1971 black-center GMC grille - on my 1970??? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Project1970 · 05-05-2002, 01:46 AM

I was just discussing this a bit with my dad earlier tonight...and apparently my truck, a 1970 GMC, came from the dealer with the 1971-72 style blacked-out grille!

Unless my grandma has some more photos of it somewhere, though, I don't have any real evidence. The one old photo I have of it before my dad had the entire grille rechromed doesn't show the frontend at all. It was apparently black painted onto chrome...

Now, BEFORE you all go telling me I'm crazy...I've got a few theories as to how it could've happened. The basis for all of these is the fact that it was purchased in October of 1970, when the '71s would have been out for a while. (My grandpa must've gotten a smoking deal on this truck, given that he pretty much hated it - four wheel drums and a 3 speed column shifter. I wonder what he would think of it now.)

Theory 1: The truck (which has a sequence number of 60576) was built so late that they were already switching over to the '71 style grilles.

Theory 2: Sometime before it was sold, the original grille was damaged somehow and replaced with a '71 style instead.

Theory 3: For some reason, the dealer installed a '71 style grille to make it look more like a '71 than the still-hadn't-sold '70 it was.

They're all a bit out there, and I still have no real evidence of it; I was about 6 when my dad went through it all the first time, so I don't remember much about it (aside from that you could reach right through most of the passenger side panels, lol)

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Project 1970 - soon to be seen at http://milhouse.treylis.org:81/

LeRoy · 05-05-2002, 01:50 AM

Seems like a matter for the X-files. lol Man, some of you guys get into your rigs. lol I vote for #1. What's the build date? Late 70, like 12/70

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MOUNT VERNON, WASH. STATE
GOT MY BASES COVERED
-Big and bad 70 CST Blazer
-71 K5 Blazer, 350, 4spd, 2" lift, 35" BFG mudders, Camo,
-Work in progress 72 SWB
-72 Cheyenne, lwb, 1/2 ton, 4x4, V8, 4spd.
-71, 3/4 ton, 402/400, Custom Camper
-69, 2wd, ST6, auto, ghetto lowered, 3/4 ton, LWB, "BOMBER"
-69 Chev. short narrow 4x4
-69 Chev., lwb, utility trailer, 35" tires,
Add or Delete Daily

Project1970 · 05-05-2002, 01:54 AM

I don't have a buildsheet for it. I found a few scraps of it once. =P

Couldn't have been later than 10/70, since that's when it was purchased.

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Project 1970 - soon to be seen at http://milhouse.treylis.org:81/

Longhorn Man · 05-05-2002, 08:12 AM

look in the drivers side door jamb, the sticker may still be there.

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'69 G.M.C. 350/350. Trying to clean up the left over damage from the Dope-Smokin-Old-Man
I've been dubbed the Longhorn Freak/Fanatic/Expert, I just hope I can live up to it.
FINALLY got the HORNIAC...a '70 one ton Longhorn with a Pontiac 350/350 and lots of 'personality'. Check out The Longhorn Webite.
If you need a pic posted, E-mail me at longhornmail@yahoo.com
Andy, in Columbus Ohio

Project1970 · 05-05-2002, 12:15 PM

Nah, that's long gone. Probably removed when it was repainted in 1990.

Eh. It'll just be one of the mysteries of my truck, I guess. Right up there with the dent in the roof of the cab... which is a mystery given that the dent is pushed -into- the cab, like someone hit it from the outside, but there's no dent whatsoever on the outside!

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Project 1970 - soon to be seen at http://milhouse.treylis.org:81/

**Desert Rat** · 05-05-2002, 01:29 PM

Well my 68 had one of those grilles also,i made comment about the grille being replaced the owner got pissed and said nothing on the body has ever been changed.maybe we had prototype grilles????old man i bought it from probably forgot,or someone swapped it in the middle of the night.

Project1970 · 05-05-2002, 02:01 PM

DR...did you get that '68 in Casa Grande?

Maybe it's just a freak coincidence...or maybe it's a Casa Grande / Coolidge thang...

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Project 1970 - soon to be seen at http://milhouse.treylis.org:81/

Eddie H. · 05-05-2002, 02:19 PM

My 69 GMC came with the black center painted grille.
That's the way it was when my dad bought it from the dealer.

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69 GMC LWB 404/400 daily driver
71 GMC LWB 350/700R4 frame-up restoration in progress

**PICKMUP** · 05-07-2002, 03:32 AM

D.R., sometimes the more wrong some guys are...the harder they argue!

05-05-2002, 01:50 AM	#2
LeRoy Registered truck nut Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Mt. Vernon, Washington, USA Posts: 1,584	Seems like a matter for the X-files. lol Man, some of you guys get into your rigs. lol I vote for #1. What's the build date? Late 70, like 12/70 ------------------ MOUNT VERNON, WASH. STATE GOT MY BASES COVERED -Big and bad 70 CST Blazer -71 K5 Blazer, 350, 4spd, 2" lift, 35" BFG mudders, Camo, -Work in progress 72 SWB -72 Cheyenne, lwb, 1/2 ton, 4x4, V8, 4spd. -71, 3/4 ton, 402/400, Custom Camper -69, 2wd, ST6, auto, ghetto lowered, 3/4 ton, LWB, "BOMBER" -69 Chev. short narrow 4x4 -69 Chev., lwb, utility trailer, 35" tires, Add or Delete Daily __________________ MOUNT VERNON, WASH. STATE Need a part? Just PM me

05-05-2002, 01:54 AM	#3
Project1970 14.1 @ 96MPH Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,811	I don't have a buildsheet for it. I found a few scraps of it once. =P Couldn't have been later than 10/70, since that's when it was purchased. ------------------ Project 1970 - soon to be seen at http://milhouse.treylis.org:81/ __________________ Project1970 - LS1 Swap Complete!

05-05-2002, 12:15 PM	#5
Project1970 14.1 @ 96MPH Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,811	Nah, that's long gone. Probably removed when it was repainted in 1990. Eh. It'll just be one of the mysteries of my truck, I guess. Right up there with the dent in the roof of the cab... which is a mystery given that the dent is pushed -into- the cab, like someone hit it from the outside, but there's no dent whatsoever on the outside! ------------------ Project 1970 - soon to be seen at http://milhouse.treylis.org:81/ __________________ Project1970 - LS1 Swap Complete!

05-05-2002, 02:01 PM	#7
Project1970 14.1 @ 96MPH Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,811	DR...did you get that '68 in Casa Grande? Maybe it's just a freak coincidence...or maybe it's a Casa Grande / Coolidge thang... ------------------ Project 1970 - soon to be seen at http://milhouse.treylis.org:81/ __________________ Project1970 - LS1 Swap Complete!

05-05-2002, 02:19 PM	#8
Eddie H. Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Paradise TX USA Posts: 1,200	My 69 GMC came with the black center painted grille. That's the way it was when my dad bought it from the dealer. ------------------ 69 GMC LWB 404/400 daily driver 71 GMC LWB 350/700R4 frame-up restoration in progress __________________ "Negative people always seem to have a problem for every solution"

05-05-2002, 01:46 AM	#1
Project1970 14.1 @ 96MPH Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,811	1971 black-center GMC grille - on my 1970??? I was just discussing this a bit with my dad earlier tonight...and apparently my truck, a 1970 GMC, came from the dealer with the 1971-72 style blacked-out grille! Unless my grandma has some more photos of it somewhere, though, I don't have any real evidence. The one old photo I have of it before my dad had the entire grille rechromed doesn't show the frontend at all. It was apparently black painted onto chrome... Now, BEFORE you all go telling me I'm crazy...I've got a few theories as to how it could've happened. The basis for all of these is the fact that it was purchased in October of 1970, when the '71s would have been out for a while. (My grandpa must've gotten a smoking deal on this truck, given that he pretty much hated it - four wheel drums and a 3 speed column shifter. I wonder what he would think of it now.) Theory 1: The truck (which has a sequence number of 60576) was built so late that they were already switching over to the '71 style grilles. Theory 2: Sometime before it was sold, the original grille was damaged somehow and replaced with a '71 style instead. Theory 3: For some reason, the dealer installed a '71 style grille to make it look more like a '71 than the still-hadn't-sold '70 it was. They're all a bit out there, and I still have no real evidence of it; I was about 6 when my dad went through it all the first time, so I don't remember much about it (aside from that you could reach right through most of the passenger side panels, lol) ------------------ Project 1970 - soon to be seen at http://milhouse.treylis.org:81/ __________________ Project1970 - LS1 Swap Complete!

05-05-2002, 08:12 AM	#4
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	look in the drivers side door jamb, the sticker may still be there. ------------------ '69 G.M.C. 350/350. Trying to clean up the left over damage from the Dope-Smokin-Old-Man I've been dubbed the Longhorn Freak/Fanatic/Expert, I just hope I can live up to it. FINALLY got the HORNIAC...a '70 one ton Longhorn with a Pontiac 350/350 and lots of 'personality'. Check out The Longhorn Webite. If you need a pic posted, E-mail me at longhornmail@yahoo.com Andy, in Columbus Ohio

05-05-2002, 01:29 PM	#6
Desert Rat Senior Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Darrington, Washington Posts: 3,963	Well my 68 had one of those grilles also,i made comment about the grille being replaced the owner got pissed and said nothing on the body has ever been changed.maybe we had prototype grilles????old man i bought it from probably forgot,or someone swapped it in the middle of the night.

05-07-2002, 03:32 AM	#9
PICKMUP "Trucks with Class" Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: OLYMPIA, WA, USA Posts: 8,119	D.R., sometimes the more wrong some guys are...the harder they argue! __________________ Email: frankeham@comcast.net Phone: 360-956-7170



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