Custom Billet Grilles

[68 Ford Stepside]

Considering it is almost impossible to find a really nice used grille to fit a '68 model & they are not listed in the LMC catalog, i had an idea about installing a new billet grille. Their is a problem with that idea also. They're only listed for a '70,'72 model. I like the looks & price of the billet grille if it would fit the '68. If it will fit the '68, they don't mention it in the write-up in the catalog. How about it bodymen, have you ever tried to install a '70,'72 grille into a '68 model ?

[Calfdemon]

It will fit, but you will need the 70-72 lower valance too as that is where the 70-72 turn signals attach. They are not attached to the grille. As long as you have the grille and the lower valance, it all fits. I have a 72 grille with the LMC billet inserts for my 69 Crew and it fit fine when I temporarily installed it before paint teardown.

[68 Ford Stepside]

It will fit, but you will need the 70-72 lower valance too as that is where the 70-72 turn signals attach. They are not attached to the grille. As long as you have the grille and the lower valance, it all fits. I have a 72 grille with the LMC billet inserts for my 69 Crew and it fit fine when I temporarily installed it before paint teardown.

So you are saying the billet grilles at LMC are only inserts for a 70-72 grill. No wonder they are priced so reasonable. Thanks much for the info.

[Calfdemon]

Yes... They bolt in where the plastic inserts go on the 70-72 grilles. You still need to have that actual grille, the billet pieces are just in place of the plastic.

[basketcase0302]

Several here have done the grille swap. The key to doing it correctly is to get the matching upper and lower valance as well as the hood trim piece for the 70-72 if your gonna change it:
http://www.fordification.com/tech/inter ... htm#Grille
DC sells the new, (OEM Ford licensed) grill surround for the 70-72) but it's big bucks:
http://www.dennis-carpenter.com/
The story on why guys can sell the 67-69 grills for so much money-is that the mold for the 67-69 Ford truck grill was destroyed in a fire at the Rouge plant many years ago:
http://www.thehenryford.org/rouge/historyofrouge.aspx