Ok -- this is likely obvious to those that have done it before -- but it isn't so obvious to me. smile.gif

First, how do I get to the grille to remove/replace it? What do I have to remove to be able to get to the grille screws and such? I'm not sure exactly what to dismantle so that I can access the grille!

Second, someone told me that you could still get new grilles from GM. They said to just call my local dealership. I called -- and they told me to "just go to gmparts.com and order it". Well, first, "gmparts.com" doesn't answer. I assume that he meant "gmpartsdirect.com", which does have the grille for $130 plus shipping -- which is cheaper than most of the EBay sales. My question is: is this the best place to buy it? gmpartsdirect.com is just owned by some reseller, not GM, right? It shows "Flow Chevrolet" in North Carolina as the domain owner. Is there a better place to buy this from? Should I push my local dealer to get a price from GM? Or is gmpartsdirect.com the best I can do for new GM parts?

Thanks!

- John...

Anyone? I actually have some time tomorrow and would really love some info on the proper way to get it out without unbolting extras that I shouldn't... Any tips/hints/info?

- John...

Well I just installed the one on my '70. Some guys may have another method, but I believe in removing the parts so you can get to it real well. I just went a looked.

Remove the front bumper. Remove the rings around the headlights. Remove both front headlight body pieces (I can't remember the name but he pieces which the rings are attached.) You should now be able to remove the grill. If there is something else in way remove. Don't force anything. Be patient and enjoy. It should only take a couple of hours. While you are working on it, replace the screws with new ones.

Hope this helps.

Ok - thanks for the info! I didn't know that I'd need to remove the bumper. I set this project aside for a bit (snow is coming soon -- so it won't be a problem to remove such things and just leave them for a while). I've added it to my "projects for winter" list! smile.gif

- John...

If you can plainly see the bottom philips screws on the fender extensions, there is no need to remove the bumper. Save yourself some grief, especially if the bumper hasn't been off the car in years! I keep a freshly painted pair of extensions handy and swap them around quite often, due to the many stone chips I encounter.

Originally posted by MalibuJerry350:
If you can plainly see the bottom philips screws on the fender extensions, there is no need to remove the bumper. Save yourself some grief, especially if the bumper hasn't been off the car in years! I keep a freshly painted pair of extensions handy and swap them around quite often, due to the many stone chips I encounter. MJ350 has it right graemlins/thumbsup.gif .... remove headlight bezels and that about does it. No need to take off the front bumper. What a hastle that would be. :eek:

John

Ok -- just removed my old grille without too much touble after going in through the headlight holes -- thanks for the tip!

Now... at this point, we don't have the cash to buy a new grille. We hope to do that a little later this winter. In the meantime, I'd like to pain tthis grille all black and just use it like that. It is cracked in a few spots -- but it'll get us by until we can buy a replacement.

Currently, the part that should be black is bot painted at all. The center bar was once red, but someone before me has painted black over that. I just plan to use a shaker can of black paint for now and do the whole thing black -- I'll have someone professional do it when we can get a new grille -- and have them do the "proper" car-colored bar too.

What is the best way to go about removing these two layers of old paint and then prepping the entire grille to be painted black? Can I use normal paint stripper -- or would that damage/eat the plastic grille itself? How should I prep the main grille parts -- which haven't been painted before?

Thanks!

- John...