NOS OEM tailgate band or a new repop ?

[Livrat]

A friend recently gave me a new woodgrain tailgate band, He said when he got it is was in the GM box but ended up tossing the box.. this one is different than all of the used ones I have. the letters have a "clip washer" (similiar to the ones holding the heater cables on the controls) on each stud holding the letters on.. all of the ones I have the letters have the studs "swedged" on..
Could this one be a reproduction?

[68 TT]

Assuming it is GM and not a repop it could be a later service replacement part and not original equipment run off the production line at the same time as the parts put out for the original build of our trucks.

Many times they make improvements in the service replacement parts the dealer gets so the new ones don't break the same way the original part did that they are replacing, many times under warranty.

[special-K]

The later GM replacement tailgate bands had plastic letters. I don't know how they were fastened...never had one. I've had the first reproduction bands that Golden State Pickup parts had and they were just like originals before the plastic letters. Did the OEM part have a number stamped somewhere? This is always a question with trim because some parts had no pace to put a number that wouldn't affect the appearance...or just no place because it's too small. I've seen part numbers stenciled on with ink/paint and I've seen OEM with nothing.

[70shortfleet]

Mark, how did the woodgrain look? GM used a very high quality woodgrain that had a clear coat over it and was glossy compared to the reproduction woodgrain that I see on repros of today

[Livrat]

Originally Posted by special-K

The later GM replacement tailgate bands had plastic letters. I don't know how they were fastened...never had one. I've had the first reproduction bands that Golden State Pickup parts had and they were just like originals before the plastic letters. Did the OEM part have a number stamped somewhere? This is always a question with trim because some parts had no pace to put a number that wouldn't affect the appearance...or just no place because it's too small. I've seen part numbers stenciled on with ink/paint and I've seen OEM with nothing.

Tim, this one definately has plastic letters, no part number

Originally Posted by 70shortfleet

Mark, how did the woodgrain look? GM used a very high quality woodgrain that had a clear coat over it and was glossy compared to the reproduction woodgrain that I see on repros of today

Les, the woodgrain looks good to me, but then all I have to compare it with is 40 year old beat up ones with metal letters, it does not look to have any clearcoat on it..

Hmmmmmmmm...

[screaminchevypickup]

That's how" trim parts" brands band is made!!
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[special-K]

I believe the late GM replacement letters are grey,not chrome.

[FirstOwner69]

This is how I attached replacement metal letters to my original tailgate band. Works great. Perhaps this was done using plastic letters.

[sameyrasmea72]

Originally Posted by Livrat

Les, the woodgrain looks good to me, but then all I have to compare it with is 40 year old beat up ones with metal letters, it does not look to have any clearcoat on it..

Hmmmmmmmm...

If I was going by you pic I would say it is not GM. The grain is different from the GM ones I've seen and there is not enough red in it.

I am not possitive, but that would be my guess.

[71 super]

The clips are definitely a repop thing. Looks to be trim parts as stated earlier and is of very good quality but not NOS. The plastic GM letters have studs that are melted to hold in place. The metal letters are bradded over to hold in place. Also to my knowledge GM units did not come in boxes but in plastic sheathing like the rest of GM trim

[mcbassin]

I have a NOS band that has silver painted letters. They are plastic and it looks like they are melted on the back side to hold them on.

Usually the dead giveaway is the woodgrain pattern. Most aftermarket bands the woodgrain pattern is totally different from the GM ones. I have seen some really nice looking aftermarket ones too.

[Livrat]

Thank you for all for your input, My suspicion looks to be confirmed, it is a reproduction.. Darn.........
I guess I can not complain for free.. off to the wall art section of the shop it goes.

[Tim Christian]

Looks like a Trim Parts to me. Probably had a GM Restortation parts sticker on it possibly making him think that???

[Dave]

Mark, I wouldn't be disappointed. The later GM one around '89-'91 was not the same as the original production piece. The high gloss on the woodgrain was gone and the chrome die cast letters were replaced with gray plastic letters. Further, the retail price from around that time was about 227.00. The reproduction IMOP, is closer to the original than the later offering from GM.

[Livrat]

Originally Posted by Tim Christian

Looks like a Trim Parts to me. Probably had a GM Restortation parts sticker on it possibly making him think that???

Tim, Good call.. That very well could be since my buddy is a scrapper and not really into this stuff. One day he mentioned that this and a brand new tailgate came to him as scrap and knowing I was into chevy trucks set them aside , and for all of two days before I could make it over to him, I visioned NOS...

Originally Posted by Dave

Mark, I wouldn't be disappointed. The later GM one around '89-'91 was not the same as the original production piece. The high gloss on the woodgrain was gone and the chrome die cast letters were replaced with gray plastic letters. Further, the retail price from around that time was about 227.00. The reproduction IMOP, is closer to the original than the later offering from GM.

Dave, I am not really dissapointed and can not complain as it was free and saved from the scrap bin.
IMHO it is a nice piece, I was just hoping for that high dollar NOS part that someone else could not live without.

[lolife99]

Are you keeping this or selling it?

[Livrat]

Keith, As of now my thoughts are to hang it on the wall at the shop with the others I have.