'70 'Cuda Grill trim

[usraptor]

I'm just about finished with my grille restoration, including the polishing of the SS trim that goes around the perimeter of the grill as well as the headlight bezels. Unfortunately, when I took the SS trim off the grill I didn't mark the top and bottom assuming they were the same and it wouldn't make any difference.  In the process of spending countless hours sanding the two large grille trim pieces, from 80 grit to 2000 grit sandpaper, I noticed that one of the the trim pieces is 1/4" on both the top and bottom.  However, the other piece is 5/16" on one side and 1/4" on the other side.  I would assume that the 5/16" and 1/4" trim piece would go on the bottom edge of the grille with the 5/16" edge on top because that is where the trim would be most visible when looking at the front of the car.  I checked the service manual and it doesn't say anything about the differences in the trim.  I looked at an old picture of my grill before I started restoring it and I can't tell.  Anyway, I included that picture of the grille and circled the trim piece I'm referring to.  Can somebody verify that this is the 5/16" by 1/4" trim piece? 

[GY3R/T]

Your assumption is correct.  1/4" x 5/16" goes on bottom of grill, with 5/16" facing up.

[usraptor]

Thank you! 

[Hotiron]

 Excellent project.  We are going in similar directions with our projects.  I am here in SW Colorado and currently working on a 70 cuda 440 six pack.  I am trying to find a front grill as mine is not in good enough shape to restore.  Looking forward to see your project take shape.   

[usraptor]

Hotiron, my grille was not in good shape either when I started.  It had several cracks and even some missing fins.  I used a product called Plastex to repair and even rebuild missing pieces.  It can be time consuming, but compared to the price of a new grille or repo it's worth it IMHO.  I would work on repairing a crack, etc and then while it was "curing" I'd work on some other component of the 'Cuda. Check out their videos on You Tube.  I attached some pics of my grille before I restored it.  Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.  Check out my restoration pictures at the link below.  I've been working on my Cuda since 2009, on and off.

[GY3R/T]

     I have a lot of respect for people who can restore/straighten 48 year old cuda grills.         Keep going and show us the progress !!!   

[usraptor]

    I have a lot of respect for people who can restore/straighten 48 year old cuda grills.         Keep going and show us the progress !!!   

Thanks, I was going to wait until I got the grille installed to do the before and after pictures, but since you asked here are some after pics.  The Headlight bezels are done along with the SS trim.  The grille is done but I don't have any pictures of it yet as I've been waiting to get the new red bars installed first.  However, here are some pics of the repairs made to the grille. I'll post up more pics of the grille later this week in my restoration thread.

[GY3R/T]

    usraptor,    Nice job !    Grill warping/sagging would be the biggest challenge for me. Did you have to deal with that in your grill resto ?

[anlauto]

The real challenge will be mounting the grill without putting any type of tension on it. The Plastex stuff looks great, but cracks again very easily. 

[usraptor]

    usraptor,    Nice job !    Grill warping/sagging would be the biggest challenge for me. Did you have to deal with that in your grill resto ?

When you say "grill warping/sagging" do you mean was the grille warped or sagging before I began the restoration?  If so, no not really.  My original grille wasn't warped or sagging, just cracked in several places.   

[usraptor]

The real challenge will be mounting the grill without putting any type of tension on it. The Plastex stuff looks great, but cracks again very easily. 

Alan, I've moved the grille around quite a bit and put tension on the repaired areas without issue.  But granted, I haven't installed it yet and bolted it down.  I'll let you know how that goes.  After all the work and time I've put into this, I really hope you're wrong, but unfortunately I've never know you to be wrong when it comes to restoring these E-bodies.    

[1 Wild R/T]

Back in the 80's & 90's we repaired allot of 70 Cuda grilles, some held up, some didn't... It usually wasn't the repair that failed, it was the plastic near the repair.... Back then there were no options, you search for a good grill or you repaired what you had...  Now new grilles as easily available, surprisingly cheap & worth picking up... You'll spend more buying that red insert and a new grille separately then getting it and a grille as an assembly

[RUNCHARGER]

That's for sure Wild. Plastic doesn't age well in the sun and heat. I remember welding up the HemiCuda grille, none of them are ever split in the middle or missing tabs of course.

[HEMICUDA]

If anyone wants a B/E & A grille without trim, I have maybe x10 grey grilles left.  Grille, headlight buckets (with both mounting feet), red bars and "Plymouth" emblem, one can be had for $400.  If you need a black plastic AAR grille assembly with trim, chrome inserts, "Plymouth" emblem and parking light assemblies, I have about the same amount of those left.  Those quantities are after I hoard a couple of each for myself. 

[usraptor]

Rather than start a whole new post, I'll just ask my questions about the lower valance filler panel here.  My original lower filler panel (I think that's what you call it) was broken in half when I bought the car.  The previous owner had purchased a NOS replacement from Chrysler that I have painted.  I went to test fit it tonight, (I know, should have done that before paint) and found it very difficult to get into position.  Basically the two center plastic pressure clips on the bottom of the filler panel that slide over the metal of the lower valance did not want to slide on.  After some delicate sanding I got them to slide over the metal but the center of the filler panel exposes more of the metal than the sides and I'm not sure if this is correct or is it supposed to be even all the way along the edge?  I tried to find some close up pictures of original cars, but couldn't find any closeup pictures of this area.   I've attached some pics of the area I'm concerned about circled in red.  Is this correct or should the metal show equal distance from the edge of the filler panel the entire length of the panel? 

Second question; screws attach the upper outside corners of the panel.  Are these supposed to be a chrome headed or black phosphate screw and what size?  The panel has a fairly large indent where the screw head goes in indicating that the screw head is fairly large.   All the grille fastener kits only show four chrome headed screws which I assume are for the head light bezels.

Lastly, does the the rest of the filler panel attach to the valance metal tabs with the same size hex head screws that are used with the grille?  I did numerous searches for filler panel fasteners and couldn't find anything listed separate from the grille fastening hardware and the service manual does not show enough detail to be of any help.