Parts

[72vet]

Hi guys, I'm thinking about purchasing new grills for my 72. http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-front-grille-left-1970-1972.html

Has anyone out there purchased aftermarket front grills for their 70 – 72?

Question - What was the quality and fit of the repro?

I've looked into having my old ones re-chromed. The place that I took them to suggested that it would be a better option to purchase repro's as they couldn't guarantee the finish that I was after due to the egg crate design

Thanks in advance

[Jethro]

Hey 72vette,

Haven't bought the grills of Ecklers but have bought a heap of gear of them and have found the fit and quality of gear they sell second to none... the only down side is if you are in a rush they can be a bit on the slow side....

[72vet]

You're on the money about them being slow Jethro, but as you can see from my avatar I'm in no hurry  

[demonx]

I bought mine from Willcoxcorvette.com and I am happy with the quality.

[Benandsally]

Ecklers ....slow ......slow  ha ha what an understatement.
What would be quicker than ecklers delivery ?
Going over and pick it up yourself !!!    

[MADLT1]

i bought mine from corvette america many years ago and they are very good quality:drag:

[mick]

I wish they made some decent ones not manufactured by diecast.

Ive has some real dramas trying to chrome mine and have all but given up.

Have you Chromed the new one's 72vette??

[72vet]

Hi Mick,

I'm still working on convincing myself that my old ones need replacing.

A lot of $$ for some extra bling

[mick]

thats why mine are still on there as well.

[wabco40]

Hi guys, I'm thinking about purchasing new grills for my 72. http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-front-grille-left-1970-1972.html

Has anyone out there purchased aftermarket front grills for their 70 – 72?

Question - What was the quality and fit of the repro?

I've looked into having my old ones re-chromed. The place that I took them to suggested that it would be a better option to purchase repro's as they couldn't guarantee the finish that I was after due to the egg crate design

Thanks in advance

I purchased new left and right front grills. The right grill was NOS and fits good (except for the usual rough casting edges in the squares). The left grill was repro and has a narrower outer edge then the factory grill.
The problem I have is before painting my car I blended the front of the fenders to the original grills and had the grills sitting flush and with and even gap with the fender.
This new left grill will not sit flush with the fender and looks like crap.
I will try get some pictures in the next few days.

I have cleaned up all the rough casting edges on my old grills and hope to get them re-chromed. I have already sent them to a shop in Perth but all they managed to do was strip the old chrome off. Nobody seems interested in touching them as they are so time consuming to do. I will be in Asia for a month during Feburary so I am going to try get them done there.
Brad.

[wabco40]

Hi guys, I'm thinking about purchasing new grills for my 72. http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-front-grille-left-1970-1972.html

Has anyone out there purchased aftermarket front grills for their 70 – 72?

Question - What was the quality and fit of the repro?

I've looked into having my old ones re-chromed. The place that I took them to suggested that it would be a better option to purchase repro's as they couldn't guarantee the finish that I was after due to the egg crate design

Thanks in advance

I purchased new left and right front grills. The right grill was NOS and fits good (except for the usual rough casting edges in the squares). The left grill was repro and has a narrower outer edge then the factory grill.
The problem I have is before painting my car I blended the front of the fenders to the original grills and had the grills sitting flush and with and even gap with the fender.
This new left grill will not sit flush with the fender and looks like crap.
I will try get some pictures in the next few days.

I have cleaned up all the rough casting edges on my old grills and hope to get them re-chromed. I have already sent them to a shop in Perth but all they managed to do was strip the old chrome off. Nobody seems interested in touching them as they are so time consuming to do. I will be in Asia for a month during Feburary so I am going to try get them done there.
Brad.

Below are pictures of an original left front grill and a repro grill.
The top grill is the repro.
The problem I have with the repro is the outer edge (circled in red) is to narrow compared to an original. The repro is 16mm wide at this point where the original is 21mm wide.

I might be getting a bit picky about this but when I fitted a NOS on the right and the repro on the left it looked like crap with the left having a 5mm gap.
The repro has all the same casting numbers and info on the back same as an original and the rest of the grill is ok.
Brad.



[IMG=700x525]http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff391/wabco40/IMG_3814.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG=700x525]http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff391/wabco40/IMG_3813.jpg[/IMG]

[72vet]

Thanks Brad,
 
Bit picky you say?  Not after you've spent the time blending the front of the fender to the original grill and now have a gap with the repo.

What was used to strip the chrome of the original grills?

Nick

[wabco40]

Thanks Brad,
 
Bit picky you say?  Not after you've spent the time blending the front of the fender to the original grill and now have a gap with the repo.

What was used to strip the chrome of the original grills?

Nick

Hello Nick,

I sent the original grills to a chrome shop in Perth. After 3 months of saying they could do the job they turned around and said it was to much of a headache.
What they did was remove the old chrome (however I am unsure how they do this) and then polished the outer edge and the outer edges of the squares. The rest can be painted similar to the original.

I de-burred all the rough casting edges off the original and they look great now. In fact the more I look at the after market grill the more faults I see with it (the rough top edges of the squares).

My first option is to try have the originals rechromed. I have some contacts in Bangkok so hopefully will be able to get them done while there.
The second is to do what the chrome shop did and polish and paint. Also maybe shoot with a coat of suitable clear coat.
There is also spray on chrome that may be an option (search "spray on chrome" on youtube). However I know very little about this and how durable it would be.
Brad

[mick]

I was told by a chromer that diecast is hard to chrome because the steel or in this case aluminium used in die cast is usually of a substandard quality.

When the chromer tries to chrome them because there are different types/qualities of metal the chrome does not go evenly over the surface of the the cast product.

That was the story I got from my chromer anyway.

[wabco40]

I was told by a chromer that diecast is hard to chrome because the steel or in this case aluminium used in die cast is usually of a substandard quality.

When the chromer tries to chrome them because there are different types/qualities of metal the chrome does not go evenly over the surface of the the cast product.

That was the story I got from my chromer anyway.

Hello Mick,

I have phoned around and no shop here seems interested in doing them.
If the factory can mass produce them then there must be someone that can do it.
I will let you know how I go.
Brad

[mick]

I hate to admit but I think the only fix will be to file finish (for a bloody long time) and 2-pak paint the colour of your choice.

[MR 69ER]

Sorry all but not to p#iss in anyones pocket here but generally speaking anything I order form Ecklers gets to me here in Sydney within 7 - 10 working days (thats provided they have it in stock in their warehouse). Only this morning I ordered an L88 hood for a customer and I will see it here before Christmas.

I dont think I can ask for much better than that!:beer:

If your experiencing extended delays with your parts Benandsally let me know and I will call one of the 2 contacts I have in there and see if I can speed things up for you.

Cheers
Steve

Ecklers ....slow ......slow  ha ha what an understatement.
What would be quicker than ecklers delivery ?
Going over and pick it up yourself !!!    

[MADLT1]

just curiose how much for a l88 hood for a 71 not the long version,still want to keep wiper door?

[Jethro]

just curiose how much for a l88 hood for a 71 not the long version,still want to keep wiper door?

Funny, I rather the LT-1 Big Block Style Hood, Stock Length 2 1-4" Extra Clearance:grr:

[Benandsally]

Hi MR69ER,

Thanks Steve yes part of it is waiting for back orders ( out of stock)

I will give you a call later on.  :call:

Thanks Tony