71 GMC Grill restoration

[JerryIndy2112]

My 71 GMC truck that I bought in November of 2018 has had a few projects keeping me busy. I rebuilt the quadrajet, new front calipers, hoses and new rotors. Last week I put in a new HEI distributor, still working on getting timing just right, but she is up and running ok. Today I pulled of the front grill. It has some dents and the chrome really needs cleaned up. The black paint is almost gone. It needs straightened. Cleaned and painted.
Who here has done this? I am biased, but I think the GMC 71 and 72 grill is the coolest ever put on a truck. I will post a picture of what I am working with. I work in HVAC and have done a lot of simple sheet metal work, but a total newbie with body metal. Wish me luck, can't wait to get this part of the truck restored. Any hints and tips would be useful. Paint? How to straighten metal? All comments are appreciated.

Jerry

[jeffahart]

If you're a tin knocker and you work on custom sheet metal work for commercial kitchens and such, then you're a shoe in. Check out this article.


https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...lified.799131/


j

[JerryIndy2112]

This is grill off

[JerryIndy2112]

Thanks jeffahart, looks like a good article.

[mikeshome]

Like your taste in trucks.

[JerryIndy2112]

very cool truck Mikeshome.
What year is that? The paint that I can see on my 71 is a bit different. I like the paint on your grill. I am thinking that is the way to paint mine. Just checking to see what is correct. I assume you are 71 or 72, but which? Your paint is very crisp, mine is very faded. You can see by my picture. In my opinion, what is correct for each year and what I like as the owner are different decisions that I will make. Thanks for the pictures.
Very nice.

Jerry

[special-K]

'71 and '72 are identical in every way. That top bar is an available separate part. It looks like something I would just replace before fixing. The straightening of the dings and dents , if painting, is the same as on body sheet metal. Unfortunately, rechroming is pretty much cost prohibitive. I mean way expensive, like through the roof.

I repainted the accent black on my '72 in '01. The chrome is dull but it still looks much better with the black redone. The headlight doors were really dull and I think starting to rust, so I did my own thing and painted all but the flat outer surface. I think it looks better than chrome... on my 4wd truck anyway.

Here is how the paint has held up over the years. I used low gloss black engine enamel

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by special-K

'71 and '72 are identical in every way. That top bar is an available separate part. It looks like something I would just replace before fixing. The straightening of the dings and dents , if painting, is the same as on body sheet metal. Unfortunately, rechroming is pretty much cost prohibitive. I mean way expensive, like through the roof.

I repainted the accent black on my '72 in '01. The chrome is dull but it still looks much better with the black redone. The headlight doors were really dull and I think starting to rust, so I did my own thing and painted all but the flat outer surface. I think it looks better than chrome... on my 4wd truck anyway.

Here is how the paint has held up over the years. I used low gloss black engine enamel

I like the way you did the headlight doors. It gives it a "don't mess with me" look.

[notsolo]

I cut blocks of wood, on the table saw to match the profile inside and out...Lay the damaged area in the vee cut and work from the inside. Tapping with wood blocks of different lengths .

[71gmcC15]

You could polish up the hole grill and leave it chromed like I did.

[JerryIndy2112]

I went to take off "eye brows" and found that I am not sure how. Do I have to take off fender?

[mikeshome]

Thanks mine is a 71,i bought mine the way it is and that was 10 years ago.The brows on my lights are just the crome ones held on by the bulb screws.

[JerryIndy2112]

Hey
What do you mean by "bulb screws"? Do you mean you just pry them off, then pop them back in?

[special-K]

I think one of you are talking about the fender brows and the other headlight doors. To remove the fender brows you need to get at the backside to the nuts

[54blackhornet]

I’ve had numerous 67-72’s but this 71 GMC gets comments when ever I park it even for just a moment. It’s the grill , pulls folks in every time. They also notice the H4 headlights.