New 71 GS Grill Mounting Problems

I just wrote a short article on the new repro
71 GS grills.....I had a couple problems mounting
the new grill in my 71 GS. Did anyone else have
the same problems?

http://www.buickperformance.com/New71GSGrillProblems.htm

 

Thanks for writing this article George. I'm going to buy one of these repro 71 GS grills next year and will certainly be using your article to aid in the installation process.

 

TROUBLEMAKER!!!!!:laugh: :laugh:

 

Hey George lets see some pic's of the demo grille car

 

George, is this a GSCA repro grille or from some other source?

 

The grill is from The Parts Place......

This is another reason I have told Shane at TPP to send out prototypes to
Jim Weise, myself, Jim Lore, Mark Reeves and others who restore cars to get our input so corrections can be made before repro parts are placed in regular production.

As for pics of the 71 Stg1.....I just got the hood lip trim today and will mount it on the car.....I do have pics of the car during restoration but no final outside pics because the car is not done.....but will have pics this weekend and it will be for sale.

http://www.buickperformance.com/71Stg.htm

 

George,the reason I ask is because my son recently installed a GSCA repro grille into his 71 GS without any of the problems you encountered. I guess the GSCA did their homework before offering reproduction GS grilles to the public.

 

Every grille is sent out to a board member to test fit prior to a production run. This grille was reproduced a couple years ago and if I remember correctly it was Jim Weise who tested it. The grille at $629 is a fair price, what were NOS ones going for before we made ours?

Where do you think they get this grille? They buy a lot of parts from us. Funny how he didn't have a problem with his grille.

Honestly we haven't had many problems with this grille, so I am not sure what may have happened here. Maybe there was a run that was tapped incorrectly from the factory, and others have just fixed their's without contacting us. I have installed studs in the grilles here that we keep in the show room without problem...

We make a lot of parts that other companies wouldn't even attempt to make. Come on who else make outer wheel houses for 70-72? A phone call voicing your problem would have been nice before posting.

 

Do you sell outer wheel house to OPGI? OPGI Catalog's Kick ass But prices are HIGH! Your catalog is in desperate need of pictures. Or at least more pictures of the products on the internet.

 

Yes we sell them to OPG. We are working on our catalog and website to get pictures up. Our wheel houses are $199 ea.

 

Shane,
Not a problem....just wanted to let others know about these issues. I have received a couple direct emails stating the same problem.

Do me a favor......go pull a grill from your inventory and check the holes....I bet they are taped for the machine threads and not the coarse threads.....technically...you can not thread sheet metal/coarse threads since there is no tap made for them. I bet you installed the studs with the "nut" facing the grill instead of the core support.....that is how my grill was set....you can easily screw the machine threads into the hole because they were tapped for the machine screw threads.....let me know what you find out....it is an easy fix as I have listed in the article.

If JW did a test fit....then he must have noticed the problem and forgot to tell you or his was done correctly.

Thanks for your cooperation.

 

I pulled a grille and they went right in coarse side down (attached are pictures). Contrary to popular belief we do research... I know the nut side goes away from the grille. I also opened up another grille and it was threaded for coarse also(checked with the factory and they have a tool for threading it). Like I said I have a feeling that we have had a batch circulating that was threaded wrong from the factory, anything is possible. I appreciate your input on this part and will make a note to watch them when they get ran again.

 

Shane,

Thanks for checking out the grill.

Also, before you do another production run.....measure the hole on the side of the grill for the guide pin from the headlight bezel.

In the pics you provided....it appears the hole is still approx 0.190" dia which is too small for the guide pin.....hole should be around 0.250"

I will update my article tonight! Thanks!

 

Does anyone repo the 72 GS grille??

 

Please make front fenders for 70-72 Skylarks It would make everyone's life alot better!:laugh:

 

[quote from Part place]Where do you think they get this grille? They buy a lot of parts from us. Funny how he didn't have a problem with his grille.