Looking for some painted GMC front ends

[Bowtie001]

I have searched and searched - even tried the photoshop section (not interesting enough - no beef) but I cannot find any variations on the painted chrome pieces on a GMC front end. Pretty much every piece on mine is toast, and I wanted to look into some cheaper options than replating or repops that may not fit anyways. Show me some paint - white would be good, gray/silver is fine - whatever ya got.

BTW, if this belongs in the paint/body forum, let me know and move if necessary - sorry for any inconvenience.


Thanks!

-Brian

[Bowtie001]

OK, I found one, and only one... so maybe this will start it off.

Whoever own this truck - don't get mad at me please for posting it.

[1969k10stepside]

That would be Longhorn Man's truck...The Chevy longhorn posing as a GMC

[babyJay]

Found these on ebay...the first one is still up for auction, the others have ended...BTW I have a nice OE 67 GMC Grille I'll sell ya

[Longhorn Man]

yep, that's my rig up there. That;'s cool, saves me the trouble of searching for it.
Mine was not originally white... but like you said, it's cheaper than replacement.

[chevybill]

How do you get paint to adhere to these grills without flaking off in a few months?

[Bowtie001]

This is a good time to ask this, because I was never very sure. The yellow truck Vs the blue truck. The yellow one has the trim piece all the way around the top and the sides like my 72. The blue doesn't have anything around the top or the sides. Are the hoods different lengths/shapes? Are the fenders different? Or is the blue truck what it looks like if you remove the outer trim stuff?

Not to hijack my own thread - please keep them coming - especially some off-body-color now that we have a few body color ones.


Thanks to those that have helped (and especially Longhorn Man for letting me use his truck as an example).

-Brian

[raggedjim]

A couple of painted up beauties for you.

Rg

[northerngmc]

Here is one, just ignore the Chevy emblem on the fender!

[raggedjim]

Originally Posted by Bowtie001

This is a good time to ask this, because I was never very sure. The yellow truck Vs the blue truck. The yellow one has the trim piece all the way around the top and the sides like my 72. The blue doesn't have anything around the top or the sides. Are the hoods different lengths/shapes? Are the fenders different? Or is the blue truck what it looks like if you remove the outer trim stuff?

Not to hijack my own thread - please keep them coming - especially some off-body-color now that we have a few body color ones.


Thanks to those that have helped (and especially Longhorn Man for letting me use his truck as an example).

-Brian

The blue truck is a 68 and the hood is different, the yellow is a 69-70 which has a different style hood that requires the large trim pieces. If you removed the trim from the yellow truck there would be a HUGH gap between the hood and the grill. You'll notice that the trimless are all 67-68 GMC's.

There is a smaller trim that can be used on the 67-68... See the pic, I know this is a 71-72 GMC but it has the 67-68 hood and smaller trim...

Rg

[Bowtie001]

So on my 72, if IU were to swap fenders and hoods theoretically I'd be able to use the same grill and just omit the outers?

-Brian

[raggedjim]

Nope, your fenders are the same as a 67-68 GMC. See the pic.


You would have to get a 67-68 GMC top bar to replace the 72 top bar (chrome trim on top of grill) and a 67-68 GMC grill brace and hood latch. The radiator surround will work. Then you would have to fill the holes on the front edge of your fenders.

Good luck, Rg

[Bowtie001]

Interesting - so a hood, fill some small holes, top bar, hood latch, grill support and I'm in 67-68 territory. maybe I can find someone that wants to trade.

Anyway - back to the painted front ends... Let's see some more, I want to be able to do all this on the cheap.

Thanks
-Brian

[raggedjim]

Originally Posted by Bowtie001

Interesting - so a hood, fill some small holes, top bar, hood latch, grill support and I'm in 67-68 territory. maybe I can find someone that wants to trade.

Anyway - back to the painted front ends... Let's see some more, I want to be able to do all this on the cheap.

Thanks
-Brian

Yeah, I'm going that way on my Jimmy, so I have researched it quite a bit.

Rg

[Bowtie001]

So how are the trimless trucks done (like the light blue one and the green one above)? Is the top trim piece absolutely necessary? A few more:
What is a 'grill brace' and why do I need a new hood latch?

[raggedjim]

The grill brace is behind the grill and gives it support. You will need the 67-68 top bar or the hood latch won't bolt up. I have attached some pics, the white truck has the top bar painted black, the other pic shows the top bar off of the grill.

I had some pics of hood latches but can't find them, but the hood latches on the 67-68 are straight across the botton edge and the 69-72 have a step up so they will fit on top of the taller topbar of those models. Hard to explain in words, easy to see in pics. I'll try to get some pics this weekend. Short answer is your 72 hood latch won't work with the 67-68 top bar...

Rg

[Eddie H.]

I was wondering how powder coating would look on the GMC front trim pieces. It would be durable, and a lot cheaper than replating.

[SacramentoJoe]

I used my original trim parts and rattle-canned the grill and bumper portions. If you look closely you can see what paint came off the last time I washed it. My wife always complained about my detail painting so she gets to do the next job for me.

[N2TRUX]

Here's my favorite version...

[Southedisto]

Here is mine, pre winch and currently.

[see ten]

How about one that looks like dammitt! I can say that since I used to own it can't I? When I got it (parts truck for the K10) the grill had been painted with a paintbrush. Once white and again black. I spray painted it silver when I bombed the rest of the truck flat black.

[Bob D]

Originally Posted by chevybill

How do you get paint to adhere to these grills without flaking off in a few months?

I sand blasted mine on both sides and then primed it with etch primer in a rattle can. The back side was then painted with black ZeroRust and the front with red rustoleum and a foam brush.

Bob

[raggedjim]

Well, I finally got some GMC hood latch pics. The first rusty ugly one is off of a 70 GMC. Notice how the handle jogs off to the right to clear the center bar of the GMC hood. Also notice the step up in the front where it bolts to the top bar.

Tha second powder coated latch is for a 67-68 GMC. It doesn't step up in the front...

Hope this helps, Rg

[dingo_dan_22]

72' Gmc

[Bowtie001]

Wow guys, thanks for the outpouring of photos. My wife and I are leaning heavily in the white grill and bumper, painted grill surround. Anything like that around?


Now if I could only convince her that modifying the 72 to look like a 68 is not 'faking it'. Who would have thought that my car-loathing wife would be such a purist?

Thanks guys - keep em coming.

-Brian