Differences in 60 and 61 grilles

[64tantruck]

Can someone explain if there are any differences in the 60 and 61 grilles.
Here is a picture of the 61 we purchased. After looking at some photos here and online it looks as if this my be a 60 grille. Reason asking is we are looking for a aluminum (chrome) 61 grille.

Thanks,
Glenn

[McCoyAZ]

this is a 60 grill

or you might want to look here: [http://sixty7ss.proboards.com/index....lay&thread=202[/B]

[63sbssbbw]

OR..your truck is a '60 with a '61 hood.
The 1st digit of your vin is the year ...0c or 1c
Great lookin' truck btw
T

[dtkarst]

Heres the grill on my 61 Apache 10

[jocko]

any more pics of that 61 dtkarst?

my understanding is that the grilles are identical except for the center insert.
60=plain jane horizontal bars
61=chev script with small surround.

[61K10]

60 has chevrolet stamped in the main grill on the bottom, while 61 has chevrolet in the center bezel/script. looks like you have a 60. here is my 61

[jocko]

AH! Thanks 61K10, I did not know that - so, truly one year only items. Thanks!!!

[Grizz1963]

Still being on the learning curve here, Are these grilles all easily interchangeable?

And the hoods? Which years are interchangeable?

We prefer the look of the 60 hood but are less bothered about actual year of manufacture.
Posted via Mobile Device

[spacedebris]

All hoods 60-66 are interchangeable.

I'm not so sure about the grills. I think the 60-61 will swap and the 62-66 will swap. But maybe someone that knows better will pipe in.

[61_FL_Apache]

I have a 61 Apache with a 60 grill and a C-10 hood. I wish mine had the 61 grill in it, I like that one better.

[McCoyAZ]

Not all hoods are interchangeable. The LCF (low cab forward) I think is what they call them are shorter than the standard truck hood and will not fit.

I am running a 61 hood and grill on a 64 short stepper.

You should keep an eye open for older big truck hoods as some of those will fit our trucks. School buses and fire trucks are a good source.

[64tantruck]

Thanks for all the tips. We looking for a polished grille. Either or.
Our VIN shows the truck as a 1961
1C143B117903

Glenn
Posted via Mobile Device

[PoDuck]

I know that the grills will swap throughout 60-66, although I'm not sure if any parts are required other than the grill and the wires. I can't think of any differences that would prevent it.

Whatever it is, it should be a simple bolt on.

[Brad54]

Others have shown you the difference in the grills.
The hoods for '60/'61 are the same, but the turn signal housings are different.
The '60 has the vertical bars, as in post 2.
The '61 housings are the "bowtie" style, as in post 4.

Truth be told, my Suburban is a '62, but I HATE the '62 grill, and I like the 2-bump hood a lot better too.
I swapped a '60 grill into it, and I don't remember if I had to drill any holes or not.
I have '61 turn signal housings in the hood.
I just tell everyone it's a '61, because that's a whole lot easier.

-Brad

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Brad54

Others have shown you the difference in the grills.
The hoods for '60/'61 are the same, but the turn signal housings are different.
The '60 has the vertical bars, as in post 2.
The '61 housings are the "bowtie" style, as in post 4.

Truth be told, my Suburban is a '62, but I HATE the '62 grill, and I like the 2-bump hood a lot better too.
I swapped a '60 grill into it, and I don't remember if I had to drill any holes or not.
I have '61 turn signal housings in the hood.
I just tell everyone it's a '61, because that's a whole lot easier.

-Brad

Hi Brad, what would you say this is then ?

This is the truck I am having investigated at the moment....

If you look at the fender there is a badge as well that looks like the '64 model.

And of course the grille and bumper.

Is this a mishmash of part to create a "custom" ?

[j.kirn]

whats the vin on cab, and that should match no on frame

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Hi Brad, what would you say this is then ?

This is the truck I am having investigated at the moment....

If you look at the fender there is a badge as well that looks like the '64 model.

And of course the grille and bumper.

Is this a mishmash of part to create a "custom" ?

'61 grille, '60 turn signal housings, and as you said, a later fender emblem. In '60 and '61, they had "Apache" emblems, not "C10" with a bowtie.

Someone probably just liked the combination of parts, or didn't know and figured "this is the right one."

If it's being represented as being a perfect restoration, it's not... I'm 90-percent sure that the grill surround and the turn signal housings should also be painted white--every one I've seen is.
The hubcaps are also later models.

-Brad

[Captainfab]

The fender emblems are '64, which could be what fenders were used and the emblems were used to fill the holes. Does the truck have the torsion bar front suspension or is it coil springs? '60-'62 is torsion bar. Either way the cab is a '60-'63.

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Hi Brad, what would you say this is then ?

This is the truck I am having investigated at the moment....

If you look at the fender there is a badge as well that looks like the '64 model.

And of course the grille and bumper.

Is this a mishmash of part to create a "custom" ?

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Brad54

'61 grille, '60 turn signal housings, and as you said, a later fender emblem. In '60 and '61, they had "Apache" emblems, not "C10" with a bowtie.

Someone probably just liked the combination of parts, or didn't know and figured "this is the right one."

If it's being represented as being a perfect restoration, it's not... I'm 90-percent sure that the grill surround and the turn signal housings should also be painted white--every one I've seen is.
The hubcaps are also later models.

-Brad

Hi Brad and Captainfab

Thanks for the replies,
The truck is 800 miles away from year so I am investigating through a Friend of a friend. I only know the guy who is checking it out for me through a forum we both frequent but feel I can trust him. Also told him to proceed slowly.

It is definitely not being held up as anything but a '60 truck that has a bunch of mods to it that do not even compliment each other.

What I know so far is:

The front end is disk brake, 5 stud and not on bags ( it used to have bags all round) the rear is 6 stud and still on bags.

Engine is 350/700R4 combo.

Originally Posted by Captainfab

The fender emblems are '64, which could be what fenders were used and the emblems were used to fill the holes. Does the truck have the torsion bar front suspension or is it coil springs? '60-'62 is torsion bar. Either way the cab is a '60-'63.

As said above, I am 800 miles away and will be relying on someone else to check out the basics for me.

I guess the front end does not represent anything original.

WRT emblems, I am not too bothered.

The seat has also been reupholstered in a custom style with snakeskin inserts.

I like the look of the bits on it and would not change anything.

Personally I do like the GMC grilles but my wife hates them so we are kinda stuck in a narrow groove with Knee knockers even if the later models afforded better visibility and were technically superior and had better chassis access etc.

Bottom line is either a "Bitsa" truck or something built to satisfy a specific taste.

Will update as soon as I know more.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Grizz1963]

PS. I have seen bonnet Bowties that lit up.

Is that a custom touch or did they all light up?

Can one still buy light up Bowties??

Thanks.
Posted via Mobile Device

[chevyrestoguy]

It's not uncommon for builders to swap out front fenders on these trucks. Even in the dry Southwest area of the U.S., the bottoms of the fenders almost always rust out, and it's not uncommon to see different year fenders installed. The builder should have transferred the old Apache emblems to the '64 fenders, but not everybody is as detail-oriented as all of us here on the site. We know these trucks from top to bottom, and we can spot almost anything that's out of place.

GM was great at designing vehicles that give you nearly endless possibilities of swapping out parts from different years, unlike Ford or Dodge. That truck has a few mods that are nice to have, namely disc brakes. I would wait to hear back from the guy who's investigating it for you. It might be a decent truck that just needs a few more mods to be a really nice vehicle. 1960 Chevy trucks are relatively rare even here in the U.S., and I'll bet that there are only a handfull in the entire U.K.