wcourt3010

Saw this set on Summit, claims its a replacement for factory original screens. Really? not just wire mesh? Has anyone installed this?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/op...ake/oldsmobile

ROCKET VAPOR

IMHO, I would use the factory chicken wire, as they will keep more debris out of your cowl (common rust area). Fusicks and Inline Tube has the reproduction wire mesh cowl screen, or buy used from someone here.

joe_padavano

Yes, really... so long as you have a CHEVELLE!

Yet another example of our Chevy-centric world.

dfire25

I've seen those installed on a couple 442's. they look kind of tacky. Go with the "chicken" wire, looks a lot better IMO. $29 from The Parts Place.

z11375ss

I like the very clean look of the snap in plastic covers. They look factory and IMO you avoid the tackiness of the chicken wire look. What was on these cars from the factory? When I got my 68 it had the chicken wire. I assumed someone had put it on because they couldn't find the correct cowl screens and it looked terrible. The plastic covers look professional and correct.

nsnarsk65cutlass

I agree it looks better than the wire mesh,to each their own unless its a 100% show car and originallity doesn't matter.

dfire25

Now see that doesn't look bad, granted there's no close up on it but it still looks good. I have seen a couple that look warped and don't seem to fit right. Maybe they were cheeply made ones, I don't know. I personally like the chicken wire but you right, to each is own.

joe_padavano

Not on an Olds they don't. Again, Olds used the wire mesh from the factory. If you are doing a correct restoration, the plastic covers are incorrect.

MDchanic

I like that. They look correct, but they are wrong.

Putting the fuel pump in upside-down looks correct to Chebby guys.

Painting the accessory brackets silver looks correct to some people.

I've noticed that misusing and misspelling words looks correct to many people on the internet, as well.

Unfortunately, though all of these things may look correct, none are.

It's your car, you have the right to make it look as correct as you want to, but looking correct and being correct are two different things.

- Eric

dfire25

This is what I was referring to. Doesn't seem to fit right and flat. If this is some ones car on here, sorry. Don't mean to offend you, it's just not my cup of tea.

z11375ss

I figure they go with my custom W46 stripe, 455, tremec 5 speed, W30 fenderwells and my chevy brake pedal. I honestly thought someone had cut some door screen and put it on the car. That's how mine looked anyway. I checked and found out you guys are right. The back door screen is the correct piece for these cars. That's going to lose me some points at the olds nats. Damn.

This is wrong. I was tricked.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/68-69-70-71-...60418580381%26

dewcrazzy

I did the same thing. saw the chicken wire and thought someone did some serious rigging on the car so I bought the snap in ones. never would have thought that was original.

dfire25

Yours seem to lay flat though. Unless its just the angle of the picture. The ones from eBay are raised in spots.

ROCKET VAPOR

FWIW, these aftermarket plastic grills drive the people in the Chevelle world crazy too, as these are not correct for them either.

brown7373

My original chicken wires weren't fitting flat and were allowing all kinds of leaves into my cowl. And, I was tired of getting nasty cuts on my hands from the jagged edges. I replaced them with the plastic ones and they seem to fit perfect. While they aren't correct, neither are red plug wires, radial tires, aftermarket wheels, MSD or other electronic ignitions, Interstate Batteries and anything but Delco spark plugs, many of which are on my car. I paid about $40 from OPGI (yikes!) but they fit.

joe_padavano

Apparently none of you folks know what chicken wire really is.

This is chicken wire:



This is what the factory used on the cowl:

z11375ss

The back door screen is the correct piece for these cars. The plastic looks much better IMO. Dfire, you have a really bad set apparently. Mine snapped in and lay flat, nice. If you don't like the plastic, grab your back door screen and cut out a new one. It will look great!

http://www.lowes.com/cd_Repairing+an...ens_755594716_

Koda

I think no one should complain about using the plastic ones unless their car is 100% original itself, excluding things that must be replaced, like tires and plugs. Especially people who put in bigger engines, clone, badge, and put on lots of bling like chrome valve covers and cleaners and red fenderwells.

Edit: Most Chevies came with nothing up there.

jfb

amen . I had a set from 2004 and they fit like s--t! they were to small for the openings from opgi also maybe china has done a better job since then. I have since then used back door screen new of course though! I would trust almost zero parts from china or mexice but canada parts seem to be okay at times.

dfire25

That wasn't my car, it was someone else's. Actually, I don't have chicken wire (I know Joe...) or plastic at this time, it's wide open. I'm in the process of replacing my engine and I'm stripping the firewall and cowl to paint it. When I'm done I'll probably use the chicken wire. If I don't like the look maybe Ill use the plastic, who knows.

dfire25

The passenger side one seems to fit flat, but the drivers side has that "bulge" and two holes. Why is that? If it was flat like the passenger side or would look a lot better. IMO of course.

s i 442

I replaced the adjustable bumper for the rear of the hood and got 3 cuts from that stupid wire mesh!
As soon as I can I will make an order for the plastic inserts!
I used to get them out of junk yards but.............. no reason to go to a junkyard now when you can have it shipped to your door step and you don't have to leave the computer chair or move hardly at all.

ziff396

I just run the chicken wire so to say.

starfire

Where did you get your new adjustable bumper from?

s i 442

Steele products, I think its really a front of the hood bumper but it worked just fine and stopped 1 squeak of 500 left to find!

Lady72nRob71

My guess is that the maker of them thought you would need extra clearance for the wiper linkage. Not sure how far it drops in, but with the wire no extra clearance was needed. Maybe other makes needed the extra clearance?

While the plastic does look a bit better than the screen, the large holes will allow big debris to fall in the cowl and help clog the drainage channels.
I would use the wire under the plastic somehow....

z11375ss

Agreed. They are pretty big holes. The plastic looks so much better though. I honestly thought someone had taken screening and put it there as a substitute for the (what I thought were) correct plastic grates. Plus I was confused when it was listed for the Cutlass. I don't drive the car in bad weather and it is garaged always. No need to worry about stuff getting in there, for me at least.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/68-69-70-71-...60418580381%26