Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

My stock grill was starting to look pretty weathered. It was all there and crack free, but it really needed to be taken out the elements and restored. My dad had the idea of buying one of these generic Chevy grills without the logo to put in the truck until we restored the original. To make it look right, we fitted a GMC logo into the center.

I still like the stock grill better, but I thought the new one turned out pretty well ? I think it will look good until we can restore the original.

Before: This was 2 years ago, before the Texas sun destroyed my paint. The grill is still mostly silver here, now it is more yellow.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/5...4324b5f7_b.jpg

After: Texas sun killed my paint. New grill.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2670/...7bac4c17_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3477/...674aac88_b.jpg

How does it look ?

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

Pyro, I've always been a fan of the stock grills on our trucks. By the way, that's a nice lookin' ride you've got.

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

Looks good to me...:metal:

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

I like the new grille and the headlamps too.

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

Pyro, I love the look, looks almost stock and most people will never know the difference until you get the stock one restored and looking good again.
I have collected about 5 GMC grills for the 79,80 model years, trying to find a decent one. I have cut and glued really bad ones to fix okay ones, the hard part is getting paint to stick that old plastic.

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

I think it looks pretty good too. The GMC emblem really sets it off. It fits it pretty well. :thumbs:

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

I like the look of that even more than the original one. Are you dead set on a original resto? If not, I say keep that. It looks great! You think Texas sun kills paint jobs? Try it at a mile high or more. The suns rays kill clear coat, especially cheap ones, up here.

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

I have a 77 as well and was thinking about putting the Chevy grille in it, mine has a square tube chrome that was installed in 1982.

I bid on a chrome NOS grille on ebay a few weeks back and it went for more than I wanted to spend $302.50. Grille looked great. I wish somebody offered a reproduction grille on the 77-80 GMC. I've seen pictures of the one LMC offers, I'd like to see one in person to see how good it looks.

Does anybody have pictures of what the factory grille options were on the 77-80 GMC models...I've done a search with no luck.

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Glad to hear that everyone likes it.


TexasJeff - Did you find a good way to get the paint to stick ? The plastic on mine is kinda rough, as if the elements were eroding it. It either needs to be sanded and smoothed, or maybe even a skim coat of body filler laid over it.

Driveway Dreams - I can believe that. I was in Colorado about a month ago and got sunburned. Caught me off guard because I usually don't get sunburned here.

77BBGMC - Don't know of any repro's of the factory grill. For 77-80 grill choices I have seen the one that you see in my first pic, and the other being the same grill with metal trim pieces stuck on the center bar. Seems like the high end Sierra Classic trim level got it.

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

Pyro, no I have not, right now mine needs painting again. I have bought some of the Krylon plastic paint to try this time, and maybe a little more prep work before I paint this time, little sanding, and lots of cleaning, hopefully that will work.

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

where id you get chey grill and especially gmc logo? had mine out painting it dropped and busted it . also how do you open hood?

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

I like it! Trying to put a bowtie on one of those grilles always looks funny, but you GMC have it lucky, as they work out MUCH better. Looks like it's supposed to be there.

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

looks very nice
the newer one looks maybe a little shiney-er
before learning what "stock" really is here, i would have prob guess it for stock tho,

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

man that a nice lookin grill ide like to find a new grill for one of my old blue trucks

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

Whoa I didn't even know this had been brought back to the top. Thanks for the positive feedback everyone!

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

Looks great man! I'm looking for a factory GMC grille like the one in your first pick for my 79 Sierra. Do you know were I could find one? Mine has about had it but I have plastic welded it to hold out until maybe I could find another like it.

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

I like it!

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

found this cool pic here and it covers some differences

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

Do they even make a repop grille for a 79 GMC or is it the same a chevy repop grills? If so, would the mounting be the same?

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

Hey, my grill/front end looks like a hybrid of 1980 and 1977-1979 to me. 1980 grill with 1977-1979 headlights... I believe these parts to all be original...

Any ideas on how to restore the "bowtie" on the grill?

http://www.gigem.com/stepside/DSCN0980.JPG

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

There is a NOS bowtie on ebay right now.. but way expensive

Re: Custom 77-80 GMC grill
 

Looks good although I do like the GMC grilles better especially 73-74