73-74/75-76 GMC Grille compatibility with interior hood release?

[HunterRotten]

I've not been able to find an unlucky and busted 77-80 GMC grille to repair mine, so I've started to look into some of the earlier grilles. The 75-76 GMC grille seems to be my favorite. I have swapped over my truck to interior hood release and I'm wondering if this will interfere with the earlier grilles. If they do is there a way to modify it to work easily?

[75C10]

I am going to do the same thing with an 80 Grille to be replaced with a 75/76 grille along with the inside hood release. The 73/74 grilles are much deeper and require a different centre grille support so I am not surprised if this isn't workable. With an inside hood release it is only the secondary catch to be released from the grille side and although the original hood opening holes are not in alignment you should be able to release the hood with careful placement of the fingers. Maybe someone can comment on this arrangement?
I checked LMC and the parts needed are not reproduced.

Is the center grille support for a 75/76 different than the 77-80 grille support?
We expect the hood release access hole will vary slightly from the early to the later parts but is the mounting depth for the grille the same?
Darwin

[porpaintt]

Questions guys.
How do you do the inside hood latch?
Thanks

[75C10]

My inside release is all off of an 80 Chev truck. All stock - no mods

[HunterRotten]

Originally Posted by 75C10

My inside release is all off of an 80 Chev truck. All stock - no mods

My dad and I pulled ours off of a fully loaded Truck we found in a yard. You need the top piece if the radiator support, the center support in the rad support, the latch/cable, and the hook that bolts into the hood.

[porpaintt]

Thanks for the answer,guys.
Would you happen to have any picts you could post?
I would like to know what I am looking for,I have never seen any that were before 1981.
Thanks

[HunterRotten]

Originally Posted by porpaintt

Thanks for the answer,guys.
Would you happen to have any picts you could post?
I would like to know what I am looking for,I have never seen any that were before 1981.
Thanks

These are the only pictures I can get for you right now as my truck is not together. This is the top piece of the radiator support, the hook that bolts onto the hood, and the center support piece from the radiator support.

There is a visual difference between the top piece and the center support. The center support piece has a bend in it. The top of the radiator support has a triangular opening on interior release 77-80 trucks. The actual mechanism itself is different but I figured that is a given. The cable is not ran in any special way, it's just laying out on the inner fender going through the firewall. It bolts onto the kick panel.

[75C10]

I removed my 80 grille and installed my 75 grille and the following are my observations.
1. My inside hood latch parts are the same as shown in the above photograph. I think my parts came from an 80 I stripped in 1981.
2. The left and right (upper and lower) and the lower centre grille attachment screws are in the same place (75 and 80). So then 77-79 should also be the same.
3. However the upper centre screw is offset a little differently. It turns out my 75 grille upper centre attachment point on my grille is broken and still some of it interferes with the through grille secondary release. But in my case it still works and I can also release the secondary catch with my fingers just under the hood and not through the grille opening. The 77-80 grilles have a central position to unlatch the sec latch. The 75 and 76 grilles have a slightly offset opening for the sec latch.
With some trimming the 75 - 76 grilles will work. It may be difficult to use the upper centre attachment screw so you might have to live with only 5 of the 6 screws holding the grille. I know there was an inside hood release option earlier than 80 but don't know if it the same or how it might differ. Seems to me I saw an inside hood release on a 77 in the bone yard but it might not have been factory.

I am happy because my conversion will be a piece of cake. I will keep an eye out for the correct centre brace for a 75 76 in case it actually might work. For the time being 5 screws works for me and maybe I will become creative for the centre upper screw location

Hope this helps
Darwin

[porpaintt]

Thanks guys,I have a better idea of what I am looking for.
I am building a 73 crew cab with a 357 small block and a 5spd,and a 78 standard cab dually for my grandson with a 400 small block,and a sm465 4/whl drive,and I want to put inside hood latches on both of them.
Thanks again

[75C10]

I came across this information and it might help somebody.
Darwin

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/19...p-grille-swap/