68 Corvette Question
Team Owner
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From: Massillon,Ohio USA
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...originally, as far as I know, ALL 1968 Corvettes had the leading edge of the grilles painted silver. This even went into a little more than 1/3 of '69 production(to appx VIN #14,000 to #15,000). 
*both my '68s have the edges painted silver, just not visible in this pic.
*both my '68s have the edges painted silver, just not visible in this pic.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
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68 Corvette Question
Thanks Guys!!! I've heard many things on this and wanted to make sure I'm doing mine correctly. It looks like to paint them correctly the silver is on the leading edges and the siliver looks to be inside the pocket of the turn signal pockets as well and not just outside edge on this only. I'm finishing a frame off restoration on a 68 coupe I've owned over 30 years. Thanks again for the follow up, AL.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: Sudbury MA
I have my original 68 grille from my 68 coupe and the leading edges are indeed painted silver BUT the very top edge for some reason was not painted. I don't know the logic behind this but I too just finished my 68 restoration after 10 long years and have seen many 68 grilles and always the top horizontal edge was not painted and all the remaining edges were painted.
Kurt
Kurt
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
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68 Question
Originally Posted by ksbunting
I have my original 68 grille from my 68 coupe and the leading edges are indeed painted silver BUT the very top edge for some reason was not painted. I don't know the logic behind this but I too just finished my 68 restoration after 10 long years and have seen many 68 grilles and always the top horizontal edge was not painted and all the remaining edges were painted.
Kurt
Kurt
Was the silver painted in the pocket inside the directional light? AL.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,675
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From: Sudbury MA
Al,
I forgot to mention, mine was built on May 10 so I guess that would be considered late production rather than early.
I have been told that the 69 grille was all black and if you buy repro grilles, they come all black. I just bought new ones as my old ones were not good enough for reuse and the new ones are all black so I am going to paint the silver lines myself with a silver felt tip pen so as to be able to control exactly where the paint goes.
If one wanted to be real picky, the paint on the original grill went from the leading edge back about 3/16 or 1/4 inch but did not cover the netire hoeizontal bar. You can only see this when looking down on the grille bars from above. In other words, originals didn't have just the front edge painted.
Kurt
I forgot to mention, mine was built on May 10 so I guess that would be considered late production rather than early.
I have been told that the 69 grille was all black and if you buy repro grilles, they come all black. I just bought new ones as my old ones were not good enough for reuse and the new ones are all black so I am going to paint the silver lines myself with a silver felt tip pen so as to be able to control exactly where the paint goes.
If one wanted to be real picky, the paint on the original grill went from the leading edge back about 3/16 or 1/4 inch but did not cover the netire hoeizontal bar. You can only see this when looking down on the grille bars from above. In other words, originals didn't have just the front edge painted.
Kurt
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Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: North Alabama
Originally Posted by PRNDL
One reason there is confusion on this issue is because the restoration book by Prince has it backwards... 
an editing error perhaps, but people read it in a book and think it must be true.
an editing error perhaps, but people read it in a book and think it must be true.
I just got a copyright 1968 special edition corvette magazine featuring design, development, and specs for the 68 model year and every picyure shows just as Kurt described above. This pretty much clears it up for me.
Team Owner
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From: Huntersville NC
Last edited by PRNDL; Feb 18, 2006 at 05:57 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
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68 Grill Paint
Originally Posted by PRNDL
AL.