68 grille picture

[lakeholme]

So, anybody got info. they can add to the questions that have surfaced about 68 grilles?  Differences between eary and late built cars?  Differences bewteen BB & others?

[JohnKY]

Phil
I picked up this Nov. car a few years ago. It had been dis-assembled and stored in a barn for many years.
I believe the grille to be original judging by it's appearance and condition. Logic would dictate that "if" it had ever been replaced, why would someone go to the trouble of painting it this way if it hadn't been originally.

[lakeholme]

Thanks JohnKy!  So, does your November built look like the standard grille like Ed illustrates above as "Most 68s"?
That's exactly what mine looks like, but my car was partially restored by a previous owner, who also cloned a bit and put in a few "wrong but working" parts. I've talked with him and he is a great guy and a Chevy lover, but it's exactly his logic that sometimes mystifies me. I've spent more un-doing than restoring.  But that's about tho change.

[Jon Mello]

All non-SS '68 standard grille cars (including Z/28) should have silver painted grille on the center bars with black surround as seen in the attachment. SS grilles were painted all black. The grilles were gray originally and painted by GM before installation on the car. On the replacement grilles, they are left gray and it is up to the purchaser to paint them correctly. This way they sell one part to suit SS and non-SS applications. Original grilles will have brackets riveted on the back (which connect to the headlight mounting brackets). Most replacement grilles will either have the brackets held on with machine screws & nuts or people will often just leave the brackets off.

-Jon

[Jon Mello]

Another grille shot. This is the Pete Estes Z convertible, built July '68.

-Jon

[Jerry@CHP]

Jon Mello has this right.  Argent silver paint on the std grilles for Camaro and Z28, and black for the SS models.

Jerry

[1968RSZ28]

When and why did they put the cowl hood on Pete Estes' Z/28?   

Paul

[68Zproject]

All non-SS '68 standard grille cars (including Z/28) should have silver painted grille on the center bars with black surround as seen in the attachment.

-Jon

The black surround, is that just what can be seen in your picture ie: not in-between the horizontal and vertical slats on the grill?   And, does anyone know what paint was used or can be used for the black?

[hotrod68]

Could that be a rare factory fiberglass hood on Estes' car? GM made a rare limited run of fiberglass cowl hoods in '68 as I understand it, and if anyone would have had access to one, it would be Pete Estes! It's common knowledge they were available through the "back door" during the Trans Am wars--just like the crossram and headers and JL-8 rear disc brakes. Or is this a myth as well, like the elusive photo of the highly-optioned black-and-gold '69 ZL-1 with a guy who looks like Michael Savage driving it?

[lakeholme]

Thanks Jon and Jerry.  I'd like like to know about the details ofpainting and which paint for the standard grille, as well.

[Jerry@CHP]

The outer boarders of this grille are painted semi gloss black.  It is only the egg crate section and directional housings that are silver.

Regarding the P. Estes car, the tech center installed a lot of special goodies on that car so chances are it's a one of one proto type hood.

Jerry

[Jon Mello]

Could that be a rare factory fiberglass hood on Estes' car? GM made a rare limited run of fiberglass cowl hoods in '68 as I understand it, and if anyone would have had access to one, it would be Pete Estes! It's common knowledge they were available through the "back door" during the Trans Am wars--just like the crossram and headers and JL-8 rear disc brakes. Or is this a myth as well, like the elusive photo of the highly-optioned black-and-gold '69 ZL-1 with a guy who looks like Michael Savage driving it?

Yes, that's a prototype fiberglass cowl induction hood. Notice the prop rod attached to the passenger side fender brace and the lack of usual hood springs. It must be being held up by somebody out of camera view. This hood was on the car when it was the pace car at the Road America Can-Am race (Elkhart Lake, WI) in August 1968.

[camshaftit]

Check out www.gmphotostore.com

There are several pictures of 68 Camaros with gray grilles.  It looks like none of the grilles are painted with black and silver.  I assume most of the pictures are from early production and used for advertising.

I would be surprised if the grille was painted two different colors since of the labor involved.

Maybe I will try and remove some of the black paint from my 68 original grille to see the original color.

[firstgenaddict]

Check out www.gmphotostore.com

There are several pictures of 68 Camaros with gray grilles.  It looks like none of the grilles are painted with black and silver.  I assume most of the pictures are from early production and used for advertising.

I would be surprised if the grille was painted two different colors since of the labor involved.

Maybe I will try and remove some of the black paint from my 68 original grille to see the original color.

69 grilles had body color on them from the factory... it wasn't too much trouble a year later...

[hotrod68]

Fellows--I was studying the pics of Estes' car again, and is that a D33 remote mirror on the driver's door? My assembly manual says they were canceled--is this yet another rare option on this one-of-a-kind Z?