64 Grille Mounting?
 

Need help re-mounting the front grilles in my '64 about 4 years after I took them off. I have the complete mounting kit from PY. I know up top there are 4 metal-sleeved rubber grommets. Do these take the black or natural screws? And what do these upper screws thread into? There are obvious holes in the core support but they aren't threaded. Any help would be appreciated.

mwritter,
the holes in the rad support should line up with the grilles. they just screw right into the rad core support, no threads involved.
what does your kit look like? i'll been trying to find a couple correct screws for sometime.
correct screws are zinc i believe.

Thanks for the reply - I'll post a pic of all of the hardware for everyone's reference. Neither of the types of screws provided are large enough to thread into the core support itself. There are 4 zinc and 4 natural. They appear to be the same screws that hold the center nose in place - and the core support is threaded there.

For what it's worth, my other 64 has the natural screws up top but they are just laying in the rubber grommets. Only the lower screws are actually holding the grilles in place. I assume it's been that way since I bought it in 1999 as I've never had it apart.

Here is the PY '64 Grille mounting hardware kit.

Can anyone post a pic of the correct upper grille mounting screws?

Matt in the morning I just got a path to the garage. Don

Matt the batteries in my camera are dead will pick some up tomorrow and try again sorry .

66 MPC calls out #14-10 x 1/2" screws. IIRC the screws are flanged hex head, phosphate finish. I have some of the original inserts, and they are not zinc plated like the kit you have. They look like phosphate or black oxide and are about 5/16" tall.

I think the problem is the thickness of the grommets and the insert. That is causing the 1/2" screw to not thread into the hole.

The PY kit screw reaches the hole, but they are too small in diameter to thread into the hole. Your standard coarse-thread body bolt will thread into the hole but it sure doesn't appear correct to my eye.

Scan of 66 MPC

i'll pull one out in the morning and take a picture and provide measurements. i've been looking for a new replacements for years with no luck. as i am missing a couple of them.

btw, the screws in that kit are not even close.

screw pic
 

sorry for the crappy pics...
the screw is a 1/4"-13 x 3/4"
hex head is .368" wide by .162" high
washer .657" dia by .052" thick
they are of MFC brand and look to be zinc.
let me know if you find any new or used.

Are those original to your car?

pretty sure these are the right ones. had these on my other 2 '64's too.
sure others will chime in....

This is what was in mine top and bottom. No markings in the center of the bolt head not even the circle or dot like the battery hold down bolts.

From my Tempest. January KC. Click to see big.

http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...h_IMG_6124.jpg
http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...h_IMG_6123.jpg
http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...h_IMG_6122.jpg
http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...h_IMG_6121.jpg
http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...h_IMG_6119.jpg

interesting. maybe i've been looking for the wrong screw all these years.
all my 64's have been mar/apr pontiac mi built cars.
those 1/2" screws look to be on the edge of being too short...
someone on this forum has to have the story on these.

Grill hardware from March '64 Fremont built Tempest. Original finish on the upper, lower screws (3/8" hex head) and washer was gold cad. Side screws (1/4" hex head) look like gray phosphate. Also, oval head screws that hold the headlight bezels on are gray phosphate, but not shown here. Rubber bumpers have "866 BB" molded into them. Only screws that have a head marking are the bottom ones. They have an "E".
http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...4/GEDC0049.jpg

From the above info, it appears that the four top grille mounting rubbers only have the metal sleeves through them (from the top side) and there are no washers used.

I've also noticed some of you have found screws like the four above that fit through the sleeves directly into the radiator support, while others have hex head 1/4" sheet metal screws with integral washers like the four screws used on the bottom edge of the grille.

Here's what I have so far. As you can see, Vintage Vehicles did well in restoring the grilles. I believe all the fasteners are correct.

The front bumper needs some tweaking for better fit. My last adjustment squeezed the rear closer to the body and the front too far forward. Fixing this will involve loosening the six bolts that attach the brackets to the bumper and the four bolts that attach the long side brackets to the frame brackets. Pontiac engineers did specify slotted holes for all locations to make it possible to change the profile of the overall bumper to fit it to the car.