Correct 1966 Grill?

[Robert W.]

I'm looking at my grill (1966) and it looks like the surround trim is from an earlier year. I thought the 1966 eggcrate grill was the only trim piece that was supposed to be there, centered in the painted surround? Am I right? (No idea why the pics only show upside down? One was normal, the second was rotated 180')

[Keith B.]

Re: Correct 1966 Grill?

looks like someone added the 63-64 trim to the opening. 66-67 used the same grill

[Joe L.]

Re: Correct 1966 Grill?

I'm looking at my grill (1966) and it looks like the surround trim is from an earlier year. I thought the 1966 eggcrate grill was the only trim piece that was supposed to be there, centered in the painted surround? Am I right? (No idea why the pics only show upside down? One was normal, the second was rotated 180')

Robert-------


The 1966-67 grille was later SERVICE for 1965. Are you sure this car is actually a 1966? I'm not talking about what it says on the VIN tag. I'm talking about other features that identify the year model.

[Robert W.]

Re: Correct 1966 Grill?

Thanks! That's what I was thinking, pretty much matches all the other incorrect parts I've found on the car. This is pretty much the last part I need to fix though...

[Joe L.]

Re: Correct 1966 Grill?

Thanks! That's what I was thinking, pretty much matches all the other incorrect parts I've found on the car. This is pretty much the last part I need to fix though...

Robert-------


When you say incorrect parts, do you mean incorrect for a 1966? Are they incorrect for another year model? Maybe the car is actually another year model with a 1966 VIN plate. Once-upon-a-time there was a lot of this going around. If the car has a lot of attributes that are indicative of another model year but it has a 1966 VIN plate, I suggest that you check the VIN derivative on the frame.

By the way, does the engine VIN match the car's VIN plate? If it does not, is the VIN derivative on the engine a Corvette VIN derivative?

[Robert W.]

Re: Correct 1966 Grill?

Hi Joe, Engine and frame numbers match. Its an early 1966 assembled 12/10/1965. I'm sure it suffered some front end damage in it's youth though. -Bob

[Edward D.]

Re: Correct 1966 Grill?

1966 grille is the egg crate grille that you have there. The body surround should be painted, part of the front end, no trim. In addition, there should be one tab on the top center of the grille bolts to (these are commonly broken off), the bottom bracket should attach at center bottom to the fiberglass surround, nowhere else. Other than that the 66 egg crate grille attaches only at the brackets on each side. A lot of cars that have had minor front end work done have extra tabs on the lower part which were used in 64, 65 but not in 66, 67. Reason is the service replacement panel came with all the possible tabs, but the extras needed to be cut off for 66, 67 use; few shops did so.

[Tom D.]

Re: Correct 1966 Grill?

OEM Molded FIBERGLASS corners that hold the front parking lamps were changed for the 1965 grille, at least at each end of the grille area. For '65 the earlier alum. trim around the grille was dropped, so no "boss" or screw hole was on the side (of each such OEM FIBERGLASS part). In 63-64 this boss and hole was used to hold the extra alum. trim. HOWEVER, 65-67 damaged glass (in this area) was often replaced with a part that was sold for 63-64, as well as for 65-67. The service parts (L&R) still had the boss and a hole so it could be used on the cars that needed the trim attachment points (63-64).

I had a '65 with the boss on one side only from a repair using either a used '63-'64 corner part, or a service part determined (by GM service engineers) to be usable for 63-67. I know this might be difficult to read. I wish I had a photo to share the two different versions of the FIBERGLASS.