69/70 grille

[Pizzalovr36]

Difference? the lines from the marker light to the headlight?

[lolife99]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=410215

[lolife99]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=334461

[67_C-30]

The grill in the 2nd pic is a reproduction or 80's - 90's era NOS GM grill, and the 1st pic is an original GM grille. The correct grill is no longer made. The GM licensed grill with the letters that cost $700 at some places is not correct.

I discovered this years ago with my '69, and most people never notice it.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=269760

[mmiddle]

I am reasonably comfortable that the grill in my '70 is the original and it does NOT have the lines out to the headlights. I wonder if this is a regional assembly plant issue. My truck is an Atlanta truck. However my '69 was a Norwood truck and it had the full lines.

My '70 has not been driven since 1986 and had a lot of scratching and damage consistent with the rest of the truck. If it was replaced it was done in the mid to late '70's when the truck was repainted.

The first Pic is the 70 and the white truck is the 69

[mmiddle]

Not to highjack the thread, but I think this is needed. I have been wondering this for a few months and we need empirical photographic evidence devoid of personal opinion on what the different assembly plants did or did not do.

What we need is for many members to post pictures of there 69-70 grills that they believe is the original OE grill along with the assembly plant. The inner grill is well established between the years, but the outer grill leaves a lot for opinion and disagreement and confusion.

For most of us this is somewhat of a moot point as we are not going for 1000 point show truck restorations, but it is interesting and helpful to know.

[FirstOwner69]

The grille on my 69 (Fremont plant) had the black lines extending to the headlight bezels when new. In 1972 someone hit the truck in the front requiring a new grille. The GM dealer replaced it with one that did not have the lines to the bezels. Note that this was in 1972 which tells me that the service replacement parts as early as the spring of 1972 were like today's reproductions.

[mmiddle]

FirstOwner69: That's very interesting. I have no way of knowing if my 70 was hit in the front. It all looks original including the over-spray. This still begs the question about OEM vendor supplied parts at the factory and dealerships.

[too much stuff]

I have one in the GM box dated 1976 and the lines stop short of the bezels.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by mmiddle

FirstOwner69: That's very interesting. I have no way of knowing if my 70 was hit in the front. It all looks original including the over-spray. This still begs the question about OEM vendor supplied parts at the factory and dealerships.

I've never had an all original truck that the grill that stops stort of the bezels. These include trucks built in Atlanta, St Louis, Baltimore, and Norwood. I don't know about any of the other plants.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

The grille on my 69 (Fremont plant) had the black lines extending to the headlight bezels when new. In 1972 someone hit the truck in the front requiring a new grille. The GM dealer replaced it with one that did not have the lines to the bezels. Note that this was in 1972 which tells me that the service replacement parts as early as the spring of 1972 were like today's reproductions.

Originally Posted by too much stuff

I have one in the GM box dated 1976 and the lines stop short of the bezels.

This is very interesting. It makes me think that maybe all replacement grills were the second design, and maybe sourced from another vendor.

[mmiddle]

The second vendor thing was what I was wondering about factory installed as well.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by mmiddle

The second vendor thing was what I was wondering about factory installed as well.

Its definitely possible, but I've yet to see proof of it. It would be interesting to know for sure.

[GearsFC3S]

If you look at the sales literature, both '69 and '70 have the lines out to the headlights.

[Spartan]

The tooling broke and all replacements were the second design.
We've discussed this in several different threads.
This is my theory. Factories used the stock on hand. Say you were hit in '69. The dealer would not have the original stamping. They could only get the second design because the first design tooling was gone.
So even in 69 one could get a replacement but not the factory stamping.
Of course if somebody show an nos first stamping my theory is toast.
Cheers!
Nim

[hamjet]

heres the 70 chevy with 80 miles from another post..

[lolife99]

We should just call them GM production or GM replacement grilles.

[Lattimer]

I have one of each. The one that was on the truck and looks to be original the lines go all the way out. My other one was a swap meet part and the lines stop short.

[werfrat]

I believe this grill to be original due to the fact this truck ha 6012 miles on it. it was a forestry truck. it has the holes in the grill where the emergency light had been mounted. plant was "Tarrytown" NJ?