrome plating, what's an extra four pieces.

Edited January 3, 2021 by Aussi John 1 (see edit history)