The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Grille - after-market??

Has anyone had problems fitting an after-market 47-53 grille?? I have tried to get mine to line up and it just will not fit! My husband bought it for me and we tried to install it yesterday..... it will not go "in & up" far enough for the bolt holes to line up. Any input would be grate!

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Some of those re-pop grilles fit like socks on a rooster! You may have to hog out or redrill some holes. It helps to loosen the fenders, and any other bolts that hold the front sheet metal togeather. Also have a prybar, icepick, nails and extra pair of hands to help get things aligned. Good luck.

Yakima is right you have to have it all loose. When I started with mine I thought no way will it fit. I did it one connection at a time and didn't tighten anything until all the bolts were in. That being said there were two that would not fit and had to be redrilled.

Thanks guys.... I'll keep working at it and see if I can make it fit Me and after-market stuff just haven't gotten along so well. Don't know if it's just me, or if others have had issues as well....

I borrowed an original grill from a friend.... perfect fit One of the problems with the after-market grille.... the tips of the bars are not even and a couple of them dig into the front of the fender
So now I'm on the hunt for an original grille/grilles and I have an after-market chrome grille for sale! I did find one on ebay but it was for a 4100...will the 4100 fit the 3100?? it looks like it only needs 1 bar replaced.

Please email me at [email protected] with any info.... Thanks! Monica

moderator edit:

Any 'want to buy(wtb)' items should be placed in the Swap Meet, see the rules in there before you post. Thanks!

Monica, I had the same problem on a grill for a 1950 Chevy pkup. The driver side part of the grill bars looked pretty decent, but the passenger side ends of the bars were terrible. One would be way too far back and hit the fender before the bolt holes got any where close while the rest of the bars stuck out anywhere from 1/2 to 1 inch away from the fender.

Had trouble getting the passenger side park lamp in place.

Above the passenger side park lamp where the grill meets the fender, there was one spot that I had to die grind about 1/2 inch of material away to make the grill meet the fender properly.

All in all a very disappointing grill for the amount of money spent to get it.

Roy, I totally agree!! I actually started to grind some and then realized how much I would have to grind and said forget it! I actually just found an original grille on craigslist for $185 - Nice and straight, no rust, a few small dings that can be "body worked"..... I'll be posting the after-market on craigslist now and try to re-coop at least part of my money

The friend I was helping sent the first grill back because it was so bad.


We made the second work, but it still is a far cry from good. But the old grill was just too far gone.

If you have facebook you can see the passenger side of the grill here. The picture was taken from the top passenger side of the grill looking down to show how badly the bars are made.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...5.100001140739779&type=3&theater

Good pics!

Did you look at the other pics of the truck?