1985 C10 Replacement Grill

[Wgesnerjr]

So I have known since I bought my truck that I would have to replace the front grill. LMC/Eckler's/Brothers did not show a replacement grill for the dual headlights set up. I did want to keep the bow tie and the middle, body colored bars.

I have found some on Amazon but they did not have favorable reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/Evan-Fischer-...1985+c10+grill

Also found one on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/85-88-Chevy-...VWjsF2&vxp=mtr

Has anyone had experience with either of these or can someone recommend a grill they have used that didn't need to be extensively modified to fit? I don't mind a little massaging to get it right, but don't want to buy a useless repo either. Again, would like to keep the bow tie but if the ones without it are better quality, I'd have to consider them.

Thanks in advance.

[bbbc10]

this is the one I have on my 84


https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...olet/model/c10

[TKCR]

I just ordered a couple of grilles from Classic Industries. I got the parts to rebuild a few with the bow tie & center moldings. When I get them, I will update on how well made they are and how they accept the OEM parts.

[Nodnarb76]

I ordered one from rockauto.
Fit was good, had shave some of the plastic down a hair to get my emblem to sit flush, but aside from that the fit was great and the color was perfect.
Sorry I don't have any pics.
Cost was about $25 with $20 shipping.

[Nodnarb76]

oops duplicate post. Mods delete this one please.

[Wgesnerjr]

Thanks for the input!!

bbbc10
Summit Racing. Never thought to look there. The site says its a Sherman part. Used to sell Sherman at YearOne. Never got too many complaints about their stuff; but that was over 10 years ago. Things could have changed. how did yours fit? any issues?

Nodnarb76
Also, never thought about RockAuto. Checked them out and they list two: one for single headlight and another one that does not state which front end it works on. Which one did you order? the GM1200139/15554910 or the GM1200140/15554911?

TKCR
Classic Industries is a blast from the past. I ordered from them years ago when I could afford to work on a 2nd Gen Firebird. Please let me know how their stuff fits and if it's an in house reproduction. Fingers crossed it's one of their OER parts.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by Wgesnerjr

Thanks for the input!!

Nodnarb76
Also, never thought about RockAuto. Checked them out and they list two: one for single headlight and another one that does not state which front end it works on. Which one did you order? the GM1200139/15554910 or the GM1200140/15554911?

I know Rock Auto is crazy cheap, BUT, from what I read read from a lot of different posts is that you have to "hand work" these to get everything to fit. I read where someone had to re-paint theirs. They said it came with a lot of scratches. I'm sure that was possibly an isolated case.

TKCR
Classic Industries is a blast from the past. I ordered from them years ago when I could afford to work on a 2nd Gen Firebird. Please let me know how their stuff fits and if it's an in house reproduction. Fingers crossed it's one of their OER parts.

I will do that. I looked at several places. The Truck Shop has some too: http://www.truckandcarshop.com/trucks73_91/t73_001.html

And Classic Parts: http://www.classicparts.com/1985-88-.../#.WD8ZQHeZOi4

[MalibuSSwagon]

The grilles will fit either single or dual headlights, the difference is whether it has the stainless trim or not.

[Nodnarb76]

I ordered the: GM1200140/15554911
It looks like the same grille as the post above. It came with the chrome trim pieces already installed, and like the above post said, the chrome trim did not sit perfectly flush, and I had to shave a little off to get the emblem to lay flat.

[TKCR]

Well I called about the 4 small molding pieces being deformed. They are going to see if their entire stock is like this. If not, they will send me 2 new grilles. If they are all like this, then they will refund the money for the grilles that I did purchase.

I checked, and the Truck Shop & LMC, has the trim pieces separately, but at $20 each?!! My God, that will be $80 to do the entire grille.

[bbbc10]

Fit great!!! No problems at all an thr bowtie an center moldings fit nice!

[Wgesnerjr]

Thanks bbbc10!

MalibuSSwagon: did not know they were interchangeable. Good to know as I shop!

Thinking that going down to Summit Racing and picking one up might be the best option. (except I walk out with WAY more than I planned. Their like Wal-Mart!)

But

It's hard to beat Amazon Prime with free shipping and it's brought right to the house.

[KSTHANE]

I'm planning on a grill swap as well. I bought a billet style grill and attached a vintage bowtie I got off Ebay onto it. I got my billet off Amazon.

On a related note...any tips for getting the center screw under the bumper out that holds the grill in place on an '84? There's a piece of metal that makes it impossible to get a socket or a wrench to it. Not sure what tool I'd need instead.

[Wgesnerjr]

I pulled mine out about 3 years ago. So those sectors have already been written over.

Put a picture and maybe I can recover the file.

[TKCR]

Ok, so here is one of the grilles that I got from Classic Industries. I really like the quality, very much like the original. I will need to "massage" a few things to get the original trim parts to lay in the grille. But we are talking minor massaging.

But my biggest complaint, is the 4 small end chrome pieces that come on the grille. They are installed with a nut & bolt, instead of the plastic clip. That is nice, but, they tightened down the nut too tight which caused the trim pieces to all have deforms now. I will be making a phone call on that one, to see if they will get me some new ones.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Ok, so here is one of the grilles that I got from Classic Industries. I really like the quality, very much like the original. I will need to "massage" a few things to get the original trim parts to lay in the grille. But we are talking minor massaging.

But my biggest complaint, is the 4 small end chrome pieces that come on the grille. They are installed with a nut & bolt, instead of the plastic clip. That is nice, but, they tightened down the nut too tight which caused the trim pieces to all have deforms now. I will be making a phone call on that one, to see if they will get me some new ones.

So Classic Industries is sending me 2 more grilles, hopefully the small trim
pieces won't be deformed on these.

[1774btcrew]

I actually like the idea that the trim on the aftermarket ones is held in by a nut. I have had too many with the plastic clips that break.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by 1774btcrew

I actually like the idea that the trim on the aftermarket ones is held in by a nut. I have had too many with the plastic clips that break.

I like that idea too, but not when the nuts are tightened down so tight that it deforms all the trim. I took them all off to replace with news ones that I'll have to buy separately at $22 a piece. Some of the nuts were tightened so tight, they were embedded into the grille plastic. Now that's just nonsense.
I'm going to try and work the deforms out, but I don't know if it will help.

[gmachinz]

Precisely why GM most likely didn't do it that way. Why not just use the OEM style plastic nuts then apply a generous drop of epoxy weld? That stuff will not let em pop loose!

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by gmachinz

Precisely why GM most likely didn't do it that way. Why not just use the OEM style plastic nuts then apply a generous drop of epoxy weld? That stuff will not let em pop loose!

Well on a good note, after removing all the trim, I was able to get most of the deforms out.

And they are sending me 2 more grilles, at no charge, for my troubles. They said the new ones they are sending out, the trim pieces are not deformed. LOL, we will see.

[vht]

I wish I hadn't purchased a new grille for my 84, I'd of bought 1 from you complete and ordered matching bezels. Grilles and trim sure get expensive.

[Wgesnerjr]

So what's the magic technique for getting the dents out of the metal trim? We need some documentation for future purchasers!!

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by Wgesnerjr

So what's the magic technique for getting the dents out of the metal trim? We need some documentation for future purchasers!!

Well on those particular deforms, where they tightened down the nuts too tight, it spread the molding out, pulling the aluminum down causing the deform. So what i did, was took a pair of rubber tipped pliers and squeezed the molding where it was spread out and most deform came out.

Now when it comes to all the rock dings, if you have the right tools, they can be tapped back out from the backside of the parts. I don't have the tools, but I know how it's done. All of the chrome center moldings that I have, that have deforms, I'm going to take to a buddy of mine, that I work with. There's a group of guys that that's all they do were we work, is work out deforms out of the cars. He has the tools and the know how, so I'll let him do his magic for me.

[vht]

I seen a guy take wood dowels and sheape the end to fit inside the strip, same shape as the chrome trim in other word, he would then put them in a drill press and use a block of wood to press against. He would use it like a press and go down the damaged area a little at a time and work the bad place out. Hope this made sense, he was working on old car trim, alot of it you couldn't buy anymore.