70-71-71 fender grilles?

[Mike F.]

Just an observation.

To start with, I know what the TIM&JG has to say about fender grilles.

I've noticed in some original 1970 photographs, brochures, etc., that it sometimes apprears as if the vertical lines are chrome as well. Maybe it's just an optical illusion?

I recently saw/spoke with an original owner March 1970 coupe (one repaint) that has both vertical and horizontal chrome.
Could both 70 fender grilles have been swapped for 71-72 grilles during the repaint? Sure I guess so, but seems unlikely. He claims they are original.

Did fender grille suppliers change between 70 and 71? Was there any reason for the chrome change?

Mike

[Warren F.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

Mike,

It's very unlikely that any 1970 model Corvette came originally with the 2nd design side louver grille. As a matter of fact the very early 1971 model Corvettes are sometimes seen with the 1st design side louver grilles.

Swapping the 1st and 2nd design grilles are easy and have probably been done numerous times since these cars were newly built. The 2nd design louver actually matches the front grilles in their design having a stepped ledge on three sides of each boxed square just like the front grilles. I prefer the 2nd design side grilles for that very reason!

So the front and side grilles both have raised chrome edging both horizontally and vertically for most of 1971 and all of 1972 models. I believe the supplier for these parts probably did not change, however the design change was definitely an improvement in my opinion. The 1st design was much heavier and the 2nd design actually exhausted air from the engine compartment more efficiently.

[Terry M.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

I would wager the second design was less expensive to produce, and that was the major driver of the change.

[Thomas H.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

Mike,

It's very unlikely that any 1970 model Corvette came originally with the 2nd design side louver grille. As a matter of fact the very early 1971 model Corvettes are sometimes seen with the 1st design side louver grilles.

My Sept 70 build 1971 has the 1970 style grills without the lip. The car had one repaint in the early 80s and all of the edges are exposed so I can't say for sure if only the horizontal edges were originally exposed or both.

Tom

[Kenn S.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

My '70 is a B20 (Feb 20, 1970), and it has the 1st design. Not quite March, but pretty close. Very much original paint. Never been touched.

[Thomas H.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

My '70 is a B20 (Feb 20, 1970), and it has the 1st design. Not quite March, but pretty close. Very much original paint. Never been touched.

Kenn,

Can you post a picture of your side grill so I can see the paint detail? Are just the horizontal surfaces chromed or are the vertical surfaces chrome also?

Thanks,

Tom

[Terry M.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

Kenn,

Can you post a picture of your side grill so I can see the paint detail? Are just the horizontal surfaces chromed or are the vertical surfaces chrome also?

Thanks,

Tom

Tom, There are pictures of both designs in the 1970-72 TIM&JG Page 42 of the fourth edition. They are big close-up pictures that take up 1/3 of the page.

[Thomas H.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

Tom, There are pictures of both designs in the 1970-72 TIM&JG Page 42 of the third edition. They are big close-up pictures that take up 1/3 of the page.

Terry,

As usual, you are correct. I suppose I was just too lazy to walk across my office and look it up.

One thing I've been trying to do is collect pictures of certain features on original cars for reference when I do a frame off on my LS5.

Thanks,

Tom

[Keith L.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

A22 70

[Terry M.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

Terry,

As usual, you are correct. I suppose I was just too lazy to walk across my office and look it up.

One thing I've been trying to do is collect pictures of certain features on original cars for reference when I do a frame off on my LS5.

Thanks,

Tom

And you got me Tom. It is the fourth edition. I corrected my post, but not before you quoted me.

I would go get you a picture of my 1970, but it would look like the first picture in the manual.

[Kenn S.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

Kenn,

Can you post a picture of your side grill so I can see the paint detail? Are just the horizontal surfaces chromed or are the vertical surfaces chrome also?

Happy to! They look like Keith's, but I'll take some different angles. I can't do that at the moment, so I'll post them tomorrow.

It's hard to see in Keith's picture, but the horizontal runs are slightly recessed from the vertical. I didn't measure, but it's in the 1/32" range. In other words, where horizontal and vertical runs meet, they don't meet flush. There is an intentional offset. So these are very different than the later versions in that regard.

Only the horizontal surfaces are chromed, and more like "brushed" than chromed. Probably age in my car's case.

I'll jot down some notes when I snap the pics to better describe what is and isn't painted. The photos won't be good enough (don't have that kind of lens). The recessed areas are the tricky part...

[Kenn S.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

Tomorrow is today... Photos attached.

It's nearly entirely painted, except for the chrome rim surrounding the top/bottom/right (left on other side) and the horizontal runs. The last photo shows how the horizontal runs are recessed a little. Inside of the recessed areas is unpainted. The vertical edges of the...gills?...are painted.

[Thomas H.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

Thanks Kenn / Keith.

I wonder how they masked the edges in production.

Tom

[Terry M.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

Thanks Kenn / Keith.

I wonder how they masked the edges in production.

Tom

Reports previously posted in other threads here are that the fender grilles came in to St Louis pre-painted finish color by the vendor. I once saw a second design side grille that had been ordered from the SPO (Service Parts Organization) that came in primed in black (appeared to be the same hard to remove black that sheet metal parts used to come in) and masked with narrow (less than 1/4-inch) masking tape. The owner of the part thought it unusual enough to contact me when I was TL so that I could see it.

Others have posted here their methods of painting in other threads on the subject. A look at those posts might be rewarding.

[Thomas H.]

Re: 70-71-71 fender grilles?

A look at those posts might be rewarding.

Terry,

I'm sure it will be rewarding, but it will also cause me to want to start tearing into the 71 and I have to finish the 60 I'm working on first!

Right now I'm gathering information and taking notes so when the time comes, I have most of my ducks in a row and can limit my mistakes.

Tom