In the second photo, is the ashtray supposed to be chrome or painted the same color as steering column? Mine is painted the same as the steering column.
It was always my understanding ( I don't recall what it was based on) that the four cylinder cars had the painted ash tray and the deluxe models had the chrome ones. I have no factory info to back this up.
Every NOS HJ ash tray accessory part I ever found had a chrome face so I believe the ones purchased and added to the cars were chrome as it was not practical for dealers to stock one of each possible color.
Most I see are chrome. The one pictured is what was originally in my '53 Corsair Deluxe. My '52 Vagabond, which was originally a 4 cylinder, also has a chrome one but I have no idea if it was in the car originally or added later. I definitely see more chrome ones than painted.