Frank Elder Posted October 23, 2008 Report Posted October 23, 2008 The grill on a d-24 is stainless, right? I need to remove mine for minor repairs. Is it one shell or does it have several pieces to contend with? Would rather polish it after repairs than have it rechromed. Quote
B-Watson Posted October 23, 2008 Report Posted October 23, 2008 The grill on a d-24 is stainless, right? I need to remove mine for minor repairs. Is it one shell or does it have several pieces to contend with? Would rather polish it after repairs than have it rechromed. I believe it is cast metal. Not sure whether it is one or two pieces off hand (I have "one piece" going through my mind). If something is stainless steel, you can polish it. Stainless is never chromeplated, though. Bill Vancouver, BC Quote
Young Ed Posted October 23, 2008 Report Posted October 23, 2008 Stainless is not typically plated but you can have it plated. The grills on 51-52 plymouths are stainless but its a poor grade because of the Korean war. I know one person with a 52 that had his grill plated. Quote
Frank Elder Posted October 23, 2008 Author Report Posted October 23, 2008 Thanks guys! Guess I worded my post poorly. Metal looks stamped so I doubt if it is cast. After repairs, I meant to say Cheaper to repolish stainless than to rechrome. If it is chrome it will be rechromed, if stainless it will be repolished. It looks to have alot of fastners on it so that is why I am thinking multi-piece. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 23, 2008 Report Posted October 23, 2008 the US made grille is stainless the D25 Dodge (Plymouth body) is pt metal..the grille is one piece with exception to the parking light extensions...the grille shell is comprosed of spot weld stainless section..I hd one ding in mine and was able to drill the metal access from behind and work out the ding..else it will be a nightmare to take apart, dress and reassemble with a spotweld but even more suitable for home repair, silver solder... Quote
busycoupe Posted October 23, 2008 Report Posted October 23, 2008 My 48 D24 has a stainless grill. It is spot welded together, and should come off easily in one piece. There is a row of nuts along the top that you get to by reaching into the hood. There is a row of screws under the splash pan and another row of nuts behind the bottom edge of the grill, just above the rear of the splash pan. The grill polishes nicely. The only problem I ran into was that the nuts and screws attach to soft steel brackets that are spot welded to the back of the grill. The stainless grill doesn't corrode, but the soft steel brackets rust away to nothing. I've got 2 grills, both of which only have some of the brackets. I hope that this helps. Quote
Frank Elder Posted October 23, 2008 Author Report Posted October 23, 2008 That really helps! And explains the fastners too really did not want a jigsaw puzzle to put together. May have to figger out how to attatch angles to the grill it seems likley anyways. Quote
busycoupe Posted October 23, 2008 Report Posted October 23, 2008 I just remembered, there are a couple of screws that go in from the front. One on the left, one on the right, about halfway down the grill. Quote
Frank Elder Posted October 23, 2008 Author Report Posted October 23, 2008 Now you tell me!! I already lit the fuse! In all seriousness these grills must be awful hard to find in decent shape, I'm lucky mine has only a few minor spots no creases or major dents. What would someone expect to pay to play? Ballpark? Quote
busycoupe Posted October 23, 2008 Report Posted October 23, 2008 I'm not sure what they are worth. There was one on the parts forum a few months ago, I think the asking price was $40. I got my spare grill in a bunch of parts stripped off a parts car, so I don't what it would have cost separately. Both of my grills have minor dings in them, as well as the already mentioned missing spot welded brackets. If you get yours off and find a way to attach brackets, let me know. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 23, 2008 Report Posted October 23, 2008 Frankie..take your time..you may be better served removing the nuts with the aide of a snall cutter wheel on a dremel tool..these thing get nasty in time and are a burden to get off without some damage..IF the angle mounts that are steel and spot welded to your stainless is damage and broken loose..you have the option of a couple small rivets as they will be out of the way..I mean very small rivets...or you can silver solder them back on..busted screws can be repaired by replacing on to the angle ...again, removing these are very very time consuming and not without some disappointment... Quote
Frank Elder Posted October 23, 2008 Author Report Posted October 23, 2008 You mean I can't use lag bolts or sheetmetal screws...they would look so good on the outside of the grille..lol! Slow and steady sounds about right, cutting sounds better than snapping! Or twisting! Will keep you informed Busy, I can't get to it until monday. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 23, 2008 Report Posted October 23, 2008 You mean I can't use lag bolts or sheetmetal screws...they would look so good on the outside of the grille..lol!Slow and steady sounds about right, cutting sounds better than snapping! Or twisting! Will keep you informed Busy, I can't get to it until monday. no..but if you cannot see what I mean it is because you are not there yet with removing your grille..then the lights will come on...I have removed two of these D24 grilles...got a georgous one hanging up in the barn.. even with an excellent look..there is still some clip repair to do to it..rusted out before the removal.. Quote
Frank Elder Posted October 24, 2008 Author Report Posted October 24, 2008 I got what you meant tim, I was referencing some people put trim on their car with a sheetmetal screw instead of buying the behind trim clip. Just making a HAHA! I gotta stop doing that I guess if anyone is going to take me seriously on the forum. I love jokes and humor but is getting me nowhere fast. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 24, 2008 Report Posted October 24, 2008 Right over my head big guy...I think anyone who puts a sheetmetal screw through a piece of stainless trim ought to have his butt removed....you had me kinda scared there for a bit..you being in the Navy and all...now I am the one that best cut out the jokes.. Quote
Frank Elder Posted October 24, 2008 Author Report Posted October 24, 2008 Sad butt true, passengerside rocker trim, the front is secured with a rusted sheetmetal screw with an obscenely large round head on it. It's the only trim other than my driver's front spear that has been molested. Of course there is the obligatory broken beltline trim fasteners on the cowl. Quote
Frank Elder Posted October 25, 2008 Author Report Posted October 25, 2008 Busy Coupe or Tim, are the spot welds on the grille hidden behind the vertical bars or are some of them out in the open on the horizontal bars? Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 25, 2008 Report Posted October 25, 2008 out of sight..even on the bottom they are hidden by the very back edge and slight curve... Quote
Frank Elder Posted October 25, 2008 Author Report Posted October 25, 2008 Good, I can practice on some stainless at werk and move on to the grille when profficent enough! Quote
Frank Elder Posted October 30, 2008 Author Report Posted October 30, 2008 Grille off yesterday, only lost 3 angles in action. Used dremel to remove the rest of the nuts, time to massage metal! Angle work is going to be....continued at a later date! Quote
Frank Elder Posted November 2, 2008 Author Report Posted November 2, 2008 Got to work sat. repairing grille. Found a perfect vertical section and oiled it's backside with PAM[oil, not another woman!]. Then procceded to work plaster of paris and pour it into the grille. Let dry and removed by simply turning grille over. Now I have my interior contour. Traced the profile on red oak blank and cut it to shape with scrollsaw. Finalized with a little hand sanding, fits in the grille well. Did the same on face giving me a wooden die. Took everything to the truck shop used their press. Disconnected air and used hand action so as not to overly distort stamping. Used metal plate on top of back die. It did the job better than expected, just a tiny ding left, but that can be taken out with patience. Next angle reattatchment! Quote
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