Restoring front grille - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

72Mountaineer · 01-13-2017, 06:47 PM

Anybody restore their front grille? I mean take it completely apart, blast, repaint, thats what I am preparing to do. It looks like it is put together with steel rivets, did you put it back that way, or with aluminum ones? Do they hold good? Any advice? Pics are good, too.

PDW HOTRODS · 01-13-2017, 07:07 PM

What year? I did a 53 Chevy grill. It was painted. I used #10 by 1/2 " bolts
to put it back togather. It worked great.

Jemezcrusher · 01-13-2017, 08:00 PM

Remans are bolted

72Mountaineer · 01-13-2017, 11:48 PM

Sorry, '53 1/2 ton.

mr48chev · 01-14-2017, 12:13 AM

I originally put my grill together from 4 or 5 grills that each had one or two nice bars in 1973. I hit about every wrecking yard in Central Texas hunting them down at the time.

I pop riveted it back together and then in 1982 took it apart and had the bars chromed, painted the back bars and pop riveted it back together but next time around I would bolt it together as PWD Hotrods said he did his.

Each of the middle three bars only goes in one spot and they are marked with notches on the back side that designate which spot they go in.

nebdrummer · 01-15-2017, 02:29 PM

I had my front bars chromed, went back together with #10 bolts with locking nuts.

**oldman3** · 01-15-2017, 07:55 PM

Hope these pics and words, answer your questions...Jim

Pic 1 original grill showing back side, rust, etc.

Pic 2 Partial dissasembled.

Pic 3 Front part, I ground and blased old rusing chrome from bars.

Pic 4 Rear section.

Pic 5 Front bars in sandable primer.

**oldman3** · 01-15-2017, 07:58 PM

Pic 1 rear section in primer.

Pic 2 rear section painted.

Pic 3 front bars painted and putting back together.

Pic 4 Grill complete.

Pic 5 installed in truck.

**oldman3** · 01-15-2017, 08:07 PM

Forgot to mention that I put mine together with large aluminum rivets.

Pic 1 Hit a deer in October of 2016. Grill had been in truck since 2003.

Pic 2 You can still see rivets attached to back section, metal was ripped from grill bars, rivets still in place and tight.

No matter which way out go, rivets or bolted, you shouldn't have any problems...Jim

Jemezcrusher · 01-15-2017, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldman3

Forgot to mention that I put mine together with large aluminum rivets.

Pic 1 Hit a deer in October of 2016. Grill had been in truck since 2003.

Pic 2 You can still see rivets attached to back section, metal was ripped from grill bars, rivets still in place and tight.

No matter which way out go, rivets or bolted, you shouldn't have any problems...Jim

Wow! That sucks!

nebdrummer · 01-15-2017, 11:13 PM

Ugghhh. That's enough to make ya sick. I know the feeling. I got mine just running and driving, coming home from a little cruise night and popped a small doe. Wasn't anywhere near as bad as yours. Just the passenger front fender and bumper.

01-13-2017, 07:07 PM	#2
PDW HOTRODS Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sutherlin Oregon Posts: 493	Re: Restoring front grille What year? I did a 53 Chevy grill. It was painted. I used #10 by 1/2 " bolts to put it back togather. It worked great.

01-13-2017, 08:00 PM	#3
Jemezcrusher Registered User Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Jemez Springs, NM Posts: 433	Re: Restoring front grille Remans are bolted

01-13-2017, 11:48 PM	#4
72Mountaineer Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where Mountaineers are free Posts: 395	Re: Restoring front grille Sorry, '53 1/2 ton.

01-14-2017, 12:13 AM	#5
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,268	Re: Restoring front grille I originally put my grill together from 4 or 5 grills that each had one or two nice bars in 1973. I hit about every wrecking yard in Central Texas hunting them down at the time. I pop riveted it back together and then in 1982 took it apart and had the bars chromed, painted the back bars and pop riveted it back together but next time around I would bolt it together as PWD Hotrods said he did his. Each of the middle three bars only goes in one spot and they are marked with notches on the back side that designate which spot they go in. __________________ Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around.

01-15-2017, 02:29 PM	#6
nebdrummer Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Nebraska Posts: 390	Re: Restoring front grille I had my front bars chromed, went back together with #10 bolts with locking nuts. __________________ 1950 3600. 370cid, th400, 9", billet 80mm turbo under the bed, 4 link coilovers, hoping for a single digit! http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=380212

01-13-2017, 06:47 PM	#1
72Mountaineer Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where Mountaineers are free Posts: 395	Restoring front grille Anybody restore their front grille? I mean take it completely apart, blast, repaint, thats what I am preparing to do. It looks like it is put together with steel rivets, did you put it back that way, or with aluminum ones? Do they hold good? Any advice? Pics are good, too.

01-15-2017, 07:55 PM	#7
oldman3 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: West Plains, Missouri Posts: 7,553	Re: Restoring front grille Hope these pics and words, answer your questions...Jim Pic 1 original grill showing back side, rust, etc. Pic 2 Partial dissasembled. Pic 3 Front part, I ground and blased old rusing chrome from bars. Pic 4 Rear section. Pic 5 Front bars in sandable primer. Attached Images __________________ my build thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=459839 Jimbo's long bed step build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...t=464626<br />

01-15-2017, 07:58 PM	#8
oldman3 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: West Plains, Missouri Posts: 7,553	Re: Restoring front grille Pic 1 rear section in primer. Pic 2 rear section painted. Pic 3 front bars painted and putting back together. Pic 4 Grill complete. Pic 5 installed in truck. Attached Images __________________ my build thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=459839 Jimbo's long bed step build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...t=464626<br />

01-15-2017, 08:07 PM	#9
oldman3 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: West Plains, Missouri Posts: 7,553	Re: Restoring front grille Forgot to mention that I put mine together with large aluminum rivets. Pic 1 Hit a deer in October of 2016. Grill had been in truck since 2003. Pic 2 You can still see rivets attached to back section, metal was ripped from grill bars, rivets still in place and tight. No matter which way out go, rivets or bolted, you shouldn't have any problems...Jim Attached Images __________________ my build thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=459839 Jimbo's long bed step build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...t=464626<br />

01-15-2017, 11:13 PM	#11
nebdrummer Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Nebraska Posts: 390	Re: Restoring front grille Ugghhh. That's enough to make ya sick. I know the feeling. I got mine just running and driving, coming home from a little cruise night and popped a small doe. Wasn't anywhere near as bad as yours. Just the passenger front fender and bumper. __________________ 1950 3600. 370cid, th400, 9", billet 80mm turbo under the bed, 4 link coilovers, hoping for a single digit! http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=380212



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