1996'ish GMC grill: anyone have any luck removing center oval grid/boxing to reuse?

[DennisT]

Not sure I wrote that subject well....
I need to replace the grill on my 1996 GMC K1500 SLE. Mine is original, silver paint. Black oval center with the rectangular openings is perfect. Red emblem is perfect. Rest....not worth trying to repair and/or refinish. Only option is after market; looking first at LMC as I do not know if all the others for sale on ebay, amazon, etc., are same import quality or not. My truck is emerald green and I do not want to paint color on new grill. I would prefer a chrome look except for grill center. Chrome is available, but they are ALL chrome....center included. I'm concerned it's a bit of overkill. I wish I could buy one and remove the center oval, and replace it with the black center I now have. I've looked closely at my grill's construction as well as a few from wrecking yards, (one was Taiwanese in poor shape), to see how they were assembled. All seem to have had the oval center pressed into the larger main molding. A little weird, as they appear to be locked in with little flat tabs. Seems center oval ought to be removable, but trying one in the wrecking yard I couldn't get any tab to move at all. I think they are pressed in and not intended to be separated. All that said, has any one of you succeeded in getting a center oval out and replacing it with another center that was also removed in like manner? A black center in chrome grill would subdue that 100% chrome look. Wish I could find photos photos similar to what I'd like to do, or even of all chrome. None so far. Thanks for sticking with my long post and obsession........ Comments appreciated, Dennis

 

[someotherguy]

So beyond taking apart a grille that wasn't made in a manner meant to be taken apart - you are hoping your OEM grille center will fit into an aftermarket (all chrome) grille?

What else did ya want for Christmas that ya didn't get??

Richard

 

[DennisT]

Ha! Certainly a good point you have, however, considering the vast amount of experience, knowledge and generally clever ideas so common on these forums, I never overlook the idea that some of you may have discovered something that I missed entirely. (And I miss plenty) Hence,......run it by the experts here before I give up. Some amazing answers turn up here, but if this is a dead end, then that's the way it is and I'll be OK with that. Happy New Year.

 

[yevgenievich]

If dimensions match, worth trying. Cut old grill around the oval part to save it. Cut oval part on aftermarket one. But it is a big if and two cut apart parts to find out. I had bad luck with aftermarket parts being compatible

 

[DennisT]

Thanks. I'm giving up on the idea, but your comments made a difference. I think I'll just order a new grill from LMC.

 

[Caman96]

Dennis there are an endless amount of “mods” being done to these and every vehicle that weren’t designed or intended to be done. Whole industries have been created on it!

 

[someotherguy]

Dennis there are an endless amount of “mods” being done to these and every vehicle that weren’t designed or intended to be done. Whole industries have been created on it!

No disagreement from me there, just saying he's considering taking his OEM grille apart and hoping the aftermarket grille is a close enough copy that the center piece will snap right in - tabs and all - and I think he's gonna be disappointed. They copy the look, mostly, and the design, mostly.. they rarely copy the part exactly.

Richard

 

[Frank Enstein]

New chrome grille + https://www.summitracing.com/search...ordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=vhtsp671 = the grille you want.

Gently Scotch Brite the grille center. Make sure to get the hard parts first so when your fingers reattach after falling off from so much tedious sanding the rest will be easy.

It only needs to be less glossy to adhere well. The "chrome" is very thin and the coating is fragile.

Wipe it down with rubbing alcohol. I don't recommend anything stronger.

Wax the parts you want to stay chrome with a non-abrasive wax then mask those areas off using the blue or green expensive masking tape. The cheap stuff doesn't peel as well.

The wax makes the tape not stick as well so the chrome doesn't peel off with the tape.

Wipe the center down again with rubbing alcohol.

Those paints gloss or satin your choice do not require primer and they are tough as nails!

I painted the carbs on my motorcycle with the gloss and put 65000 miles on it over 10 years and it still looked new.

The roll cage in my Firebird got the satin and it's going on 20 years with no issues.

Pics Please!

 

[DennisT]

First, last night I threw in the towel and ordered a repro, "all chrome, custom," grill from LMC Their latest email said their shipping was going up in early January. Their grill to match my stock grill, (black with chrome ring in center), is now backordered, so I'm wondering what supply issues we'll be seeing. So I did it. Thought about Amazon, but since LMC stocks a lot of stuff for us I chose them. And I sometimes wonder if LMC is a little more careful with their products. Now: with the great post you just did, Frank, I am encouraged about painting the center area of the chrome grill black.....if I become brave enough. I'd thought about that very thing a few weeks ago but did not trust the result doing it myself. I think I'll temporarily install the grill as is first to see how much of the black area behind the grill shows through the holes. Might be enough contrast to satisfy me. We now have day temps here at highs of around 20 degrees, or less, and no heat in building where my truck is, so my headlight conversion to '88/89 era glass quads will have to be continued in the basement. Grill won't even go in until weather warms. Have Jeeps to drive 'till then. I also need to build new heavy headlight wiring. All in all I think this is beginning to take shape. Thank you again.

 

[DennisT]

Frank, I forgot your photos. Not of present grill progress, of course, but this is my pickup the day I got it. High mileage, but $1,700; drove it home. Some nicks and scratches but paint cleaned up to nice shine and subtle metallic shows well. Codes as Z71.

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My other two GMC's are a 1990 3500 Telco bucket truck with 113,*** miles on the clock and my '49 GMC 300. The 300 now has powder coated wheels with new tires. Hoist, rear hydraulics, and PO even gave me it's original hand-signal, "semaphore," I need to get back on it.
That's it.