Tom, you're not the only odd one. I share your affliction!

But, since I don't have the NOS one piece factory riveted grille assembly, I need to restore an original grille. To do that, I need to rivet the parts back together. There is a thread on CRG on grille rivets:
http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=7375.0
that refers to a rivet squeezer tool:
http://www.browntool.com/Defau...Number&ProductID=185
that I was wondering if anyone has tried. It looks like the handle would interfere with the rivet tab on the opposite side of the grille. The handle should line up straight on the rivet and the one on the opposite side would prevent that.

Also, does anyone know a source for the rivets to attach the grille assembly to the lower valance?

Keith C.

Keith.. If you do not have a grill.. but have an NOS commonplace 68 unit you can pay Gary to rivet it to your NOS grill moldings.. He will plane the face down flat as well as 68 headlamp doors! He has the rivets, the riveter and most importantly the skill!

Tom: John W will have a NOS 68 grill but i don't know if he wants to part with it

I've got one that I'll let go of. It's the 3 piece riveted together. What's the going rate for these? Tom?

I bought mine 8 or 9 years ago from an unsuspecting person for $500.00.. I saw a 68 sell on eBay for $1200.00 +- just before the economic crash.. $750.00+ smells good to me

Thanks. Then $750.00 OBO. eBay next week.

Mike

Mike,

I'm not sure if your "I've got one" statement refers to the statement in the post before you about a 68 grille or the 67 NOS riveted grille? As for price on the 68 grille, I just sold a 68 assembly on Ebay for $500.

Keith C.

Thanks Keith.

I have the '68 version NOS. I am going to throw it on eBay next week. Knowing how much yours went for gives me a good idea of how much it should go for.

Mike

Thanks for the thoughts concerning this issue. What I really need to know is if the rivet sqeezer tool in my earlier post works to compress the grille rivets. As I stated before, it looks like the handle is so long it would interfere with the opposite rivet tab on the grille and prevent the tool from squeezing the rivet straight. If anyone has experience with this tool or has experience with one they know works, I would appreciate that input.

Concerning what I am doing for a grille, unless an NOS 67 assmbly comes up, I will be putting together restored 67 pieces to get a near perfect 67 grille. I have a couple 68 units I could modify. The way I look at it is why modify later parts to look like the 67 parts when I can use original 67 parts. The grille center can have the bars made flush but it still won't have the part number molded into it. It's not practical to add material to the lower trim piece to get a later part back to the wider section at the ends where the alignment pins are on the later parts.

Also, I found some rivets that should work to attach the grille to the lower valance. Once I get the rivet aqueezer question figured out, I can try them to see how they work.

Keith C.

Be careful as the rivets available through AMK will not work unless you use an original '67 lower grill molding.

Mike.. I think you mean the AMK rivets would need to be installed upside down to fit.. The 68 grill holes are too big and the only way for the rivet to work is upside down...?

Keith.. With restoring original grills the issues I have found are that if you strip and polish the bright edges of the moldings they come out way too bright so that leads down the expensive avenue of re-bright-dipping them and repainting the matte black.. With the plastic grill I've never found a used one that still maintained that just molded, sorta glossy new plastic sheen..

This stock NOS hobby is a tough cookie

Tom, You hit the major thing I need to overcome with a restoration. I have a very nice grille center but like you said, it does show some age. I am trying to research ways to remove the surface degradation to get back to good material. Polishing it gets close but what a pain. It may come to putting a thin coat of paint on it. Refinshing the trim is doable. Until I can find an NOS 67 grille, that's what I am pursuing.

Keith C.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom McGinnity:
Mike.. I think you mean the AMK rivets would need to be installed upside down to fit.. The 68 grill holes are too big and the only way for the rivet to work is upside down...?

Yep, or restore a '67 lower molding. The other option that still needs to explored is finding rivets that are the same head diameter and length as the originals...but with a wider shaft.

quote:

Originally posted by His 67PC:
Tom, You hit the major thing I need to overcome with a restoration. I have a very nice grille center but like you said, it does show some age. I am trying to research ways to remove the surface degradation to get back to good material. Polishing it gets close but what a pain. It may come to putting a thin coat of paint on it. Refinshing the trim is doable. Until I can find an NOS 67 grille, that's what I am pursuing.

Keith C.

Keith,

If there ever was to be a time for one to show up, it is now. If one becomes available, with the economy in the shape it's in, it should be a fair price. With everyone hurting I am VERY surprised we haven't seen all sorts of the rare NOS stuff coming out of the woodwork. Best of luck finding one. People either hold everything back waiting for things to recover or start selling off "toys" when the floor falls out of the hobby.

Has anyone tried successfully to have upper and lower moldings restored...Brite Dip and all???

Mike