Is it a big deal to remove the grille on a '69?

[Mister-B]

I'd like to restore the grille insert before I get around to replacing the entire outer grille. My insert looks fine (besides it needs to be painted black), but the actual grille is beyond help. Is it a big deal to remove it?
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[POS1]

I just put a new grill and surround on mine today. The surround took forever, but the insert looked like it would have been easy. Nine screws that are screwed into white plastic mounts. The biggest PITA will be removing those white plastic deals. Make sure you buy a new screw kit before tearing it apart unless your going to use small bolts or something.

You shouldn't have to remove the surround from the truck, btw.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by POS1

I just put a new grill and surround on mine today. The surround took forever, but the insert looked like it would have been easy. Nine screws that are screwed into white plastic mounts. The biggest PITA will be removing those white plastic deals. Make sure you buy a new screw kit before tearing it apart unless your going to use small bolts or something.

You shouldn't have to remove the surround from the truck, btw.

Thanks for the info. So, what year do you have? From your sig line, looks like a newer model, with a different grille. Not sure if its different?

When you say the surround took forever, what part is that, and what was hard about it?
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[FirstOwner69]

My 69 (and, I think, the 70s I've seen) did not use the white plastic pieces/mounts/nuts mentioned above. They used unique steel "nuts" rather than the plastic push-in nuts. They are much easier to deal with but are usually rusty. The only reproduction pieces I've seen are the plastic, and my assumption has been that the plastic parts were probably used on the 71s and 72s. I tried the plastic ones in my 69 and gave up.

I think you also need to do more research on your 69 inner grille before painting it black. Only certain portions are black. The eggcrate portion and the horizontal parts that rest on the center bar and the bottom part of the outer grille were silver. Search for some pics of Sicklajoie's gorgeous 69 for what it should look like. I have also seen several threads discussing the differences between the 69 and 70 inner and outer grilles. There was also a thread where someone was trying to determine what silver paint to use.

Edit: Here's the paint thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=531066
I used Rustoleum Metallic Matte Nickel which I think looks very good. I can post a pic later if you want.

[FirstOwner69]

Here is the picture.

[Sicklajoie]

^^^That looks just like mine except the horizontal lines in the center bar and the headlight outline on mine aren't black.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

My 69 (and, I think, the 70s I've seen) did not use the white plastic pieces/mounts/nuts mentioned above. They used unique steel "nuts" rather than the plastic push-in nuts. They are much easier to deal with but are usually rusty. The only reproduction pieces I've seen are the plastic, and my assumption has been that the plastic parts were probably used on the 71s and 72s. I tried the plastic ones in my 69 and gave up.

I think you also need to do more research on your 69 inner grille before painting it black. Only certain portions are black. The eggcrate portion and the horizontal parts that rest on the center bar and the bottom part of the outer grille were silver. Search for some pics of Sicklajoie's gorgeous 69 for what it should look like. I have also seen several threads discussing the differences between the 69 and 70 inner and outer grilles. There was also a thread where someone was trying to determine what silver paint to use.

Edit: Here's the paint thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=531066
I used Rustoleum Metallic Matte Nickel which I think looks very good. I can post a pic later if you want.

Thank you! That's very helpful
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[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

Thank you! That's very helpful
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I see Sicklajoie just posted a picture on your other grille thread.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by Sicklajoie

^^^That looks just like mine except the horizontal lines in the center bar and the headlight outline on mine aren't black.

The lines were black on the original grilles, but only the recessed portion. My outer grille was replaced in 1972 with the GM service replacement part that looked like the current reproduction that has the lettering and NOS grilles you see advertised on the forum. It had black on the recessed portion as well as the adjacent raised portion. I immediately noticed it wasn't like the original and used lacquer thinner to remove it from the raised portion. I remember because it was a pain. The headlight outlines were also black. Satin is the best gloss level to use.

[Sicklajoie]

This is what my truck looked like when it was originally restored out in California

This is what it looks like now.

Don't know if the black on the grill was peeling and they decided to take it all off or what...

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by Sicklajoie

This is what my truck looked like when it was originally restored out in California

This is what it looks like now.

Don't know if the black on the grill was peeling and they decided to take it all off or what...

That black when they first restored it looks really sharp. I may have to just stray from stock on this. Time will tell

Thanks so much
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[Sicklajoie]

The inner part in the first picture is still gray, it just looks really dark in the pictures.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by Sicklajoie

This is what my truck looked like when it was originally restored out in California

This is what it looks like now.

Don't know if the black on the grill was peeling and they decided to take it all off or what...

The top picture is what the 1972 GM service replacement on mine looked like. I also removed the black paint adjacent to the outer ends of the parking lights to make it more like my original. The "embossing" in the original aluminum was also different outside the parking lights. The embossed resessed lines extended to the headlight openings.

I should also add that the silver on original inner grille on mine had sort of a greenish hue when new in 1969.

[POS1]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

Thanks for the info. So, what year do you have? From your sig line, looks like a newer model, with a different grille. Not sure if its different?

When you say the surround took forever, what part is that, and what was hard about it?
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I put a 1972 grill surround on my 1971 because I liked the chrome rings around the headlight. I also painted the grill black - I liked this look. I'd think all the grills and surrounds mount the same. The surround is the large part that goes around the headlights - you have to remove the bumper and drill out a pile of rivets to remove the surround.

Here's the completed job: