Stupid question, new grill for my '66

[nxtruck]

I have a stupid question guys. I recently picked up a new chrome grill for my '66 and am wondering what the best way to remove the rivets holding the grill mounting brackets to the old grill is. I tried drilling one, but the rivet spins and I'm having a hard time trying to hold it still and drill thru it. Anyone have any suggestions that would make this any easier?

[dean jendro]

Carefully grind off heads of rivets at backside of grill.
Knock rivets thru with a punch.

[nxtruck]

Thank you sir! I have a dremel and an air die grinder with several cutting bits. I will give that a try.
Thanks again!

[ozzyman]

I would use the dremmel over the grinder for small rivets

[nxtruck]

Yeah, that's what I'm planning on trying. Didn't get to work on it last night( went with my son to see Kiss/Motley Crue), but hopefully will get time to get back on it tonight.
Thanks for the input!!

[MARTYZ]

Have to agree with grinding method. The only stupid question is the question you didn't ask, advise I got many years ago as an aprentice. Worked well for me so far!!

[nxtruck]

You are correct Marty! You don't know unless you ask.
Well, I spent a little time in the shop last night and the dremel worked really well, so I want to thank you guys for the help!!

[dean jendro]

Let us know how your stock buckets line up with the mounting tabs on that re-pop chrome grill. I had one that was so bad I sent it back. I also had some re-pop buckets that were really bad and sent them back also. I haven't had much success with any re-popped sheetmetal parts at all.

[nxtruck]

We'll do, Dean. I'm not sure if I'll have time to work on it before this weekend, but I'll report back when I do. I hope I don't run into the problems that you had with yours.

[T2vigil]

A dremmel would be the best route but others than can be used: File, slow but does get the job done; use a hammer and dolly and tighten up the rivit and drill it out. It all depends on how deep your tool box is.

[nxtruck]

Well, I ended up using my dremel with the cutting wheel and made 4 cuts on top of each rivet head and knocked 'em thru. Worked great and only took about 20 minutes or so to do. The stock brackets lined up pretty well with the tabs on the grill, much to my surprise. This grill came from the Truck Shop in Ca. and I'm very happy with it! Now, hopefully I'll get time tonight to get it mounted back on the truck.

[nxtruck]

Well, I got the grill mounted last night, with the help of both of my kids. Something that I had an issue with was that the lower bracket holes were about 3/4" away from the header panel when trying to bolt the grill up. All of the holes lined up fairly well, but for some reason, the lower holes on both sides would not sit flush against the header panel. I had my son push against the lower part of each headlight as I started threading the bolts in and pulled them down the rest of the way as I tightened the blots up. I'm not sure why this would have happened, as there shouldn't have been anything keeping the brackets from sitting flush against the header panel. I'm going to look closer into this, as I'm not happy with how this worked out.

[dean jendro]

Pics?

[nxtruck]

I guess I'm old school, Dean. Our camera died and we never have replaced it, so I have no way of putting pics on the computer. Were you wanting to see pics of the poor fitment or just the grill bolted up to the truck?

[dean jendro]

Both, but that's OK. I guess you got it all to bolt up and at the end of the day that's a WIN!

[nxtruck]

Yes sir! Now, if I could just say the same about the front bumper that I bought for it. I've been out there earlier this morning trying to get the new front bumper to line up and it ain't gonna happen. It sits higher on the driver's side than the passenger side and the gap between the bumper and the corner of the fender is a LOT closer on the driver's side than the pass. side. I bought this bumper from a guy who used to deal in old Chevy truck parts, but has gotten out of it. He had this bumper left over from his business and sold it to me a little cheaper than ordering one from a vendor. I guess I should have just ordered one, but I didn't. Hopefully, he'll work with me on trying to send it back, but I don't know if he still has his contacts or not.

[Mack B]

I had that same issue with the front bumper, and I ordered it through one of the bigger dealers. I was able to get it livable by opening up the holes it mounts to on the frame.
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[nxtruck]

Yeah Mack, that's what I ended up doing yesterday afternoon. I had to enlarge and offset the holes in the frame and I also had to put a shim between the bumper and the lower left mtg. hole to make the bumper pass my inspection. Good ol' taiwanese crap.