69-70 Inner Grille - OEM - OER - or Reproduction

[BrianG]

Hello, I need some help from the experts, and hopefully a vender or two can chime in.

I recently purchased what was supposed to be an OEM inner grille for my 69. This was purchased from a rather well known supplier of parts for our trucks. They had both a reproduction and what is supposed to be an OEM version for 100 dollars more. I went with the OEM to ensure original quality, fit, appearance, and so on.

Well, what I received is not in my opinion an OEM grille. It does not seem to be of the same quality as some of the true OEM's that I have at home. I have both original 69 and original 70 inner grilles at home. I know this has all been discussed many times, and I can confirm that the new inner grille that I purchased is more similar to the 70 design and painted to look like the 69 design. There are plenty of threads already to discuss that and this is not meant to be one of them.

There are no part numbers on the new part that I can find. It was wrapped in white paper with the vender's part number taped to that. I did call their customer service and spoke to a very nice woman who understood my concerns and checked into it. She claims that they purchase these directly form General Motors and that they just come wrapped in the white paper. The reproduction ones that they carry are not black on the back and silver painted on the front like the OEM, and come in a box. I have looked at many other companies carrying what they claim is a very good quality reproduction of the inner grille and their pictures look exactly like what I purchased.

Sooo..... Any ideas of how I could tell if this is truly a GM part or a decent quality OER part???

I don't really think that the company is purposely being deceitful, but perhaps their vender is. I am starting to believe that I may have been taken for an extra $100. And that doesn't really make me happy, but wouldn't be the first time with this project.

Here is a picture of an area where there is quite a bit of extra slag from the mold. There are many areas like this. I wouldn't expect this from a true GM OEM part.

[DeadheadNM]

The 71-72 OEM inner grills have part #'s. I imagine that OEM 69/70 inner grills should as well. If no part # I'd say repro...

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

The 71-72 OEM inner grills have part #'s. I imagine that OEM 69/70 inner grills should as well. If no part # I'd say repro...

I would have thought so also, but I have not been able to find any part number on my old original 69 or original 70 inner grille. I'm going to take another look at them though. If anyone knows where to look, please let me know.

[DaHos]

Is there any "recess" ares molded into the grill? Also is the egg crate painted silver on just the face or also "inside"?

None of my 69-70 grills have part#s......OEM or repop.....

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by DaHos

Is there any "recess" ares molded into the grill? Also is the egg crate painted silver on just the face or also "inside"?

None of my 69-70 grills have part#s......OEM or repop.....

It appears to either be an original (with poor quality control standards) or a reproduction 70 inner grill. It has the recesses like the 70's had. However, like I explained, the whole egg crate area is painted silver like the 69's were. Most of the silver got into the egg crates, but not all around the edges. I know the 70's just had the outward edges painted. This is painted to look like the 69's. Also, the 69's were greyish silver plastic and this is black plastic like the 70's with silver paint on the egg crate area.

[leftybass209]

The OEM replacement grills from GM starting around 1971 or 72, for the 1969 and 70 trucks, aren't very good quality. I understand your want for OEM, but GM really dropped the ball when they licensed the replacement grills for the 1969 and 1970 year. My complaints aren't with the fit, as much as the finish and stamping of the inner plastic grill, and outer grill surround.