The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Repop Grills

What is everyone's experience with repop grills? I was quoted $1800 to rechrome my grill off my 46 chev. Tim Sheridan had an issue with a repop grill not fitting at all on his truck. I have also heard the chrome flakes off and/or rusts after a few years on the repops. What do you all think?

I have seen repops that were very inferior quality. Before buying a repop, check around different places to rechrome. I think there is a big difference in prices to be found. If you are not looking for show quality, take a handful of dirt and rub it. That's all we used to do and unless the chrome is peeling it will shine again.

An earlier thread of the subject had a wide range of price to rechrome. You may be able to take it apart and put it back together yourself. Then ship it to the US. See if you can find the thread I think you will find prices quoted from several areas that are much better.

Two bumpers chromed up here is $800 and that is not show-chrome.

WOW, $1800.00. I wanted to keep my grill original so I disassembled the grill and had my bars rechromed by a great place in Quincy, IL for $450.00. These guys have done work for me before and the always do a great job. Family owned and operated. Be prepared to wait 6-8 weeks. Precision Plating 217-223-6590. Good luck.

I need to revisit this thread. I got another quote of $1500. Does this seem out of whack?

I live where olblu49 lives, I was given an estimate of +/- $2000 for the grill, if I just brought the bars in.

I bought a repop. It was $500 shipped to my house. I painted the back side of it, as chrome always seems to come off from the back. I also wax the chrome all the time. I'm sure it wont last forever. But, its shiny, and if I have to replace it every five years, so what. I'm still ahead. A rechrome doesn't last for ever either.

Here's my story. I bought a repo 46 grill to replace my dented and rusted original. As soon as I pulled it out of the box I put it right back in and sent it back. What a piece of junk.

If you can salvage your original grill, do it. I paid $750 to have mine rechromed about 7 years ago. $1500 may be the going rate now.

It appears that some here don't realize that an Art Deco grill only divides into two pieces. the upper grill and the lower grill. The bars of the lower grill don't come off. It was built from one piece of metal. Unlike the repops which are all spot welded together.

One more hint. Make sure that your grill fits your truck before you have it chromed. If you try to tweek it into place after chroming you may crack your new chrome job.

George

George,

What was wrong with the repop grill? Too flimsy? Not correct?

When i bought my 52, it had a repro grille in it. It was 2 years old when i bought the truck, and iv had the truck for 2 years.
Its 4 years old now,sits out in the weather all year 'round and all i do is keep it cleaned,a coat of GIBBS,(www.getgibbs.com)
and some wax every so often. Still looks new. No pits,no dulling,no flaking. Maybe i got the 1 in 1,000 good one?
As for fit,,,,,,I can tell by just looking at it,the person that installed it had a tough time. Obviously,,lotsa holes didnt line up.

At $9.80 for shipping and handling for a little bottle I think I will just givegibbs a pass.
DG

When I got a re-pro grille, it would not fit at all. I took the new bars off and put them on the old frame after I had it powder-coated close to the proper cream color. Was still cheaper than having the bars re-chromed.

For you guys that are being quoted 1500-1800 for re-chroming, keep in mind the prep work they will have to do- grinding pits, straightening dents, etc. It all adds up quick when you figure their shop rate is probably around $50 an hour.

My Gibbs came in a 12oz. can. Didnt know he was selling it in little bottles now.

My 52's grill arrived in great conditiion from "Classic Parts"...install was not a Joyous event to say the least...but after gettin P.O.'d ...an settin back an lookin at what I had ...some tweakin here an there on the fenders an all the bolt holes lined up and after takin a break an comin back ..it all went together pretty good ..never had to break out a drill or nothin.
So far it still looks just as good as it did on DAY 1.
But then again mine is garage kept an sees very little weather.
for a daily driver I cannot say how it would hold up.
Tim

I am for repairing your original as well. I rather have an original with dents filled and painted over a chrome chinese piece of crap.

I am SOOOOO tired of repro parts! And I keep it to a VERY mininum. Yet nearly every single one gives me fits trying to install or just doens't look right. I will do ANYTHING before I stick a overseas piece of crap on my car or truck.

Just last night while putting a door together on my 1965 Gran Sport the belt moulding seal, junk, a guide left off, wrong length, JUNK. It has these funky plastic "nut" like things that go in the doors where a "nail" device (yes metal and looks just like a roofing nail with the little ridges around it) on the door panel goes into these "nuts". They are oval shaped unlike anything on any other car I have ever seen. Anyway, I go to pop the thing in the hole and it won't go, too big. I put them in some hot water to get them "pliable" (trick that works like magic with plastic parts) and they still won't go, even with a hammer they won't go! My GOD, how friggin hard is it to measure something, test something and make them for sale, HOW HARD IS IT? This isn't rocket science for God's sake!

All I kept thinking of is a friend of mine who after opening a box with a repro part for his 65 Vette said "If they wanted to be honest, instead of saying in the catalog Exact as original they would say SIMILAR to original, can be used if nothing else is available.".

Yet, the little "nuts" I was trying to use, they aren't even "similar" enough to work! I will litterally need to file or sand them smaller to work!

Leave the repro stuff on the ship, I will work with my OEM rusted and bent OEM parts.

Brian

46 HalfTon, To answer your question, as you probably know the lower grill on the 41-46 trucks is stamped from one piece of metal and has slots cut in to the upper edge for the stainless trim pieces. My original upper grill was in good condition so I just ordered an unchromed lower portion for my 46.

Well the repop was actually a much thinner material and it was spot welded together. Each of the vertical bars was a seperate piece spot welded to the horizontal pieces. All these spot welds plus the overlaps of the bars would have looked crappy once chromed. In addition there were no provisions for the stainless trim pieces. There was a crude faxcimily already rolled into the grill. Plus the repop did not fit my orig. upper grill very well.

I decided that it would have been too much of a pain to get it to fit right and look good, so I sent it back. I'm glad I did.

Hope this helps
George

Has anyone been able to find only the chrome bars? If they can make the whole thing, maybe just the bars. I have my painted 50 grill completely dis-assembled, blasted, re-painted and ready to put back together, but would wait if I could get chrome, or stainless even.

Also, how the heck do you get those upper hinges apart to replace the springs? I see no e-clips or anything, but punches and heavy hammers just bounce off.

Rustyfifty: Welcome to the stovebolt. You will find answers and friends here.... if you behave

You may not be familiar with the tech tip section yet but if you will click on it and look around there is an article about rebuilding these hinges including pictures. Look at it or print it out like I did and read it about 3 times. You'll find it is not a major job to rebuild and it deals with getting them apart. Its a big help.
The main thing is don't BEAT them. It only swells the pins up inside more! Read the tip and let us know how you come out.

EDIT: I could not find the tech tip but here is the original link.
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...;Main=45375&Number=328064#Post328064

Mr. Chipmunk, sir, I hear it takes yer better half and a 50 mule team to make you behave! That may not be true, but that's what I've heard. Lets wait and see how Rustyfifty does, but my bet is he's ok! They just do things differently in Minnesota. By the way, Mr Chipmunk, sir, how am I behavin'?

Rustyfifty, Mr. Chipmunk, sir's advice is usually right on the money! He's just a bit testy over a door latch, and considering, I don't blame him, much.

Lets us all play nice together, ok?

best wishes to all and tongue firmly in cheek,

Les

..... "testy over a door latch", you bet Les.
Just so everyone will know, I had a hard time with mine and took one over to my body man. Well, he got it apart alright but he royally messed it up. So, I took the other 3 and ran back to my shop. Laid them UNDER the work bench for a while and then found the thread above. After reading and getting the pictures firmly in my pea brain I tackled them like a hungry hound on a hambone! Man, they came out VERY nice. Yep, I'm testy about door hinges
And you better behave before I call the boss!

I've heard that about the repop grills. Thanks for confirming it. Sounds like they are junk. My lower portion has a few broken bars but I'm sure they can weld this up and make it look perdy. I just need to find $1500...maybe I can sell some of my wife's shoes?

Thanks for the info, haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but can see it's going to work. That link was over the top.
Now about the chrome bars, any ideas, or should I just get the whole thing. Classic parts seems to an accepted vendor, any comments on them, or others?
And I'll try to behave, at least as good as a Minnesota boy can with our limitations..