For the GM truck perfectionist! Just in case you like to read about the GM truck’s fine details, here is one!
The die cast part of the window crank-up handles were near identical for almost 20 years. After all, it was a truck. During these years, most customers bought them for work duties.
The occasional changes were in their small round knobs. They began in 1947 as chromed die cast to match the main body. It looked and operated well. Suddenly the cost of die cast metal and chrome plating products began to increase. The Korean War was using much of these materials!
To save cost, GM made the same handle but with a non-metal plastic knob in dark maroon. It now matched the maroon color of the vinyl covered door panels beside them.
Beginning in 1954 they changed to black plastic to match other knobs that year. This was used to the end of this handle design in 1966.
To date, there are no reproductions of the 2 earlier colors. Maybe, the handle was slightly over built, so the diameter of the handle base was slightly decreased in about 1960. All reproductions now follow these later GM handles. See photo.
