<VV> Late Grilles was Corsa/Monza differences

[Brent Covey]

In 1965 there are two grille styles, and two paint treatments.

500 and Monza share one type of grille stamping, on Monzas the grille teeth
are painted bright silver, 500's they dont bother. There are two distinct
toothed areas on '65's.

'65 Corsas have the entire toothed grille areas cut out and 2 bright metal
inserts which include teeth and a bit of the surrounding area and very
closely resembles the other grille mesh is used. There are three peices to
this finished grille panel, the main stamping and the two bright inserts.

All 1966 on cars have a different from '65 grille, restyled for one larger
lower opening. 500's leave the entire thing body colour. Monzas have the
teeth and (generally) the surrounding 2-3" or so recessed area surrounding
the teeth painted bright silver to the edge of the 'bead' where the grille
features meet the main body contours and exterior paint colour. Corsas are
supposed to be silver painted just in the teeth area and have a bright metal
bezel covering the 2-3" depressed area surrounding the grille teeth. The
insert divides the grille mesh area into two sections down the middle. The
idea is the Corsas are painted just in the area thats visible when the
bright bezel is installed.

Many 1966 Monzas I have seen have inadvertently been painted to the Corsa
spec from the factory, this was especially common in Oshawa production- just
the grille teeth are silver but theres no Corsa type bezel, just less silver
paint. I have also seen a few Corsas with the full Monza paint treatment and
a bezel besides. Painting the grille Monza style means the silver paint
covers an area larger than the bright metal Corsa insert covers and it
doesnt look well finished. In 1967-1969 all the Monzas had the larger area
covered with silver paint, thats to say all the teeth and the large area
surrounding it outwards a few inches. 500's are entirely body colour every
year.

The 1966 grille does not fit the 1965 but the 1965 grilles fit everything.

My Oshawa '66 Monza Convertible was Marina Blue and has the Corsa grille
paint (just the teeth, not the surrounding opening) treatment from the
factory and I always thought it was a nice look, it looks nicely finsihed
without drawing attention to the grille, despite the fact its basically a
factory mistake.

Hope thats some help,
Brent Covey
Vancouver BC