to reproduce the grill shells identical to the ones that came from Ford. 
Grille Shell referbishing/renewing? Whose done it?
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Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2010
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From: Regina, Saskatchewan
Grille Shell referbishing/renewing? Whose done it?
Has anyone taken out major dents/scratches in their grill shells and made them look like they weren't there?
I'm wondering because I have this SHWEET grille shell that's about to fall in my lap, but it's not one single nasty ding in the driver's side. Otherwise, everything on it looks perfect.
Is it possible to take this ding out of the grille shell? If so, how?
Here are some pictures of what I'm looking to work with.
Notice the scratches in the top passenger side. Can those be sanded out or buffed out?
Notice the nasty ding in the mid-section of the driver side? Can nasty ding be pounded out?
Here is a total picture of everything. Looks pretty good if you ask me
... for being used that is...
Can I salvage this grille shell? What do you guys think?
I'm wondering because I have this SHWEET grille shell that's about to fall in my lap, but it's not one single nasty ding in the driver's side. Otherwise, everything on it looks perfect.
Is it possible to take this ding out of the grille shell? If so, how?
Here are some pictures of what I'm looking to work with.
Notice the scratches in the top passenger side. Can those be sanded out or buffed out?
Notice the nasty ding in the mid-section of the driver side? Can nasty ding be pounded out?
Here is a total picture of everything. Looks pretty good if you ask me
... for being used that is...Can I salvage this grille shell? What do you guys think?
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2009
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I bought the book "How to Restore Automotive Trim and Hardware" by John Gunnell a while back. You can get it at Eastwood.com. Using the techniques in the book I've taken out a LOT worse than that from two shells I have. It goes into how to polish out scratches as well, but I haven't had time to get to the polishing yet.
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 540
Likes: 3
I have a brand new shell still in the box and I cant convince myself to pull the original shell off just because it isnt as shiny or scratch free as i would like it to be. my original has no dents or dings, it just needs pulled off and some tlc. my experience is that it takes a lot more work to polish stamped aluminum than cast, sheet, or billet. I have made several brackets and accesories out of aluminum and they shine like a mirror with relative ease. I can post some picks tomorow if anyone is interested in seeing how easy it is to make some scrap into a nice, expensive looking part. made a trim ring for the tranny in my 78 today and will to the transfer in the morning. Having said that, the stamped stuff is a LOT harder material as a result of being altered by the process. I agree with Voca, the dent really doesnt look that bad to me. Good luck
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,172
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From: darlington
stamped alum
Hey choptopp,excuss my ignorance butt the new grills are stamped huh? I have no grill on my 75 hb rebuild.So I guess i will be going the stamped direction ,DC i guess.How do they hold up? vrs old school
Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 21,437
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From: Gilbert, PA
Dents can be removed with a hammer and dolly.
As for polishing it, first you need to strip the anodizing off. You can NOT polish it with the anodizing on it
here is the grill I did after polish
As for polishing it, first you need to strip the anodizing off. You can NOT polish it with the anodizing on it
here is the grill I did after polish
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2009
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The original grill shells were 'stamped', too. Dennis Carpenter uses the old Ford tooling to reproduce the grill shells identical to the ones that came from Ford. I've heard that you want to stay away from the imported shells, though.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Simi Valley, CA
This same jazz applies to all repro parts, regardless of who makes/sells them.
Where are most of DC's repro parts made? China. But there are myriad Chinese makers of these parts, so the quality varies wildly.
Once the anodizing is removed from the alumimum, it can be polished. But, you have to keep on polishing it, cuz if you don't, the aluminum will begin to fade and corrode.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2010
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Not to thread jack but related: I'm currently working on a tailgate trim piece but I have a question about anodizing/polishing. The piece was cloudy and dull, and the black paint for the FORD letters and stripes was dull. I have using oven cleaner and soft steel wool to de-anodize the coating, but I noticed some areas are coming out looking beautifully shiny and others still look dull, though not cloudy anymore. I have not yet hit it with super soft steel wool or White Diamond polish. Mostly the shiny regions were under the black paint that has been removed. Is there a thin coating that I possibly marred by leaving oven cleaner on too long? Or where these regions just better protected from oxidation and there still shiny under the paint? I have seen plenty of photos of people getting aluminum trim to shine like chrome so I know it is possible.
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From: Sioux Falls Area
As ND said, once you are down to aluminum, you can make it shine like a mirror if you want to.
get after it with "neverdull" or mothers and it will be so shiney it will blind you. conver it with a good coat of wax or two when you are done.
then remember what you did to make it look the way you like, cauz you are going to get to do it again in a year.
I've got polished aluminum wheels on my T-bird ... i know of what i speak. they look AWESOME, but high maintainence.
OR ... strip it down, pull the dents, and check your yellow pages for a local shop that can re chrome it, there are astill a few places around that will do it.
get after it with "neverdull" or mothers and it will be so shiney it will blind you. conver it with a good coat of wax or two when you are done.
then remember what you did to make it look the way you like, cauz you are going to get to do it again in a year.
I've got polished aluminum wheels on my T-bird ... i know of what i speak. they look AWESOME, but high maintainence.
OR ... strip it down, pull the dents, and check your yellow pages for a local shop that can re chrome it, there are astill a few places around that will do it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Mississippi
Since an original grille was made from FoMoCo tooling, all it takes is an original grille to use for a pattern to make a repro. So now DC can claim his repro is made from "original tooling."
This same jazz applies to all repro parts, regardless of who makes/sells them.
Where are most of DC's repro parts made? China. But there are myriad Chinese makers of these parts, so the quality varies wildly.
Once the anodizing is removed from the alumimum, it can be polished. But, you have to keep on polishing it, cuz if you don't, the aluminum will begin to fade and corrode.
This same jazz applies to all repro parts, regardless of who makes/sells them.
Where are most of DC's repro parts made? China. But there are myriad Chinese makers of these parts, so the quality varies wildly.
Once the anodizing is removed from the alumimum, it can be polished. But, you have to keep on polishing it, cuz if you don't, the aluminum will begin to fade and corrode.
Thread Starter
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Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,436
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From: Regina, Saskatchewan
I ended up buying that grille shell in the Original Post. What kind of methods should I use for getting that nasty ding out of the shell?
I'm tempted to use a hammer and just start swinging, but that will likely create more dents than the removing them.
I'm tempted to use a hammer and just start swinging, but that will likely create more dents than the removing them.
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Sioux Falls Area
ball peen and pecking hammers, dollies, spoons, sandbags, patients, creativity, and skill.
the nearly lost art of old-school body work ... much more art than science.
the only thing i know is go slow and work from the outside of the dent toward the middle. beyond that, i think it is mostly art and feel.
good luck!
the nearly lost art of old-school body work ... much more art than science.
the only thing i know is go slow and work from the outside of the dent toward the middle. beyond that, i think it is mostly art and feel.
good luck!
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2009
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Like Meborder said, take it slow. Don't get in a hurry. If I were working on that one, I'd start by tapping LIGHTLY from the back to push the low spot outward. Once that starts moving a bit, work from the farthest point from the center on the outside, alternating with taps to the inside. Find something that has roughly the same radius as the grille has for working from the inside.. You will leave marks on the outside, but if you are careful and don't get carried away you will be able to polish them out when you are finished.
Basically, what you are trying to do is reverse the process that put the dent there to start with. Good luck and DON'T GET IN A HURRY.
Basically, what you are trying to do is reverse the process that put the dent there to start with. Good luck and DON'T GET IN A HURRY.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 207
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Trim de-anodizing update: So the oven cleaner was taking a very long time to work and would likely take several cans for the entire trim panel. At $7 a can that will add up. I tried to get more aggressive and soaked the panel in Clorox bleach overnight (~1% or less NaOH), which has not had much of an effect. Today I submerged the panel in a 1.5 gallons of bleach that I further dissolved 1cup of NaOH pellets. Every 20 mins I wipe the surface with a scrub brush. The peice has been soaking for 3 hours and the anodized films still remains. What am I doing wrong? Do I just let this soak overnight? Or is it time to take it out, wash it well, and purchase a true stripping solution? I can also make a more concentrated NaOH solution.