Restoring front grille

[72Mountaineer]

Anybody restore their front grille? I mean take it completely apart, blast, repaint, thats what I am preparing to do. It looks like it is put together with steel rivets, did you put it back that way, or with aluminum ones? Do they hold good? Any advice? Pics are good, too.

[PDW HOTRODS]

What year? I did a 53 Chevy grill. It was painted. I used #10 by 1/2 " bolts
to put it back togather. It worked great.

[Jemezcrusher]

Remans are bolted

[72Mountaineer]

Sorry, '53 1/2 ton.

[mr48chev]

I originally put my grill together from 4 or 5 grills that each had one or two nice bars in 1973. I hit about every wrecking yard in Central Texas hunting them down at the time.

I pop riveted it back together and then in 1982 took it apart and had the bars chromed, painted the back bars and pop riveted it back together but next time around I would bolt it together as PWD Hotrods said he did his.

Each of the middle three bars only goes in one spot and they are marked with notches on the back side that designate which spot they go in.

[nebdrummer]

I had my front bars chromed, went back together with #10 bolts with locking nuts.

[oldman3]

Hope these pics and words, answer your questions...Jim

Pic 1 original grill showing back side, rust, etc.

Pic 2 Partial dissasembled.

Pic 3 Front part, I ground and blased old rusing chrome from bars.

Pic 4 Rear section.

Pic 5 Front bars in sandable primer.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 rear section in primer.

Pic 2 rear section painted.

Pic 3 front bars painted and putting back together.

Pic 4 Grill complete.

Pic 5 installed in truck.

[oldman3]

Forgot to mention that I put mine together with large aluminum rivets.

Pic 1 Hit a deer in October of 2016. Grill had been in truck since 2003.

Pic 2 You can still see rivets attached to back section, metal was ripped from grill bars, rivets still in place and tight.

No matter which way out go, rivets or bolted, you shouldn't have any problems...Jim

[Jemezcrusher]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Forgot to mention that I put mine together with large aluminum rivets.

Pic 1 Hit a deer in October of 2016. Grill had been in truck since 2003.

Pic 2 You can still see rivets attached to back section, metal was ripped from grill bars, rivets still in place and tight.

No matter which way out go, rivets or bolted, you shouldn't have any problems...Jim

Wow! That sucks!

[nebdrummer]

Ugghhh. That's enough to make ya sick. I know the feeling. I got mine just running and driving, coming home from a little cruise night and popped a small doe. Wasn't anywhere near as bad as yours. Just the passenger front fender and bumper.