New Grill Questions-Problems

[Chaos-N-Mayhem]

I'm not to happy with the new grill I just receive. Actually I am pretty bummed. Not only is it completely in a satin aluminium finish (no shiny anodizing on the front lip) but the egg crate surround had waves in it. I thought that was bad until I noticed both ends of the grill were completely bent up. Man that couldn't have been an accident! Packaging looked great so I am not sure what to think.

I laid my original next to it for comparison. Does anyone sell a 70 challenger grill that 1) Doesn't need to be painted R/T black, 2) has the shiny anodizing front lip (assuming that is correct from the factory) or 3) is there a place that can restore/ refurbish the original to look like a freshly made factory peice? Urgh

[Chaos-N-Mayhem]

More pics

[Chaos-N-Mayhem]

Pics

[Cuda Cody]

Since the grilles are used for T/A's, R/T's and Agent I can understand why they didn't paint them.  And the paint break line changes depending on the color.  Plus I prefer to paint mine at the same time as the headlight bezels so they match perfectly.

Restoring an original I would guess to be somewhere around 3 to 4 times as much as the reproduction.

[Chaos-N-Mayhem]

Egg crate area

[Brads70]

This is why I didn't buy the repop version.  Also the area that surrounds the egg crate grill should be bright anodized and the repops are not. For the money they cost I expected better.....

[Chaos-N-Mayhem]

I was willing to accept the fact it would need to be painted but the wavy race track area in the last couple pics, around the egg crate center looks horrible. And the bent ends are horrendous. Just out of curiosity, what do people do for the shiny front edge? Assuming, that was factory on an R/T grill, do you just polish it out and then paint?

[Brads70]

If your old grill is in pretty good shape( send the repop back) , try using well worn 400 grit sandpaper that is ok being wet and then use acetone, mine came right up bright again. Here is a post I made of my experiences?

https://forum.e-bodies.org/body-shop/5/-cleaning-up-a-argent-1970-challenger-grill/69/msg105047#msg105047



edit:     DON'T use paint stripper , it permanently dulls the bright anodizing.

[Chaos-N-Mayhem]

Ok so it has really gotten tragic at this point as I realized the grill could not have fit into the box they sent it in.

[Brads70]

Just wow!    Send it back and make your original work!

[anlauto]

I'm going to ask where did you buy it from...Holy shit...that's just terrible how they boxed it.

Over the last four years I've bought and installed six (6) of these reproduction grills. Every one of mine were purchased from David at Roseville Chrysler and none of then arrived with damage.

YES, the race track area was wavy but doesn't look as bad once painted.
YES the front edge and areas around the egg crate should be polished. The first two I received from Roseville were polished, but that was about four years ago...the supplier didn't change, but the manufacture must have decided that they had to be made cheaper and this is now how they are finished....AGAIN, not correct but looks "okay" once finished and installed.

It's basically another disappointing reproduction part, but as mentioned, much cheaper then having an original properly re-anodised. We should be thankful these are available because a lot more 70 Challengers are being restored these days.

[RUNCHARGER]

Wow: I was thinking of ordering one last week. Glad I didn't now.

[Cuda Cody]

WHAT!  The ends come shipped to you like that?