The same buddy I referenced in my earlier post showed me the gull wings that came on his truck. Not only are they pot metal but from every thing I can see the mounting studs are also pot metal and were cast in place. I have seen many pot metal trims and each has had a drilled and tapped boss where steel studs were threaded in to mount the piece...this pair of gull wings did not follow that design. If anyone has some gull wings laying around I would like to confirm that yours too are 1-piece cast. I even put a magnet on the stud just to verify that it was in fact non-magnetic.

 

I have a very rough original set that are Pot Metal and the mounting studs are molded in. OBTW most of them are twisted off. Mine's too far gone to revive.

 

Well that seems to be the proof I was looking for...why would Ford do such a thing? Somebody must have thought that they could simplify the manufacturing process and save a few cents by doing it this way.
I have a Ron Covell/Dan Fournier video that covers how to make a wooden buck and hammerform sheetmetal items on it...if I had a 55 and wanted some slick gull wings I would be making a hammerform now. Ron made some center grille bars for a 39 Ford using this technique, I know he is a magician with metal but after learning how to do it I think that even I could make one.

 

My hood side badges are the same way (pot metal mounting studs) and I believe that the custom cab door badges are too!