C2 Reproduction Grilles

[Eugene B.]

Members,
Looking for contact information regarding Mark Sharp of Mar-K Specialized Manufacturing Company.

He is supposably a manufacturer of '65 reproduction grilles.

Thanks,
Gene

[Mike M.]

Re: C2 Reproduction Grilles

Gene, I got mine from Corvette Specialties of Maryland. Mar-K may be suppling them. Mike

[Stephen W.]

Re: C2 Reproduction Grilles

okay this question is to help a friend with his 65 coupe. He purchased the car knowing it did not have a correct grill. The question I have is what grill is correct. I've looked at black grill with horizontal bars( 6?) Someone at Carlisle told him the replacement grill was shiny and not black as the factory grill was. The car was involved in a dealer repair when new and sold as a repaired car. It was sold as a leftover in 1966 and indeed has a 1966 style grill in it now.
Should a 65 grill be black? and has anyone else heard the story about the service replacement grills being shiny and not black?

[Eugene B.]

Re: C2 Reproduction Grilles

Steve,
Regarding your question about the '65 grille.

I am looking at the '65 sales brochure and it states on page 3 that "A new grille with three black horizontal bars highlighting the center ..."

I don't know anything about service replacement grilles. Cars would be judged to the TIM & JG which states that the horizontal bars are black.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Gene

[Stephen W.]

Re: C2 Reproduction Grilles

Thanks. Sounds like we may have been given one of those tall tales. It would be intersting to find out if this dealer who sold the car tried to make it look like a 66 or just ordered the wrong grill for it when they repaired it.

[Jack W.]

Re: C2 Reproduction Grilles

I can hear the footsteps of Joe Lucia, but I am fairly certain the 66 "shiny" grill was the official service replacement for both the 65 and the 66 grills, the 65 being sold with a blacked out, as they say, grill. Many many 65s are now wearing "66-style" grills, mine sure was when I finally got my hands on it. (Back to the black one now though, but it too is a repro.)

[Bill Stephenson]

Re: C2 Reproduction Grilles

-------You are correct,Jack in all regards.
-------It always struck me as funny that Chevrolet thought that a heavy, clunky piece of die-cast, chrome plated crap would be better than the elegance of the 65 grille. Ill bet 66/67 grilles probably changed the CG of those cars negatively. I can hear the yelling now, but while what I say is true, the diecast grille is good looking!
-------I would, however, love to do a pole on how many 66/67 owners had to fix or jerry-rig the rivets on the brackets the grille attaches to the body with. Back when I worked at Classic Motors with Mike Hanson about a century ago we had to do some work to the grilles of almost every 66/67 that came in for sale. Work done to the grilles of 65s was almost non-existant as they were so much lighter..........Bill S