Radiator Grille

The 300 and 300 Deluxe received no bright trim on the face of the body filler panel and the panel was painted lower body color. The Malibu and SS396 did receive bright trim and the filler panel was painted Argent Silver - either only the top half or all the filler panel. The same hold true for the 133/134xx El Camino (no filler trim and painted body color) vs. the 135/136xx El Camino (with filler trim and Argent Silver).

131/13200 Chevelle 300 and 133/13400 300 Deluxe series


135/13600 Malibu

The Canadian-built Malibu filler panel was painted body color.

GM group 1.266

Two grille assemblies were in production for the 1966 Chevelle. The SS396 grille (#3891429) featured blacked out horizontal and vertical bars (except top and bottom horizontal bars) and all others (#3873795) were bright metal. Grille #3873795 was the only one serviced by Chevrolet at least as early as 1971 and was sold over the parts counter with a note to "...paint as required to match old part with black enamel."

Reproduction Grille Assembly

Grille name plate assembly was used on all 1966 Chevelles except SS396 and El Camino and carries part number 3876137.

Correctly done SS front treatment. Grille is blacked out except for top and bottom horizontal bars, grille extensions are blacked out, and body filler panel below the grille is Argent Silver.

The entire filler panel (above and below the trim piece) was done in Argent Silver on some models. Whether this is a plant-specific or date-specific treatment is not known. This un-restored example is a December-built Atlanta model.

This filler panel has been restored in Argent Silver.


This SS396 is not correctly restored. Although the grille is correctly done, the grille extensions are not blacked out to match and the filler panel is painted lower body color.

Another SS396, this one with correctly done grille extensions but filler panel should not be body color.

Not a big problem if buying a car this way as it would take very little effort to correct it. Just something to look for.