Grille brackets

[AuroraGirl]

@81squared,

Oh yeah. Besides the two plastic screw things on the two vertical brackets there are also one on each side next to the head light. There's a bracket coming off the radiator support next to each head light that has a plastic screw thing on them to. I'm glad I remembered those. You'd be looking at the grill and there'd be more screws way over on the side and wonder what they go to. Once you put the head light bezel on you won't see those brackets, they are behind the bezel. All you'll see are the screws and mostly not what they go to.

another important thing to note is we are the 79-80 which have the special valence, the chrome piece, full wrap around headlight bezel, and presumably the special brackets he was able to find

 

[bucket]

That's correct. To do away with the inside hood release setup, you have to change several parts. The center support bracket, the hood latch, the upper core support filler panel, the hood striker and hood striker mounting plate.

But none of that needs done to install the factory grille. Just install the two outer brackets and leave the existing center support in place. Then continue releasing the hood from inside the truck.

 

[AuroraGirl]

That's correct. To do away with the inside hood release setup, you have to change several parts. The center support bracket, the hood latch, the upper core support filler panel, the hood striker and hood striker mounting plate.

But none of that needs done to install the factory grille. Just install the two outer brackets and leave the existing center support in place. Then continue releasing the hood from inside the truck.

Which honestly is better.. yeah it’s nice to not have to go inside if you start outside but the added security is nice and these days a nice truck of this vintage is going to more and more likely have a nicer battery or two, maybe have custom under hood stuff, just one step easier to break into, easier to disable maliciously

 

[Bextreme04]

thank you very much !! I did not have these brackets.... i had done some homework a few minutes ago and found a photo with these brackets. I searched good ole E Bay and found a set for 20 bucks !!! so pumped.


question, what type of nuts do you use on the bracket to accept the grille screws
?

What did you search to find them? I need a set also, and can't seem to find any for sale anywhere. I might have to go search through the local junkyards for the side brackets if I can't find a set to buy anywhere.

 

[bucket]

Which honestly is better.. yeah it’s nice to not have to go inside if you start outside but the added security is nice and these days a nice truck of this vintage is going to more and more likely have a nicer battery or two, maybe have custom under hood stuff, just one step easier to break into, easier to disable maliciously

I've got a few with the inside hood release and honestly, I'd prefer an outside release. But I don't care enough to do the swap either. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where theft really isn't an issue. I don't lock anything and my keys are usually in the ignition. If I drive into the city, it's a different story. But the local towns, there's really not much to worry about.

 

[81squared]

I've got a few with the inside hood release and honestly, I'd prefer an outside release. But I don't care enough to do the swap either. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where theft really isn't an issue. I don't lock anything and my keys are usually in the ignition. If I drive into the city, it's a different story. But the local towns, there's really not much to worry about.

agreed... same here, its worth more via insurance anyway lol.

i like simple ... less is more

 

[80BrownK10]

I have an 80 too. Lucky for you there reporting the 80 grill now. Just 2 years ago when I was looking for one it wasn't made. There was just generic 78 -79 ones that matched their style but they wouldn't take a bowtie if I remember right. I could a 79 at pull a part. It had some cracks and weak spots I fixed with some plastic gussets and epoxy. I wanted it so I could put a bowtie on it. The troop bowtie was like $75 if I remember right! It's got one corner busted bit looks better than the old rusty tube grill I had for 10 years. I painted it and it looks pretty good. Like 6 months after I got it all assembled I see there making repopped 80 grills. So that's on a list for me to buy so at least my grill matches the year.

 

[Raider L]

@81squared

I had my grill off yesterday and didn't even think about taking pics! But I noticed that there are two screw hole places in the grill that don't go to anything on my truck, '74 C10. So I was wondering what they might be for. Also to, I think those side pieces, next to the head light are attached to the radiator support. I'll go out to the truck right now and look, but I think they are spot welded to the support. I would suppose if you got hold of another support you might try to remove them but let's see.
I just went out and took the head light bezel off so I could see for myself how the end bracket is attached. I thought it was welded, but it's not it's bolted on. So that means that if you want it, and you would need it, you can go to a wrecking yard and see if you can find one.

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And here it is, bolted on with a couple of hex bolts.

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Here's how I had to attach the end of my grill to the end bracket with a little "stand off" which I got from Lowe's in their specialty hardware section where the stainless fasteners are and other stuff like that. They're little lengths of different size Aluminum tubing of varying diam. and center hole size, etc. I found that pushing the grill back to this bracket stressed it way to much and I felt it might break if I hit a bump in the street or something. The "stand off" holds the grill straight. @81square, the White thing in the slot is one of those screw things I was telling you about. The back of the little Alum. tube is sitting up against it. The place where the screw goes is supposed to be just a hole but mine broke out. It's just a slot in the plastic now. The same place on the other end is broke off altogether so I had to make a Alum. tab and pop riveted it to the plastic.

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Here's the mystery screw holes. It's right in the middle of the grill. This is at the bottom.

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And the next one that is right above it next to the hood latch handle, that's the big straight thing above and just to the left of the hole in the grill. These two holes are the only ones not in use.

I made a template and hand painted the Chevy emblem where the stamped Aluminum one used to be. I had to take mine off because it came unglued and kept coming loose, and was bent in a couple of places. I reglued it several times but it never stayed. The emblem is actually Chevy Orange and Flat Black. The flash washes the color out.

 

[bucket]

@81squared

I had my grill off yesterday and didn't even think about taking pics! But I noticed that there are two screw hole places in the grill that don't go to anything on my truck, '74 C10. So I was wondering what they might be for. Also to, I think those side pieces, next to the head light are attached to the radiator support. I'll go out to the truck right now and look, but I think they are spot welded to the support. I would suppose if you got hold of another support you might try to remove them but let's see.
I just went out and took the head light bezel off so I could see for myself how the end bracket is attached. I thought it was welded, but it's not it's bolted on. So that means that if you want it, and you would need it, you can go to a wrecking yard and see if you can find one.

You must be registered for see images attach

And here it is, bolted on with a couple of hex bolts.

You must be registered for see images attach

Here's how I had to attach the end of my grill to the end bracket with a little "stand off" which I got from Lowe's in their specialty hardware section where the stainless fasteners are and other stuff like that. They're little lengths of different size Aluminum tubing of varying diam. and center hole size, etc. I found that pushing the grill back to this bracket stressed it way to much and I felt it might break if I hit a bump in the street or something. The "stand off" holds the grill straight. @81square, the White thing in the slot is one of those screw things I was telling you about. The back of the little Alum. tube is sitting up against it. The place where the screw goes is supposed to be just a hole but mine broke out. It's just a slot in the plastic now. The same place on the other end is broke off altogether so I had to make a Alum. tab and pop riveted it to the plastic.

You must be registered for see images attach

Here's the mystery screw holes. It's right in the middle of the grill. This is at the bottom.

You must be registered for see images attach

And the next one that is right above it next to the hood latch handle, that's the big straight thing above and just to the left of the hole in the grill. These two holes are the only ones not in use.

I made a template and hand painted the Chevy emblem where the stamped Aluminum one used to be. I had to take mine off because it came unglued and kept coming loose, and was bent in a couple of places. I reglued it several times but it never stayed. The emblem is actually Chevy Orange and Flat Black. The flash washes the color out.

Your '74 grille uses different brackets than the later trucks. It's hard to tell in the pictures, but your truck might have the wrong center support installed and that's why your grille needed standoffs at the ends.

 

[73c20jim]

I got some from a 73 C10

 

[RecklessWOT]

My truck came with a billet grille.

I want a stock one.

I like this guy