60-61 Suburban side window ID trim

[Funky61]

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...de+window+trim

This thread discusses the center side window trim that appears on a 1960 only. So as far as suburban's go, looks like way to ID a suburban as 1960.

[GMCNUT]

The thread says some 61's have this panel but I am not so sure about that. Trucks were often titled in the year sold rather than the model year back then so someone saying their 61 GMC has it says to me he might have a 1960 and just doesn't know it or it could be that some early 61's had it but I don't think so - and here's why.

GM toyed with a million different grill, body and side window panel designs, with GM almost going to production with all kinds of cool design features that disappeared often just before actual production - sort of like what happens to movie footage - ideas and valuable parts simply getting left on the cutting room floor. This panel you are talking about was intended to be chrome plated originally, when the intended production design called for Custom Suburban models to receive chromed sliding window frames to match the doors - which bore chromed frames as did pickups. By production time though, like so many things, it was decided it was too costly to chrome what would end up being only a small handful (by production standards) of frames to be installed only in the Custom model Suburbans and thus, the center trim panel would have looked out of place chrome plated by itself so they just painted it. The sheetmetal suburban body window frames and side panels were already in production by the time this decision was made so GM had to keep the little trim plates initially before nixing them from the design for the 1961 year model run of body sheetmetal window frame stampings. Anyway, hope this helps solve your mystery as to why 1960 was the only year for these....

[Funky61]

Thanks GMCNUT and great information.
I know now that my titled 61 is in fact a leftover 60 (see also previous thread on Data/VIN plate location) per date stamps on the intake manifold and exhaust manifolds AND now along with this side trim on it.