Question about 'brackets' on New Replacement Grill Assy

[BrianG]

I am planning to purchasing a replacement outer grill for me 69 when it comes back from the body shop. I will be buying the more expensive one with the letters stamped into it. Can anyone tell me if the steel brackets that are rivited on to the oem outer grills come on these replacement items, or do I need to keep the old brackets and re-rivet them to the new grill? These would be the long thin steel brackets where the outer grill bolts to the fenders.

[jjzepplin]

I don't think they come with it and are hard to find. SAVE everything till yours is all put together. I bought a guys old grill from his wife while he was in Iraq and looking at his new one it was clear he had to use the brackets from the one I bought. Mine was trash any way so reuse of the brackets was not a problem. Now I need another grill for my second truck and man it is hard to find those brackets without having to shell out for a bad looking grill I will throw away anyway.

[FirstOwner69]

Here's an ebay search link to some fasteners that replicate the look of the original grille rivets. I used these and am pleased with the result. However, I don't recall which size. The heads on mine are bit larger than I like, so I'd probably go with the 8s to be safe.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw...ts&_sacat=6030

Here's a picture that shows the more prominent "rivets" painted black above and below the headlight.

[BrianG]

Thanks for the help guys! I'll keep my old brackets and will order some of those rivet/bolts when the time comes.