I have a really dumb question, but i'd rather ask it and sound dumb then do this wrong.

Anyone ever bought a reproduction center grill molding for a 69 SS? If so, how did you install it with the dumb nuts they supply. I can't get a damn wrench, socket, or anything down in the back of the grill to fasten it down.

The molding has screws/bolts in the back of it that are suspose to go through holes you drill. there appears to be rubber covers on each bolt that I'm not sure are suspose to come off or not. Are these suspose to stay on or are they just for shipping. seems to me that they might be there for a purpose so you don't have to tighten down the nut that much.. Anyways, I don't see how they expect you to get a wrench or a socket down inbetween the grill to tighten them. Anyone ever run into to this or have any suggestions.

Thanks very much.

I have used a nut driver on them before. (Dont over tighten) I am not sure about what you are talking about as far as the plastic overing, but if its on a stud my guess is it shouldnt be there to put the nut on.

You just might have the same problem that I have
I was having the same problem, even bought two or three more NOS chrome pieces trying to figure it out

I finally found out that I have the wrong grill http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif

The plastic horizontal center bar will not work with the chrome because it protrudes out too far and even if you could get a small socket down inside the back of the bar, the chrome pieces still wouldn't work because it would be as if you were stacking one chrome strip on top of another

It's as if they took a Malibu grill with the chrome attached and used it for a mold then the front edge of the plastic bar of the one that came out of that mold was painted silver to simulate it having chrome on it

My theory;

I think the grill must be for a 300 and have been told these are the only ones available now

I have found out that there were actually three different Grills in 69;

<LI>The SS grill on which the plastic center bar only protrudes out about 1/2" or so and with the chrome attached brings it out about another 3/8"
<LI>The Malibu grill on which The plastic bar protrudes out about 3/4" or so without the chrome
<LI>The 300 grill mentioned above



I've also found out by looking at every 69 every time I see one that many of the SS cars have had the grill replaced with the wrong one but it's not hardly noticeable at all

note;
all the measurements mentioned above are an approximate guess, not exact

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Dean - still looking for a good Malibu or SS grill

Dean's right about the different grills! I had the same problem...you cant get a nut or a socket in there!!! But you CAN do it & it looks fine when your done. You need to be a little creative here. I went to my local hardware store & found some 1" pieces of aluminum threaded dowel aprox. 3/16 OD & used them as nuts. Then, since you can't get your fingers in there to screw them on. I slid a piece of vacuum hose on them so you can screw them on & then pull the hose off. I'm sure someone else can come up with a better way to do this. This was the only thing I could come up with at the time.

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Dave
69 SS 396 Convertible M21 373 Posi.
Now has a 454

As the old saying goes "been there,done that"! I had the same problem. I used the plastic sleeves that were on the mounting clip screws,you said your's were rubber, for spacers and used a little blue loctite on the threads and put the nut on and tightened them up with a nut driver.

thanks for all your responses.. I hope i don't have the wrong grill. i probably do though.... I bought it at our sponser (Ground Up) and they informed me that this was for a SS.

I'll have to go outside and take another look at it. Seems to me that it'll look ok if I can tighten down the nuts. I'm still not sure whether to drill the holes big enough for the rubber/platic sleeves or to just drill it a little larger than the bolt itself.

Any more suggestions? I keep you guys posted. thanks again

P.S. I hate reproduction parts..........

If you have to drill holes, then you have a 300 Deluxe grille. A correct SS grille has oval holes molded into the center plastic bar.

I respectfully differ with Dean as to a Malibu grille. I believe that a Malibu grille is the same plastic as an SS but is painted argent rather than SS black. A correct Malibu has "chrome" center trim.

New grilles on the market are GM PN 3942789 available from your friendly GM dealer.

To get an SS grille, I bought a new GM grille and several broken Malibu/SS grilles with molded holes in the center bar. Then, cut and pasted with JB Weld to make up a correct piece.

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Fred Aldrich
The Chevelle Engineer
Web Site: www.CoreComm.net/~faldrich (http://www.CoreComm.net/~faldrich)

Well, it looks like you guys are right. I have the 300 grill. Is there really any differece besides the chrome center molding. I put it on and it looks original. Am I missing something??

ALSO, CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF THERE IS SUSPOSE TO BE A MOLDING PIECE BETWEEN THE 2 HEADLAMPS IN THE CENTER OF THE GRILL. I think there's suspose to be one on the header between the 2 headlamps, but how about in the center (across from the center molding). I think I may have accidently installed the header moldings in the wrong place. Outch..... If so, I need to remove them and fill in the holes with filler.

THANKS AGAIN........

on the 300 grill I have in mine, the piece across from the center bar between the headlights is the same as the center bar, all plastic - part of grill with simulated molding protruding out 1" or so with no chrome

The piece on the header between the headlights is a 1" long piece of chrome

And you certainly may be right Fred, I am still trying to prove my theory but I do know for sure there are three different grills and I think from what cars I've checked that the SS grill's center bar is the only one that only protrudes out about 7/8" (chrome molding included)



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Dean Call
Team Gold member #3
A.C.E.S. # 00235
Mid America Chevelle Club (http://macc.chevelles.net) #001
chevelles.net (http://chevelles.net)
My 69 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/deans69.jpg)

ACES/Midwest Chevelle Regionals (http://www.madmikesstuff.com/Chevelle2001.htm)

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

I definitely have the 300 grill and i see the difference. when i put the center molding on (cause I do have a SS car) it looks like there are 2 moldings on top of each other. the first is the plastic and the other is the chrome molding. I guess I assumed standard GM grill in the catelog ment for a malibu and SS. Details, details, details. Looks like i'll have to go to the dealer if they still offer them to get the correct grill.
The other thing is that the Grill SS emblem doesn't fit perfectly.

Thanks to all of you for your help.

Two additional comments:

- Only new grille available from GM or otherwise is the 300 Deluxe grille

- 300 Deluxe grille with "chrome" center trim added looks bad on the car. Chrome center strip sets forward of the headlamp bezels because the total depth of the center rib and strip is about 1" too great.

Next time you go to a show, look at '69 grilles. About 50% of them are wrong and the nicer the car, the greater the chance that it's wrong.

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Fred Aldrich
The Chevelle Engineer
Web Site: www.CoreComm.net/~faldrich (http://www.CoreComm.net/~faldrich)

Fred,

Do they make repro SS grills for the 69? if so do they fit and look properly? Either way my car is not going to perfectly correct unless i get lucky and find a really nice used one. thanks again.

Hey Guys....not sure this will help any, but I just put up a web page with photos taken back in 69 of my old Malibu Sport Coupe. It has several close-ups of the front. The address is
http://www.geocities.com/djw999450/69chevelle.html

Sorry they aren't in color, but that's probably the reason they survived as well as they did for 32 years! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

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"Wrinkles only go where the smile has been!"

My Elky (http://www.geocities.com/djw999450/automotive.htm)

Danny Wooldridge
Member #1129
69 el_Camino

[This message has been edited by djw69elky (edited 06-06-2001).]

dshvrs
As far as I know, there are no SS or Malibu grilles available either GM or repro.

Danny,
I believe that is a "correct" Malibu grille including paint.

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Fred Aldrich
The Chevelle Engineer
Web Site: www.CoreComm.net/~faldrich (http://www.CoreComm.net/~faldrich)

[This message has been edited by Fred Aldrich (edited 06-06-2001).]

Hey thanks for the picture Danny
http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif


http://macc.chevelles.net/images/69grill.jpg

Dean,
Here is a photo of the grille on my elky I took this morning. It is a "Custom" which I think would relate to a Malibu in the regular body style. I painted it semigloss black, etc. when I converted it to an SS style, "but" the center bar between the headlights had (and has now) a chrome trim piece which bolts through the silver colored flat plastic piece. I believe Fred is correct. The only difference between the Malibu and SS is the fully blacked-out background, the SS emblem instead of blue bowtie, and of course the eyebrow moldings.
My Grille (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/djwelky05.jpg)

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"Wrinkles only go where the smile has been!"
Buffett

My Elky (http://www.geocities.com/djw999450/automotive.htm)

Danny Wooldridge
Member #1129
69 el_Camino

[This message has been edited by djw69elky (edited 06-07-2001).]

[This message has been edited by djw69elky (edited 06-07-2001).]

[This message has been edited by djw69elky (edited 06-07-2001).]

[This message has been edited by djw69elky (edited 06-07-2001).]

[This message has been edited by djw69elky (edited 06-07-2001).]

[This message has been edited by djw69elky (edited 06-07-2001).]

[This message has been edited by djw69elky (edited 06-07-2001).]

WOW! Only 7 edits to get it right!

http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

Thanks, I wish I could find one like that

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the above picture is the SS emblem upside-down?

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69 Malibu Sport Coupe
Old photo (http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=115405&a=2159663&p=18683297&Sequence=0) New photo (http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=115405&a=2159663&p=22658853&Sequence=0)

BlueBowTie. Your'e right! That emblem IS upside down!

Danny, can you go back out to your '69 and turn that SS emblem around 180*?

Geez, Guys....give me a beak! I was 19 years old. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif Anybody got a time machine.

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"Wrinkles only go where the smile has been!"
Buffett

My Elky (http://www.geocities.com/djw999450/automotive.htm)

Danny Wooldridge
Member #1129
69 el_Camino

now i'm confused again. Is the SS suspose to have a chrome center piece or not to be correct? From what Fred said earlier in this post, I think the SS is suspose to have a chrome center molding because it was suspose to come with the holes predrilled..

In my case, would it be better to leave the chrome on or take it off? I think it looks ok, but i like things to be right and also, the SS emblem doesn't fit properly...

Alright....lets do the run down.

You have a 300 grille. That's all that is avaliable repro.
The 300 grille is the only Chevelle grille that did NOT have the chrome across the center.
The SS grille had the chrome and was all black.
The Malibu grille also had the chrome but the grille is highlighted in grey.
If you put the chrome molding on the 300 grille it will stick out further than it should. Whether or not you want to add the chrome depends on what you think is the better looking option: No chrome or chrome that sticks out too far and a poorly mounted SS emblem.

Seems that since this is the only grille available most just stick the chrome on however they can and accept that it's going to stick out. You deal with it until someone reproduces a malibu or SS grille.

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Proud Owner: '69 Chevelle
Malibu: 350, PG, 3.36 open dif.
http://www.wyatts-torch.com/~dienadel/chevelle/index.html

[This message has been edited by TronDD (edited 06-09-2001).]

I dug this one out today. Although one might think it was beat to death, I still have a couple of questions.
1) does the center horizontal rib on the grille extensions get a chrome strip also, or are they painted argent? If painted, which faces? Just the forward face, or include the horizontal faces leading up to it?
2)on the center and bottom ribs of the grille, and bottom rib of the extensions with the chrome strip, should the horizontal faces extending forward to the chrome be black like the rest of the background, or argent?
Thanks,
Dennis

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Your absolutely right... i have the 300 grill with nuts holding the trim on that are so small and tight fitting it takes a pair of needle nose pliers turning each nut 1/8 of a turn at at time to install the trim... the SS emblem fits fine, but the entire center bar definitely sticks out farther than it should... no one but another 69 chevelle owner (and alot of them dont have a clue either) would ever see that its not the "SS" grill. I heard over the counter 69 grills have ALL been 300 grilles since AT LEAST 1975... so an NOS SS grille would have to be from right around 1969, and as rare as hens teeth... a nice used one is next to impossible to find too, as they break when you look at them funny. As long as they still sell the GM 300 gril, i dont think the reproduction will be making the SS/malibu grill anytime soon, not that it would fit right anyhow if its like any of the other 10,000 repro items they make for a 69.

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My 69 SS Elco (http://members.aol.com/joeybsyc/elcooutside.jpg)
engine (http://members.aol.com/joeybsyc/elcoengine.jpg)
interior (http://members.aol.com/joeybsyc/elcointerior.jpg)

Here is my extension center bar
(but I'm really not sure if it is correct)

69 Grill extension center bar (http://chevelles.com/showroom/Dean/grill_ext.jpg)

the answer to # 2) is "Argent"

An easy way to spot a Malibu (or SS) grill is;

The center horizontal plastic bar will have pre drilled holes for the chrome strip

The 300 grills do not have the holes pre drilled

...well, maybe we can add the "shallow" center bar w chrome as being another "indicator" on the list of indicators for a "true" '69SS?? [along with bolted rag-joint; 12-bolt; front disk; fat gas line; V-8 code on Trim Tag, etc.]

...just a thought.

Mike O'H

Thanks Dean http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

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