Hey Guys, We brought a 1976 Malibu Wagon in our yard today. The grille was surprisingly in MINT condition ...no missing teeth, no cracks, even the blue bowtie is in good shape and not faded out. However, the plastic grille is light gray in color. Here's the question: Did the 1976 Malibus come with a gray grille or did the chrome on this puppy just wear off. The gray color is not "splotchy", it is an even tone over the entire grille and does not appear to have been painted.
We chrome plastic over here (when we're not drinking Coronas), so I wanted to make sure of the original cosmetic appearance of the grille, before we started prepping it for chrome. Any help would be appreciated!
"Let me know."
Thanks,
Keith
M.M.O.R.S. Parts ...118 acres of quality GM Cars from the 60s to the 80s
(Malibu, Monte Carlo, Olds Cutlass, Regal & Skylark)
…established in 1989

when I first got my '76 way back when, the plastic grille was gray, all except for the front edges of the cross pattern. It was like a shallow dipping into the chrome, maybe 3/16" to 1/4".

Jeff