An air-powered body saw with a fine-tooth blade made quick work of cutting and an air-powered die grinder with 80-grit sanding disc smoothed the cuts (6b). | 
Next, two speed clips were attached at each end of the grille recess (7a). | 
The billet inserts were then pushed into place, and four screws were threaded through the inserts and into the clips to hold it firmly in place (7b). If the inserts ever need to be removed, they can be simply unscrewed without removing the grille shell from the truck. |
To simplify the installation of the bumper, it was bolted in place using the stock hardware prior to the grille shell assembly being installed. | 
The old phantom grille installation required the removal of some sheetmetal from the core support. To make sure the new grille shell was securely fastened to the core support, we drilled holes through it and then use self-tapping screws to fasten it to the metal behind it (9a&b). |  |
The daytime running lamps were then bolted into the grille shell. This completed all the non-adjustable front lighting. | 
Turn Back The Clock: Teardown And Install
The headlights are super easy to adjust. The aftermarket parts use the same screw adjustments as the factory units. A No. 2 screwdriver tookcare of the vertical alignment (11a) and a 1/4-inch drive ratchet with a 10-inch extension and 6mm socket took care of the horizontal alignment | 
(11b) Parking the truck in a shaded area behind a wall made adjusting the lights easier during the daytime. |
Normally, the lower valance is held on with speed clips and 14mm bolts. The problem with that arrangement is that on a lowered Chevy, if the valance catches onto a parking block that you've driven too far over in a parking spot, it will try to rip off the bumper as you back out of the spot. The bolts are so secure that the valance will bend and rip the plastic around the bolts and then you end up with valance that looks like our old one. Our solution is to hold the valance to the bumper using zip ties. The zip ties will hold it firmly in place and break away if the valance catches on something. It might sound cheesy, but a zip tie is easier to replace than a new valance. | 
Moving to the rear of our truck, we removed the old faded taillights by taking out the No. 2 Phillips head screws that are accessed when you open the tailgate. | 
The new taillights are exactly like the old ones, which means that all of the old hardware and light sockets can be reused. A 5mm nut driver was used to swap the parts. |
The last item we replaced on the outside of our truck was the rear bumper, which had been smashed on one side by a trailer hitch, and the rubber molding was faded and warped. The easiest way to remove the rear bumper is to unbolt the fasteners from the framerails. They require a 16mm socket and an impact gun. Don't forget to unplug the license plate lighting wires. | 
The new bumper and shiny taillights make our truck look like it's fresh off the dealer's lot. | 
In case you were wondering, CK Resto also has those hard-to-find interior restoration items in stock, as well. We replaced a broken center console cupholder and a non-functioning headlight switch. |
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The Final Word
The new parts make our truck look almost new, and that makes us want to keep it around longer. We spent $938.55 for a fresh facelift that was easy to do. Although we went to Industrial Motoring to have our parts installed so that we could take photos during the process, this is a job that's easy enough to perform at home in just a few short hours.