SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                      Washington, D.C. 20549

                           Schedule 13G


            Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                       (Amendment No. 1 )*


                      GIBRALTAR STEEL CORP.
             _______________________________________
                         (Name of Issuer)


                           Common Stock
             _______________________________________
                  (Title of Class of Securities)


                            37476F103
             _______________________________________
                          (CUSIP Number)


Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement
____.  (A fee is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a
previous statement on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than
five percent of the class of securities described in Item 1; and (2)
has filed no amendment subsequent thereto reporting beneficial
ownership of five percent or less of such class.)  (See Rule 13d-7.)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class
of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information
which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the
liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all
other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

                 (Continued on following page(s))

                        Page 1 of 5 Pages

CUSIP NO. 37476F103            13G       Page 2 of 5 Pages

1   Name of Reporting Person
    S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of Above Person

    T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES, INC.
    52-0556948

2   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group*

                                                      (a) ____
    NOT APPLICABLE                                    (b) ____

3   SEC Use Only

    ______________________________

4   Citizenship or Place of Organization

    MARYLAND

Number of     5  Sole Voting Power
    **
Shares           171,700

Beneficially  6  Shared Voting Power
    **
Owned By Each    -0-

Reporting     7  Sole Dispositive Power
    **
Person           781,100

With          8  Shared Dispositive Power

                 -0-

9   Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

    781,100

10  Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain
    Shares*

    NOT APPLICABLE

11  Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9

    6.2%

12  Type of Reporting Person*

    IA
               *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
         **Any shares reported in Items 5 and 6 are also
                       reported in Item 7.

SCHEDULE 13G
PAGE 3 OF 5

Item 1(a)     Name of Issuer:

              Reference is made to page 1 of this Schedule 13G

Item 1(b)     Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

              3556 Lake Shore Road, Buffalo, New York 14219-0228

Item 2(a)     Name of Person(s) Filing:

              (1)  T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. ("Price Associates")

              (2)  ___________________________________

_____         Attached as Exhibit A is a copy of an agreement between the
              Persons Filing (as specified hereinabove) that this Schedule
              13G is being filed on behalf of each of them.

Item 2(b)     Address of Principal Business Office:

              100 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Item 2(c)     Citizenship or Place of Organization:

              (1)  Maryland

              (2)  ___________________________________

Item 2(d)     Title of Class of Securities:

              Reference is made to page 1 of this Schedule 13G

Item 2(e)     CUSIP Number: 37476F103

Item 3        The person filing this Schedule 13G is an:

  X           Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the
              Investment Advisers Act of 1940

_____         Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
              Investment Company Act of 1940

Item 4        Reference is made to Items 5-11 on page 2 of this Schedule
              13G.

SCHEDULE 13G
PAGE 4 OF 5

Item 5    Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

  X       Not Applicable.

          This statement is being filed to report the fact that, as of
          the date of this report, the reporting person(s) has (have)
          ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of
          the class of securities.

Item 6    Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person

          (1)   Price Associates does not serve as custodian of the assets
                of any of its clients; accordingly, in each instance only
                the client or the client's custodian or trustee bank has
                the right to receive dividends paid with respect to, and
                proceeds from the sale of, such securities.

                The ultimate power to direct the receipt of dividends paid
                with respect to, and the proceeds from the sale of, such
                securities, is vested in the individual and institutional
                clients which Price Associates serves as investment
                adviser.  Any and all discretionary authority which has
                been delegated to Price Associates may be revoked in whole
                or in part at any time.

                Except as may be indicated if this is a joint filing with
                one of the registered investment companies sponsored by
                Price Associates which it also serves as investment
                adviser ("T. Rowe Price Funds"), not more than 5% of the
                class of such securities is owned by any one client
                subject to the investment advice of Price Associates.

          (2)   With respect to securities owned by any one of the T. Rowe
                Price Funds, only State Street Bank and Trust Company, as
                custodian for each of such Funds, has the right to receive
                dividends paid with respect to, and proceeds from the sale
                of, such securities.  No other person is known to have
                such right, except that the shareholders of each such Fund
                participate proportionately in any dividends and
                distributions so paid.

Item 7    Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
          Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
          Company.

          Not Applicable.

Item 8    Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

          Not Applicable.

SCHEDULE 13G
PAGE 5 OF 5

Item 9  Notice of Dissolution of Group.

        Not Applicable.

Item 10 Certification.

        By signing below I (we) certify that, to the best of my (our)
        knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were
        acquired in the ordinary course of business and were not
        acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of
        changing or influencing the control of the issuer of such
        securities and were not acquired in connection with or as a
        participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect. 
        T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. hereby declares and affirms
        that the filing of this Schedule 13G shall not be construed
        as an admission that Price Associates is the beneficial owner
        of the securities referred to, which beneficial ownership is
        expressly denied.

                            Signature.

        After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my (our)
        knowledge and belief, I (we) certify that the information set
        forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

                Dated: February 12, 1999


                T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES, INC.



                By:  /s/ Henry H. Hopkins
                     Henry H. Hopkins, Managing Director




Note:   This Schedule 13G, including all exhibits, must be filed with
        the Securities and Exchange Commission, and a copy hereof
        must be sent to the issuer by registered or certified mail
        not later than February 14th following the calendar year
        covered by the statement or within the time specified in Rule
        13d-1(b)(2), if applicable.

12/31/1998