I just made me a set of brackets to move the center grill out from its hiding place up to the front a little. The brackets are 2 inches. It moves the center grill out to where the grill is almost to the fiberglass. If the brackets were about 3 inches they would probably put the grill out even with the front side grills.

Anyway, on to my question. My center grill is a dull gray and looks pretty rough. It has white overspray on it from when the car was white. What I was wondering is, underneath the dull gray primer or grunge, is this center grill chromed like the sides? I am thinking of refinishing it to match the front marker light grills.

Boy, I hope this makes sense to someone else besides me.

I don't think the center grill was chromed, because the license plate would cover it, and it wasn't cost effective to chrome something no-one would see.
The center grill on the '73 cars were chromed, but only on the cars delivered to a state that did not require the front plate.
Don't know if this practice was done the same on the earlier cars, or not.
Anyone.........anyone........?

everyone I've ever seen are semi-black.

The center on mine was a mix of black with silver.  I blacked it out with semi gloss black.  I'm acutally considering blacking out all my front grills to give a more stealthy look.  One step at a time.

 

that's funny Matt. you're covering silver on your chrome bumber car and I'm trying to figure a way to chrome the front grills on my rubber bumper 79.  I'm also polishing my running boards to add some flash.   

  YOU GOT RUNNING BOARDS ON A VETTE?  IS THAT SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO STEP SO HIGH TO GET INTO IT? LOL!!!!!!!!!!  SORRY, MAN, I JUST COULDN'T RESIST.

                                                      REID '72 T-TOP