So I recently got a GS hood for my 70 skylark and got the vents for the top and inserts for the underside. Yet it looks as though there are holes for screws to secure these to the hood. I don' t see these particular screws listed on restoration sites and there are no restored Buick GS's at my local shows to take a peek at and talk to the owner about. What do the screws look like and what length and thread size?
So the "vents" are the grills and the "inserts" are the bezels (you said for the underside, I presume you mean under the grills NOT the hood). FYI, if you are going for the ram air look, you will also need the ram air seal plates for the underside of the hood. The plastic bezels sit inside the hood scoops, resting on a metal lip. They have 4 screws each, as you said, that go into them from underside of hood, through metal lip on hood. The grills have 4 studs on the back of each which go through elongated holes in the bezels. From the underside of the hood you need to use 4 speed nuts per grill. They cut their way into the stud to secure it. I'm not sure of the sizes of nuts/screws. I got some from a board member a while back but were incorrect, so I got some stainless screws a hardware store which worked well (not correct look though but no big deal!). I found some speed nuts on ebay. I'm sure someone else will chime in with sizes for you. Hope this helps! If you need some pics I can sent too! Craig
Pics are always great as they can say more than words. Speaking of which I'll try to get some good pics of what I have so far. That way anyone can see how much of the setup I have complete.
I'm currently working on restoring my GS Hood bezels in prep for paint; I have been unable to find the black anodized original screws but did find zinc plated screws from ACE hardware that will work. I purchase two different sizes of 8-18 hex washer head self tapping screws ( 3/8 and 1/2 inch) in length. Hopefully someone on this site will have a source for the correct ones for us. Be careful of length as they easily screw through to the finished side of the bezel and may crack the material....go easy. Good luck!
Best pics I could muster quickly. In the first pic, the gray inserts go into the hood first from the top and the 4 holes match up with the four holes in the hood brackets. Screws go up into this insert from underneath holding it onto the hood. Then, the grills go into the inserts from the top. They have four studs, one on each corner. These studs go into the four matching holes in the inserts. Last, the flat plates mount from underneath. The flat plates have holes in them that allow the insertion of screws into the threaded holes in the underside of the insert that has been secured to the hood. The flat plates also have holes in them that allow plastic nuts to secure to the studs protruding through the holes. So, except for the four studs in the grills that are secured with plastic nuts through the flat plates, all other attachments are threaded holes in the insert itself. These threaded holes are often deteriorated or stripped out and must be filled with epoxy or JB weld (or, the like) and re-tapped for the attachment of the screws that hold the flat plates on. The foam seals mate with these flat plates to seal them.
Ok got pics of the top and underhood. It would appear I am missing the seal plates that would rest against the foam. Also I see the stud post that is mentioned that the plastic keepers would attach to. This is definitly helpful info that everyone provided. My pic shows the left side vent still inserted and the studs coming through. Is there a correct plastic nut being sold somewhere that I may use?
I've never heard of a plastic nut for that ap. Original nuts were phosphate emblem type nuts with black sealer inside the nut.
I didn't mean that the nut was plastic. I was just trying to communicate that the nut (whatever it's called) screws to the plstic posts of the hood insert. Or, is the insert actually pot metal?
Would "Now & Then" happen to sell this hardware by chance? I see part numbers and a price like these might be sold as kits.
70 and 72, the grilles were pot metal and the 71's were plastic. The housing for the grilles is fiberglass on all three years
John said he got the screws from ACE. That size is hard to find . That fiberglass gets dry rotted. And does not like screws to be put in and out. Those holes get stripped out easy. I filled mine with 2 part epoxy. Waited a day.,Then screwed back in.,definitely got tighter. J B Weld would work also. I don't want them landing on my windshield.
