Jasonb86

Hi all, after removing some paint from the front grilles of my '70, I found out why they were painted over in the first place. The chrome is either peeled off or flaked off through most of the outer rim. These grills are service replacements and as such are '71 grilles with the fiber optics. There isn't any damage to the parts, just poor chrome. Is it worth it to get these rechromed, and if so, where should I take them and about how much would I be looking at? I'm not overly concerned with originality. Opinions on where to go from here? Thanks!

Here's the grilles:

Vinnievega

They look finished to me, you should buy some brand new ones and send those to me, so I can dispose of them properly.


Re-chrome them, replacing them will cost you about $1300 and they'd still be reproductions.

RMVette

I'd rechrome ... they look good to me and I think you'd be happier than finding out that the new ones aren't quite as good quality as the service replacements of the time.

BTW...why do you think they are '71's? If it's because of the two mounting screws at the bottom...the '70 year was split between no screws and with screws. Front grills after s/n 13656 had the screws and looked like the '71 grill. HOWEVER the NCRS manual says that some '71's up to s/n 1447 could have '70 grills. Go figure!

My '70 is s/n 13754 and it has screws.

arcticcatmatt

My 71's need rechromed. I haven't taken them off, I assumed they are all plastic? If they are plastic where do you get them done at?

RMVette

They are pot metal not plastic.

Clams Canino

Yes. 68-69 are plastic.

-W

RMVette

Wow...learned something every day....

Jasonb86

Any recommendations a a good shop to use? Thanks!

arcticcatmatt

Since they are part black and part chrome.. who redoes these things?

HOOAH

They will rechrome the entire grill. You'll have to paint the areas you want black. There's been quite a few posts on rechroming. If you do a search you'll probably pick up on some pretty good suggestions for plating specialists.

Terry

Roco71

I am not sure if it makes a difference to you or not. The correct color from the factory is not really black. Its a dark metallic gray or charcoal. It should match the side of the bumper guards that faces the grills.

CQRT

My `73 grills had been painted black when the car was painted ten years ago- they looked pretty ratty.

I sandblasted them down to the pot metal and then had them powdercoated along with the front license plate bracket - cost was less than $40.

The `73 grills had a chrome lip and I haven't addressed that issue yet - - I may end up trying to lay an edge of chrome paint on them, but don't want them to look Mickey-moused . . it did look OK when I did the edge of the turn signals, but the edge was more squared off - - the grills seem a bit more rounded.

But the reproductions I've looked at feel sorta flimsy by comparison and pretty pricey. I was looking for the center piece- seemed to run $175+/-.

Feels like there's no end to this stuff . . .

HOOAH

As I mentioned in a previous post, there are other plating specialists listed on the forum. I ran into this one at the Detroit Autorama last year. He said he can chrome anything. I've never used his services yet but he did say that if you took a picture of the part needing to be chromed and sent it to him, he would give an estimate. I have seen some of his work on display and it appeared to be emaculate work but I don't consider myself to be an expert either. Good luck!

Terry

Alan 71

Hi J,
Looking at the condition of the metal in the grills in your pictures makes me think it would be a good idea to find a plater in Florida that's close enough to your location that you can deliver them in person. I think the plater is going to NEED to know what your EXPECTATIONS are in order to give you a $$ idea.
I'll second Roco on the paint color being dark gray, not black. Same for the center grill hiding behind the front license plate bracket.

70Donnybrooke

My very late 70 has no screw hole grills.

boat196

I had Richard Fortier, (repair, chrome, paint) restore my original 1970 grilles with studs. They turned out great. Highly recommend.

Bob

1974ta

I second Richard Fortier. I have used him and he is first rate.

Have them re-chromed and Richard can also convert them to the real 1970 style with the studs. (I am partial to 1970 vettes)

Original 1970 Grilles in decent shape have been know to garner $2,000.

Very rare one year only part.

I got lucky and my original 70 grilles were in nice shape. I had custom lacquer mixed up in the original formula to repaint the grilles. There is some black around the parking light area. The remainder is the textured silver gray.

You will also have to paint the area on the bumperettes to match.

Bill

Bullshark

I own two 1970 Corvettes, s/n's 015xx and 144xx. Both were produced with front grilles having studs.

RMVette

I'm just quoting the NCRS judging manual....

mstanton

Like most part changes there was a transition period. All 70s are correct with grilles without the screws. All 71s are correct with grilles with the screws. Between 70 13656 and 71 1450 either could have been factory installed and some cars probably had one of each.