73 Center Grill
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: NM
73 Center Grill
Last week at Bloomington Gold I ran across a vendor that is going to do a "reproduction" center grill for the '73 Vette. Original center grills are very rare and command a HIGH price. I have seen them for over $500 on ebay.
He had a sample with him. It looks as if it will be great for a driver and local car show but would not stand up in NCRS and Bloomington judging.
In the picture below is the reproduction (lower one) compared to an original '74 grill (upper one). The leading edge of the reproduction fins are much blunter/flatter than on the original. Was told that they were done that away so that they could get a good chrome finish on the edge.
Here is another pic with the reproduction on the right.
This vendor is only handling the manfacturing of the grills. They will be sold through the standard Corvette parts dealers. He did not know what the price would be as that would be up to the retail vendor.
He had a sample with him. It looks as if it will be great for a driver and local car show but would not stand up in NCRS and Bloomington judging.
In the picture below is the reproduction (lower one) compared to an original '74 grill (upper one). The leading edge of the reproduction fins are much blunter/flatter than on the original. Was told that they were done that away so that they could get a good chrome finish on the edge.
Here is another pic with the reproduction on the right.
This vendor is only handling the manfacturing of the grills. They will be sold through the standard Corvette parts dealers. He did not know what the price would be as that would be up to the retail vendor.
Last edited by Tom73; Jul 3, 2010 at 09:27 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,682
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From: Shamong, NJ
He had samples in FL in January at the NCRS Regional, too. He was showing them around to other vendors, and looking for imput. In FL he had a diecast one and a plastic one. He was toying with the idea of making it in both materials so that he could offer people a choice of prices. I was speaking with him about a week before Bloomington and he was telling me he expected to have some finished grilles at Corvettes @ Carlisle in August. I know he has a "ballpark" wholesale price he's shooting for, but until he knows what his final cost is, he wasn't setting any prices. From what I know, I'm guessing that they'll retail between $100-150?
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Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Canboro Ontario
It is about time, I was lucky enough to find a very good original a few years back, and I think it only cost me $50.00 bucks at a swap meet. I was very lucky indeed, it did not even need restoring it is that nice.
Now if someone would repop an expansion tank, that would be great. I am still looking for a NOS or one that is not discolored, I have two now, can't seem to clean them up, and they look like crap under the hood with all the new look in the compartment.
Now if someone would repop an expansion tank, that would be great. I am still looking for a NOS or one that is not discolored, I have two now, can't seem to clean them up, and they look like crap under the hood with all the new look in the compartment.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 15,146
Likes: 477
From: NM
He had samples in FL in January at the NCRS Regional, too. He was showing them around to other vendors, and looking for imput. In FL he had a diecast one and a plastic one. He was toying with the idea of making it in both materials so that he could offer people a choice of prices. I was speaking with him about a week before Bloomington and he was telling me he expected to have some finished grilles at Corvettes @ Carlisle in August. I know he has a "ballpark" wholesale price he's shooting for, but until he knows what his final cost is, he wasn't setting any prices. From what I know, I'm guessing that they'll retail between $100-150?
