I plan to repaint the grille on my 71 conv. (has SS grille). Do I need to remove the front bumper and from valance to get it out? Thanks.

This is a tricky move. First see if the bumper is not pushed up to high in the point. If it is, then you'll have to drop the bumper front to get the grille out. If not then you can slide the grille so the bottom lip goes in the top lip of the bumper at one end and with a slight bend of the grille bottom you should be able to pop the top out past the fender extension.

Without putting the bottom lip in the top lip of the bumper you end up having to bend the thing too much and it could crack. If the bumper is set up too high in the front you won't be able to get the bottom lip far enough into the bumper lip and you'll have to bend too much also.

Loosen it up and start feeling it out and you'll see how it goes down on one side and allows the oppisite corner to pop out the top.

Good luck, it's tricky at first http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif

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Tommy B.
71-72 Malibu (http://www.geocities.com/beldarr/Chevelle.htm)
"I'm high all right, but on the real stuff
High octane gasoline
A clean windshield
And a shoe shine"

Ya it's a little scary, I have had mine out about 3 times on my '71 and was worried about cracking it each time, but never have so far.

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Chris Dagenais
'71 Malibu with a home built 454! 12.7@107
For everything you do, this burnout's (http://www.71malibu.com/Burnout.wmv) for you.
The Green Monster (http://www.71malibu.com)

Thanks Beldarr. It looked tricky to me just sizing it up before beginning.

I just take the front bolt out of each bumper bracket and loosen the back bolts and let the whole bumper swing down out of the way. No way will it scratch down there.