BIllet Grille on 1st gen camaro

[chavez o]

Looking for a billet or stainless grille insert for 67 camaro. Any one know where to find one before I start fabing one? This is for a non r/s camaro..

[paulk68]

i believe the site chevyland.com has one.

[jknight16]

Venomous told me that he fabricated his grille using some kind of commercial HVAC grate that he then painted black. I think it looks really quite good. You might be able to take a similar approach and paint it silver, polish it, or chrome it.

Oh, and that chevyland site is a GM dealer in Arkansas?? I may have to fabricate a grille for my 69 so I'd be interested in what options are out there.

[chavez o]

Yeah The Chevyland web site turned up a loss. Thanks anyway. I figuere I will just build it out of 3/8 tubing or solid stock, weld it up and have it chromed. See what happens

[paulk68]

sorry it is chevylandparts.com then go to camaro then grill and on the third page is a billet one. hope that helps

[TonyL]

Chevyland (http://www.supermuscleparts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1678)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2007/05/3009269JPG-1.jpg

[chavez o]

It looks pretty cool, they have them for a 68 and 69. Anyone know if the standard 68 grille will interchange with a 67? Thanks for the feed back.

[Hrod382]

Sorry to dig up an old topic but I was about to just buy a normal RS grille for my '67 (What is the difference between a '67 and '68... Just fender tabs?) and I saw a billet 3 piece RS grille on that Chevylandparts.com (thanks paulk)... Anyone know how well they fit?

Not sure if it'll allow a direct link but here's what I had in mind:
http://www.supermuscleparts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=7392

I assume I would have to buy that and the upper/lower RS Grille mouldings? It's going on a racecar so really all I need is for it to stay in place, I'll have fog lights going out under the bumper or I'll just set the headlights in if it can shine through.

Any pics of them on a '67 or '68? I searched but didn't find anything. I know, I'm full of questions.

...Funny I came across mention of billet grilles and knew here would be the place to go to find them, definetely home to some of the cooler cars around.

[Hrod382]

Someone on Camaros.net found this one for me:
http://westpalmbeach.craigslist.org/car/343620796.html

Granted it doesn't have the doors on but it helps. I'm still not sure if I want the billet or regular.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

whoa.. whats going on with that front end?!

[merriman44]

Yikes! They sure do look funny without the headlight doors

[Patrick]

whoa.. whats going on with that front end?!

Square headlights!

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

Ah.. she must be Austrian.


lol

[Hrod382]

One last bump... I'm about to order my grille but I'll probably go with the standard if I can't find a pic of one of these.

[Project69]

if you order your grille your gonna need hood pins =] remember that

[Hrod382]

if you order your grille your gonna need hood pins =] remember that

Mine is a racecar so it's on by Dzus fasteners but I didn't even think about that, good info.

[Moabdude]

I want to go with the RS center grill part and standard outer grill parts. will fab something to make them fit. I like to see the headlights. car needs a "face" is my opinion.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2007/07/frontlights8-1.jpg

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

i dig the valence treatment..

[Hrod382]

Looks good man, are those reproduction parts? I just ordered a regular RS grill, I'm hoping it fits decent that'll save me some time for sure.

I know this might be a little late but you can do a '68 standard grill with a billet center piece, it looks good it's just that the center piece is pricey ($230 I think).

http://www.bozeforged.com/gallery_dp.html

[esenior]

I also wanted a billet grillfor my Camaro (69), but didn't like the idea of just using an inner grill. I ended up having Bret over at American Muscle Cars fabricate one from scratch. Definately not the cheapest solution...cost over $4k
:jawdrop:

Here are a couple of pictures (Feb '07)....

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2007/09/69CAMAROPT_070214_01JPG-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2007/09/69CAMAROPT_070214_03JPG-1.jpg

[jknight16]

Wow, now that's a sweet billet grille! Would love to have a copy of that!

As for the price though...the average joe (i.e. Me) is going to have to look elsewhere for sure. In fact, for that price, I figure I can buy a $1200 welder and still afford to screw up so much material in the learning process that in the end I'll have a welder, enhanced knowledge/skill, and an awesome grille to boot! I do like it though.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

thats nice!

looks like how mine is..

[jknight16]

Dude, venomous, you gotta find out exactly what they call that material you used. I'm dying to try that stuff out on my grille.

[Taylor1969]

I also wanted a billet grillfor my Camaro (69), but didn't like the idea of just using an inner grill. I ended up having Bret over at American Muscle Cars fabricate one from scratch. Definately not the cheapest solution...cost over $4k



4K for a billet grille...


:eek:

[1969CamaroRS]

wrong thread.

[68Formula]

Chevyland (http://www.supermuscleparts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1678)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2007/05/3009269JPG-1.jpg

Somebody needs to let these guys know a grill is what you cook on, and a grille is what fits on the front of the car.

[rfalker1]

loool, thanks for the update, I will remember that if I have any grille questions, by the way awesome grille, that is going to be nasty

[JRouche]

I also wanted a billet grillfor my Camaro (69), but didn't like the idea of just using an inner grill. I ended up having Bret over at American Muscle Cars fabricate one from scratch. Definately not the cheapest solution...cost over $4k

Seriously? There is NO way you spent 4000 bucks (actually more than 4 grand from what you said) for a grille. If you did Id love too hear why? More money than brains is the usual statement, but I wont go that route. Id rather see what is involved with a 4000 dollar grille personally.

I think if you make a statement that you paid 4000 bucks for a grille it needs more than the pics you supplied. Cause to be honest, it doesnt look like a 4000 dollar grille.

Its nice and all, even if they had to do some custom work to make the grille work with the headlights. But thats pretty simple stuff.

Kinda reminds me of the show, I forget what it is, actually might be any number of shows where they say they have 75,000 bucks in a car that they are auctioning off.

Its a joke!! The TV shows where they are building a car or bike, there is this imposed time deadline to add to the drama. So they toss this car together and the deadline is coming close. Its all in paint and they are still grinding on some odd part, or cutting pieces of bodywork from the painted car. Throwing sparks EVERYWHERE, including on the new paint or bright work. Basically hacking away at the car in the last moments just to get the TV shows deadline. And then they show it up for auction, or at a final showing like its a great vehicle and they have tons of money in it. Like its a 100,000 dollar vehicle. JOKE!!

No such thing as a 1000 dollar car being transformed into a 100K car in a matter of several weeks or months. Its TV drama time.

Id love to see the justification for a 4000 dollar grille. From my limited metal working experience I dont see it.

And really, they might be able to say this and that. How they had to make tooling to get it made (thats their cost by the way, not yours) or how they had to learn how to do something, again, their cost, not yours.

Id love to see the justification for a builder to charge a guy 4000 bucks for a grille. Its just not there, I dont see it anyway. JR

[joejaze]

For anyone interested here is one for $199.

http://www.CAMAROCENTRAL.COM/product_p/gri-113.htm

[68Formula]

I agree, for $4k you must've paid completely for the tooling, in which case when you pickup the car they should give you the tool. You paid for it, you own it.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

man that camaro central grille is kinda hideous...

[6'9"Witha69]

Ack!!!

[Bryce]

Gross, dont do it.

[esenior]

Seriously? There is NO way you spent 4000 bucks (actually more than 4 grand from what you said) for a grille. If you did Id love too hear why? More money than brains is the usual statement, but I wont go that route. Id rather see what is involved with a 4000 dollar grille personally.

I think if you make a statement that you paid 4000 bucks for a grille it needs more than the pics you supplied. Cause to be honest, it doesnt look like a 4000 dollar grille.

Its nice and all, even if they had to do some custom work to make the grille work with the headlights. But thats pretty simple stuff.

Id love to see the justification for a builder to charge a guy 4000 bucks for a grille. Its just not there, I dont see it anyway. JR

Wow...nothing like being insulted from someone I don't even know from a post over 3 years ago.

The "simple stuff" here includes building a custom radiator support as well as modifying both fenders, header panel, and lower valence in order to replicate the front grill shell (We didn't want to just cut the center out of a plastic grill).

Also, if you want to retain the aggressive angle of the 69 grille, you can't just bolt it over the existing headlights. If you look closely at some of the other grilles out there (like Camaro Central's), you'll see that their grille comes out to the front edge of the fender. Not the look I was going for.

Here's a couple more pics (as requested):

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/12/69CAMAROPT_080524_18MJPG-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/12/69CAMAROPT_100403_03MJPG-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/12/69CAMAROPT_100124_11MJPG-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/12/69CAMAROPT_100320_08MJPG-1.jpg

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

thats quite a bit of fab work there, holmes...

4000 is on the steep side.. yea... but that is about as extensive as MY phantom grille..

[martin 1768]

Thanks for the detailed pics. This is exactly what i was thinking about for my 68

[ROBS6T8]

No one mentioned Classic Chavez... here is a page to some. http://www.classicindustries.com/controller.cfm?type=product&action=getProductsCategorySearch&productSearchCatalogId=1&categoryId=107&subCategoryId=862&subSubCategoryId=0&yearId=0&partNumber=&keyword=&sortBy=1&sortOrder=1&listAs=1&resultsPerPage=15&startRow=16&currentPage=2 I believe the 67's are on the previous page. But you'll get the idea. Unless you want to fab your own!

[Rod]

heres the classic industries billet grill on my 68, only 150 bucks and some massage work to look right

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/12/IMG_4436-1.jpg

[JRouche]

Wow...nothing like being insulted from someone I don't even know from a post over 3 years ago.

I know. Solly. I did come across a lil heavy, my BAD..

But, I still dont see 4000 bucks there. Im not trying to insult you. I just dont see it. I have done alot of metalwork, on my car in my shop. I understand some of the cost comes from design, which I fail to account for cause when I build something I only look at the raw materials because I do all my own work, Im not paying for labor.

I put a billet grille on my car. I have a custom radiator support, modified fenders and chin. And many other custom metal parts. But I do my own work so I forget about the labor costs guys pay.

I see maybe 500-700 dollars MAX in materials. So 4000 minus 700 is what? Yeah, 3300 hundred. Whats your pay scale? NO, not the body shops pay scale, YOURS. Making 20 bucks an hour? 30 bucks an hour? Or are you doing really well and making 50 bucks an hour? Thats a really good wage.

Lets say your body shop is also making the big bucks like you at 50 bucks an hour. They get 66 hours to make (or install the grille, they didnt make it did they, they installed it right? Or did they make the grille from aluminum?).

So 66 hours at say a solid 8 hours a day non-stop just on your grille it was 8 and a quarter days, non stop work, no lunches, or do you pay 50 bucks an hour for lunches too?.

I dont think it took them nearly that long. If it did they dont know what they are doing. I dont see 66 hours of work there for the grille.

All right, they prolly get 100 bucks an hour, Im not in touch with the current rate. So now they get 33 hours to install the grille.

But... I still dont see it as a 33 hour job, specially for a high paid shop. They should have the best of the best for tooling and the know how so they can just get to work and not fiddle around. Specially at a 100 bucks an hour.

But you posted the pics. I dont see more than three 8 hour days there. One for the fender mods (which look great) and chin, one for the radiator support mods and other hard supports, and one more day to fit it all up. Thats 24 hours. Where are the other nine hours?

So it turns out to be 154 bucks an hour. Not a bad rate for a body shop. Enough to pay the electric bill, some employees and the owner.

Your car looks great!!! I dont see a 4000 dollar grille there.

And Im not insulting YOU, Im insulting the body shop.

They say they have 185 man hours at 20 bucks an hour into the grille. Which is 23 days of work, eight hour days, non-stop, no lunch. Its a joke!!! JR

[martin 1768]

I dont see the problem. If Esenior is happy about what he has recieved and they had agreed on the price, so what, its a piece of art.
Some people burn rubber, some smoke and some spend there money on a nice grille, arent we lucky that we have a choice.
Merry christmas and a happy new year to you all.
Martin

[1969CamaroRS]

heres the classic industries billet grill on my 68, only 150 bucks and some massage work to look right

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/12/IMG_4436-1.jpg

Looks nice, how do you open your hood thou?

[JRouche]

I dont see the problem. If Esenior is happy about what he has recieved and they had agreed on the price, so what, its a piece of art.
Some people burn rubber, some smoke and some spend there money on a nice grille, arent we lucky that we have a choice.
Merry christmas and a happy new year to you all.
Martin

Yep. No kidding. I didnt try to make it sound like it wasnt what he wanted, it is what he wanted. It just kinda makes me sick thinking about what I see and what it should cost to do the work.

My gripe isint with the owner, he got what he wanted. Id LOVE to talk with the builder and find out where 4000 bucks is in the grille. That would be a nice discussion. Prolly wont happen.

[speedshftr]

you open the hood with a rs hood release thrue the opening in valance.

[martin 1768]

Hallo E senior, you diddent ansver my pm, so i try here.
Do you have some pics (close ups) of how the horisontial pieces on your grille is mounted on the vertical ones. and are they made of steel or aluminum.
thanks Martin

[hifi875]

the builder could have 40hrs easy in that grille and all the front end custom work. that stuff just don't happen in a few hours. sure if you want a hack job. even though i might not like it so much, it does look 100 zillion times better than that piece from camaro central. they tried to get me to put one on my car. that thing is hideous.