I need my grill redone. Any recomendations
Expensive, but if you are looking for a restored set try Critter Creek Cougar Restorations. https://crittercreekcougar.com/shop/headlight-grille-complete-plug-and-play-original-restored/
Steven
If you have any mechanical skills at all its worth doing yourself. You need to decide if you want to convert to electric or stay with the vacuum system first. If you strip it all down to the bare bones you will find out that you can get most replacement parts or restored parts. if you are just looking for the chrome bars WCCC sells a re chromed set for around 550.00 but it looks like they are out of stock right now, I would call them. in fact Don put out a really good video on how to replace just the chrome.
6 sets coming in 17 days!
As long as we’re on this subject, what’s the consensus for painting these?
Don’s method is paint them and wipe the front of the bars with some thinner on a rag. I noticed in Royce’s R Code thread when he did the taillights he taped front of the bars.
How would the factory have done it and which one more closely replicates that process?
The factory had a mask and when you look at NOS parts you will quickly realize they were not building show cars.
Right, but a show car can be more than one thing. A car that appears as perfect as it can be or one that appears as original as can be. It sounds like the method one should use to paint these depends on which look you’re striving for. Sounds like yours would be closer to original while the tape method would be for a more “perfect” finish.
Neither would look NOS as neither would have over-spray like original.
I don’t see Critter Creek mentioned here very often my one experience with them was negative.
I sent my entire GTE grille to him 5 years ago and he says I will get it soon each time I ask. He had some setbacks but I still believe he will come through in the end.
Do it yourself! Buy the chrome from Don and do the rest yourself! It takes more patience and time than restoration skill. And can be done with a basic set of "home owner "tools.
Correct… Grinding the heat-peened studs from the backside is time consuming as is the taping but the end results are very satisfying.
My next batch of grilles comes in Feb 15th. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqKB2odtLx8
5 years? Yeah, that’s not gonna work for me. I would have asked for money back long ago…
Agree with Don, best to mask carefully using high quality tape, and then paint. One trick to avoid paint peeling off on the edges, it to remove the tape before the paint is totally dry.