BUSY BOLTERS Are you one?  The Shop Area
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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 158 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 158 | My old chrome grille is shot.
Bought a (used) painted one from ebay, to make sure I had enough straight parts to make one good one.
Anyone had luck with (affordable) re-chrome lately? I'm looking for nice driver, not necessarily show quality.
How about the repos? I've heard horror stories about fit.... Anyone had good luck here?
Or should I just forget it and paint it body color?
Cheers,
mark.
'51 KY 3100 | | | | | Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 2,074 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 2,074 | I'd paint the thing or powder coat, chrome now days is iffy at best and who knows if the plater will even return your original grille. If you take a close look at the repops, you'll see that the detail is just not there like the factory unit. BTW Bob Adler has just done a super article in the Sept. Vintage Chevy Club's NL on restoring your 47 to 53 grille. Good luck | | | | | Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 586 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 586 | Chrome will run about $400 and up. Maybe that will help you make a decision. Cecil......... | | | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 662 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 662 | | | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 158 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 158 | Can you point me to Bob Adler's article?
Also, any guesses as to whether my truck's original grille was chrome or painted? I've heard both -- Chrome since it's a 5-Window; paint because of the Korean War.
What to do...
Cheers,
mark.
51 KY 3100 | | | | | Joined: Nov 1995 Posts: 1,159 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 1995 Posts: 1,159 | Here's some Chrome Basics for ya. Peg
~ One of many.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,262 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,262 | Chrome grills were still available in 1951. They were discontinued in 1952/53 (due to the Korean War).
In 1951, on the painted grill, the "back splash" bar was white (the outer bar wax body color). On chrome grills, only the outer bar was plated and the "back splash" bar was painted white (same as the painted grille). | | | | | Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 1,571 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 1,571 | Chrome and stainless was discontinued about halfway through '51...around the time of the gauge color switch, I think. 52 was the low point, with some trucks even getting painted headlight bezels. I think the door handles were always chrome, GM must have had a large stockpile. | | | | | Joined: May 2004 Posts: 204 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: May 2004 Posts: 204 | I just had my grill reworked and chromed for $300. I brought them the dented and rusted bars and they returned the same bars looking better then anything that I have seen in person yet.
Not to mention the chroming process is much better than the cheap new ones.
I had the work done a Metro-Plating in Mesa AZ and I would highly recommend them. | | |
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