79 GMC grille

[Big Chip]

Does anyone have a source for a stock 79 GMC grille?  My search so far has been pretty fruitless.  I have given up on finding a new one and even locating a used one seems to be a problem.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[AZ4X4SQBDY]

The GMC stuff is getting next to impossible to find and when you do find it they want stupid money for it.

 I lucked out and found a brand new NOS grill for my '87 by doing a internet search of the part number. One day out of the blue, Amazon says they have three. I ordered it and 5 days later it showed up, brand new in a GM box dated from a couple years ago. I paid GM list price I guess but they had been discontinued and were trading for much more on that popular internet auction site.

[Big Chip]

I should have known better than to buy a GMC I guess!  I had the same issues with a 67 GMC shortbox I had a long time ago and I had considered converting to the single headlight Chevy grille on that one.  I just don't like the tube grille that is in the truck now and I suppose if it comes down to it I can put a Chevy grille in.

[Henry]

Hi Big Chip:
Well it is not just your GMC....I had quite a hunt trying to find the oem grill for my 76 Chevy...it was a transition year model so the grill was unique to 76 and I spent many months calling and e-mailing till I found one since there was low demand for 76 trucks. Since I spent so much time looking I figured I had found the last one so I spent an embarrasing amount of money for it....I have it screwed on to my truck with security screws!

All I can suggest is you just need to be in it for the long haul and just start e-mailing on your spare time and finally someone will have a new or used one. Copy-paste your message so you dont have to type it over and over...bookmark the following website and just work your way down:www.stovebolt.com/links/parts.html

Good Luck,
Henry
469-200-4253

[Big Chip]

Thank you, Henry! 

I appreciate the advice and congratulations on finding the one you purchased.  I figure it will be a long process but I know there has to be a bunch of these grilles out there and I just have to find them. 

[roundhouse]

Google

eBay

Amazon

Search tempest lets you look at CL in more than one city although it misses a lot of ads

Also try Car-part.com

I recently saw a 1982 dash pad in fantastic condition on there

[Big Chip]

Thank you, Roundhouse.

I found some stuff I was looking for on car-part.com within a couple hours of me.  The problem with Michigan is the stuff you find is usually rotted out but I was able to find a decent tailgate with the proper GMC band in the center.  The search for the grille continues!

[VileZambonie]

Through aggressive searching and being consistent I finally landed an NOS Chrome 73-74 GMC Grille. They are few and far between, i see the 79 you seek come up way more frequently. I even have one hanging on my wall just for decoration in the garage. The GMC stuff is really cool, much harder to find and has a mystique about it because of the standalone designs they used in badging and grilles. If you want the cheap and easy route, buy a Ford Mustang. Everybody and their brother has or had one and parts are plentiful. What you have is unique and special so stop with that easy street Chevy talk. Be proud of your GMC and continue with your quest for the correct artwork.

[Stewart G Griffin]

Is 80 the same as 79?

[Henry]

Hi again, Big Chip:
Another avenue of search: there are still junkyards out there that are family owned with difficult to find websites. They are typically in the rural areas and have the older model vehicles. I found a great one in my neck of the woods by googling salvage yards near me...then by asking these guys whom else they could suggest had the old trucks, they led me through a series of phone calls till I found a junkyard out in the sticks that had a cache of 1960s and 1970s trucks... this was a 1-1/2 hour drive for me but it was worth it as I found a couple of parts for my 76 C-20. (I asked about your grille but they did not have any 1979 GMC grilles)...they did have a couple of 1960s and early 1980s GMCs but not many...maybe 3 or 4...maybe 2 70s GMC, but the grilles were missing. They had about 10 1970s Chevy trucks. So maybe you can find a junkyard like this outside of the city where you live.
Regards,
Henry

[Big Chip]

Through aggressive searching and being consistent I finally landed an NOS Chrome 73-74 GMC Grille. They are few and far between, i see the 79 you seek come up way more frequently. I even have one hanging on my wall just for decoration in the garage. The GMC stuff is really cool, much harder to find and has a mystique about it because of the standalone designs they used in badging and grilles. If you want the cheap and easy route, buy a Ford Mustang. Everybody and their brother has or had one and parts are plentiful. What you have is unique and special so stop with that easy street Chevy talk. Be proud of your GMC and continue with your quest for the correct artwork.

Haha!! So I should stop feeling sorry for myself?!

I totally agree with you about having something that is somewhat unique.  I was just having flashbacks of finding a 67 GMC grille and perhaps made my "plight" a little more dramatic than it had to be. 

[Big Chip]

Is 80 the same as 79?

I believe the 80 is the same as the 79 but I am not 100% sure.  I thought the headlights and bezels were the difference. 

[Big Chip]

Hi again, Big Chip:
Another avenue of search: there are still junkyards out there that are family owned with difficult to find websites. They are typically in the rural areas and have the older model vehicles. I found a great one in my neck of the woods by googling salvage yards near me...then by asking these guys whom else they could suggest had the old trucks, they led me through a series of phone calls till I found a junkyard out in the sticks that had a cache of 1960s and 1970s trucks... this was a 1-1/2 hour drive for me but it was worth it as I found a couple of parts for my 76 C-20. (I asked about your grille but they did not have any 1979 GMC grilles)...they did have a couple of 1960s and early 1980s GMCs but not many...maybe 3 or 4...maybe 2 70s GMC, but the grilles were missing. They had about 10 1970s Chevy trucks. So maybe you can find a junkyard like this outside of the city where you live.
Regards,
Henry

Hi Henry,

I did find a junkyard that had the tailgate with the proper stainless trim on it about 2 hours from my house(now I just have to find a dually tailgate with the lights on it).  They had a lot of Chevy stuff and some good grilles I believe.  Is your 76 a Chevy or GMC?  I am going to be going down there maybe this week to pick up rear bumper brackets and can take some pictures. 

Kevin

[Big Chip]

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[VileZambonie]

That thing is bad. You're right, definitely needs the factory grille back in there.