Malibu grill question.

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clean8485

Comic Book Super Hero
Dec 18, 2005
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Ontario, Canada
Are the front header panels on Malibus from '78-'81 all the same? Are there any differences in the mounting points for the grill? I purchased a reproduction 1981 Malibu grill and headlight bezels a few years ago, and I wanted to install them in my 1980 Malibu, but the screw holes in the repro grill don't line up with the existing mounting holes in the 1980 header for the 1980 grill that's in the car now. The screw holes in the headlight bezels are alot closer, but still not perfect. I suspect that the repro '81 grill might be some kind of cheap offshore knockoff. Anyone else ever had a situation like this? Thanks in advance.
 

Ribbedroof

Comic Book Super Hero
Supporting Member
Jan 4, 2009
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Wellston, OK
78/79 are essentially the same
80/81 are essentially the same, there are minor screw location differences as you have discovered
82/87 are the same

The 78/79 of course has no ornament hole, as the ornament was on the grille
 
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81msw79

Master Mechanic
May 5, 2013
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roselle park , nj
to use the 81 grill and light bezels on your 80 you will need to modify alot of your mounting points, the inner turn signals are also a slighty different size . it is not a cheap knock off. just gm doing stuff different from one year to the next.
 
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pagrunt

Geezer
Sep 14, 2014
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Elderton, Pa
This will help, '78-'79 header panel p/n 475690, '80-'81 header panel p/n 14021455. As a complete set (grill & bezels) '81 parts will fit in place of the '80 parts. Lamp lenses & mounting hardware for the '80 can be used with the '81 set and vice versa. Info is from the '76-'81 Chevy parts catalog (Group 1 section),
 
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