grill question...

[juju808]

hello... I need help...lol... i need to decide whether i like a 69-70 grill or a 71-72 grill... to put on my 68... what is the difference between the two? do you have any pictures? what do you prefer? thanks so much for your input!

[69 air cab]

Hello juju. I have a 69 that I am doing a frame off restoration and it is going to get a 71 grill. The 71 just looks smoother to me. In fact I bought the 69 grill before I decided to do the restoration. I never even took it out of the box. If you go with the 71 you will have to also replace your front bumper for the ture signal lights. I actually think you can do some really cool things with the 68 grill.

[MOTHERTRUCKERS]

Changing from a 68 to 69 and newer requires a 69 and newer hood,radiator support, grill brackets, grill inner/outer, hood latch and fenders 71-72 requires a bumper also.

[JDYUSA]

Basically it is Egg Crates for 71-72 and horizontal bars for athe lower years.

[SWEET7T]

I have a '70 with a 71-72 style grill. I DID NOT get a 71-72 bumper. You don't have to do it, but you do have to figure out something to do with the signal lights. Getting a 71-72 bumper would be one way to do this because their signal lights are in the bumper. 69-70 signal lights were in the grill.

What I did was cut my light housings so that I could bend the lower tabs to be parallel with the radiator support. I drilled out a spot for the bulb housing to go throught the support, and then for holes per side to bolt the lights on. Then tapped the holes and mounted them. Things may get tricky for me when one of those bulbs burn out, but I will worry about that when the time comes.

Here is a pic of what I'm talking about. I have a billit inner, and I put my lights in the stock 69-70 location. Just rying to give you another idea...

[SWEET7T]

Here is a 69-70 grill. Mine before I hit a deer

[truck69]

Question for Sweet7t....How did you mount your turn signals behind the grill? Is it just a simple bracket? Where did you get the grill?

Thanks. Truck69

[SWEET7T]

I ordered the billit grill through Truckers in Las Vegas (~$200). I picked up the 71-72 outer from a local guy for $75.

What I did was use the factory light housings. When you remove them from the factory grill, the two top mounting tabs are vertical, while the two bottom tabs are horizontal. I took a hacksaw to the lower mounting tabs so that I could bend them down to also be vertical. I measured for the stock location, and drilled a hole for the wires & bulb to stick throught the radiator support. Then I drilled four holes to hold the light in place. I just threaded the holes, I used 5/16" by 2.5" bolts if I remember right.

I will try to snap some pics this afternoon so you can actually see what I'm trying to explain. My only problem is that it will be hard to get to the bulbs when they burn out. THe plan is to get a long screwdriver and reach through the grill to remove the screws, then stick my hand down between the grill and radiator support.

The billit grill makes it a pain in the butt to open the hood!!! My fingers are almost too big to fit between the slats of the grill, easier to just lay down and push the release by going behind the bumper and up... I will fab something hopefully over spring break (if I don't cut my springs instead )

[FirstGen]

The '68 grills are the best IMO!!! Of couse I am bias because I have a '68 myself

[SWEET7T]

truck69 here are those pics for you (well for everybody )

[SWEET7T]

here is a pic from the back, notice I drilled ~.75" hole for the bulb retainer to stick through the radaitor support

[juju808]

not a problem... i am enjoying trying to figure it out and learn more... lol...