Wonder why you don't see more of these up for sale? I'm the high bidder. We'll see how it goes. Here it is. Item number: 2434819610
grille Hey Rick, what's the difference between your grille and this one??? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2435010446&category=34204 I also need a GS grille and was wondreing if I could use this one?o No:
David - the grille you listed is a Skylark Grille.....not a GS Grille. Look at both pictures While they mount the same, and use the same front chrome grille surround, the GS grille has 4 horizontal bars per segment thatr are thicker while the skylark grille has 5 thinner ones. The vertical Bars seperating the segments are very pronounced in the GS grille while in the skylark grille, it is alot more suble. Both are very good deals - the GS grille for that price is a steal. Someone on this board was selling a NOS skylark grille for ~300 not too long ago. Rick - I wouldn't have "advertised" it if you need it.....or at least asked other board members not to bid against you !!! You dont see many up for sale because there aren't many for sale !! Sometimes years can go by without seeing any listed in Hemmings or anywhere else.
GS Grille Rick got first dibbs on the GS grille as I saw he was bidding on it. But I checked first to see if anyone on the board was bidding, otherwise I would be in the hunt! :TU: So how much should you pay fo ra 69 GS grille, I know as little as possibleou:
Lets put it this way.....If you need one and are prepared to buy, you'll pay whatever is being asked as you probably wont see one for sale again for a while. For example - Bill Lagna (SportWagon From Hell) had a nicely restored 69GS grille for sale at the Buick Englishtown event on Labors day weekend. A Nice driver.....perhpas a little rough for a freshly restored car, but more than respectable on anything else. Perhaps Bill will chime in here, but I believe he sold it for $650, with a nice chrome surround (So subtract at least $100 for the surround). I think Bill could have sold it AT LEAST 3-4 Times as I know several people that were mad they didn't buy it when they saw it.....and it was gone when they returned What Im saying here is two things 1) Value of a repaired 69 GS grille is at least $500....probably 600 or even 700. I've heard of Insurance CO.'s paying upwards of $1,500 for a NOS rplacement to settle a case. 2) If you see it....and you need it, Buy it !! Those people that passed by Bill and looked, but didn't reach into their pockets, are now looking at a big hole in the front of their car instead of the grille they should have bought. Its not like you see 3 or 4 of these at every swap meet you go to.
Alan certainly speaks the truth here. IF you can afford a nice grille on the rare occasion when one comes up for sale, BUY IT. I went up to almost $700 for an NOS 68 GS grille a year and a half ago, but couldn't go any higher. Ended near $800. Only NOS one I've seen in 2 years. But then I lucked out and last winter got a near perfect one for only $265. I needed to cement one broken off side mounting tab, and it has no other breaks or cracks whatsoever! Once I repaint it, it will look NOS quality on my car. So, it is possible to get lucky and find something below market value, BUT I think you see good 69 GS grilles much less frequently than 68's.
Guys, I just got a 69 GS Grill professionally repaired and painted and had at least $700.00 in it. It also took 9 months to get it repaired. If you can find one that is repaired and looks totally untouched, as mine did, and it is under $900.00 I would call that a bargain. Duane
Rick - I wouldn't have "advertised" it if you need it.....or at least asked other board members not to bid against you !!! You dont see many up for sale because there aren't many for sale !! Alan, I hear ya loud and clear, but I was just trying to politely tell people, who may not be familiar with fellow board members ebay id's, that I was the high bidder. I've noticed, since becoming a member of this board, that if people know who you are, and you are truely needing a certain part, that they will usually steer clear, unless of coarse, they need the same part as badly as you do. I agree with all of you, that a nicely restored GS grill, especially a 69 model, is very hard to find. I think I've seen 2 on ebay in just over a year, whereas, I've seen possibly a dozen or more 70 models. If people have been watching the board for a while, they know I've been looking for a grill for some time now. May have to keep looking if the price goes to far!:laugh:
I too guess I got a good deal when I got a NOS '69 GS grill with a package deal last year, It's still in the GM box! Now I'm afraid to put it in a car though!:jd:
Ken - that was EXACTLY my predicament (sp?) when my car came out of the resto shop. I had done a "fair" job of repairing my 69GS grille right after buying the car, and drove with it for 5-6 years. during that time I scored a NOS one at the Nats ('97 i think) and put it away knowing I'd do the resto some day. Well....the day came. My resto guy (good friend) said "How can you put that used thing back on this car when you have a brand new one ?!?!?!?"......so I went with his advice. .....and for almost 5 years now I fear for my life that anything should ever happen to it. For Goodness sakes....its a freakin Piece of Plastic out there to stop any rocks or other junk kicked up !!! I've contemplated switching back just about every time I get in the car Know what I'd like to see ??? A Repro Grille made out of Billet aluminum and painted/powder-coated the correct color !!
Alan, I agree that any repro effort should be a metal grill, just doesn't make sense to build them out of anything else (unless they can be done dirt cheap), given the choice of a $650 plastic repro and a $850 metal grill you can bet I'd spend the extra $200.
By the way, Dave does excellent work with repairing grills. The only reason I didn't mention him by name was because I wasn't sure how much business he was interested in getting. He is currently working on a 71 grill for me. I took this 69 grill to the restoration clinic at the GS Nationals and everyone there loved it. It is proof that our parts can be recycled and still end up as Concours quality pieces. This particular grill will be put in Jim Hawthorne's 69 Motion GS. It is pretty cool to see something that started out in 2 pieces, with parts missing, end up looking like it does now. Hats off to Dave. Duane
Any helpful tips on restoring one? I've got pieces to make a good grille out of, but it's going to be some work, to say the least!
I could keep Dave Busy for a few years !!! Come one Dave....share your Secrets !!! What material do you use to make something out of nothing.....like that center top mount ?? What Glue do you use ?? What prep and paint ???
Hi guys I knew this would open up a big response once I advertised what I can do. The grilles are my play money so I do a few of them a year to keep the cars fed. For paint I use PPG paints custom mixed from my original NOS 69 GS grille. For the repairs I use a couple of different epoxies and slowly build up the missing areas or glue parts from donor grilles to make the grilles complete. This takes a lot of time and patience. When my grilles are finished they usually look better than NOS. Both Duane and Ken can verify this. Now for the answer to the big ???? How Much? Usually I can do one for around $400 Grilles needing only a repaint can be done for $250. I know this may seem expensive to some but take your car to the body shop and have an estimate to repaint a door. Usually $250 and the shop does not have nearly the time I have invested in masking out the part. I have also repaired to show quality the 70 and 71 GS grilles. Duane's 71 grille has almost 6 hours worth of my time masking and painting. Alan Would you be interested in working out a trade for me restoring one of your grilles in exchange for one of your spare grilles? Ken I don't have good quality before pics of your grille. How are the repairs coming on your car?
