I disassembled my grille for chroming and find I need the vertical bar at the extreme right hand end. On mine the lower tab with the rivet holes is broken off. I tried to TIG weld it but was not successful, the material is just too thin to work with.
Does anyone have a grille being parted out, willing to sell me the far right hand bar? Or any bar from the right hand side which I could trim the ends to become a far right bar? Or a whole grille in any condition?
Or is there anyone making rolled bars for Mark V of a stock length of 25" such that I could cut the ends and form them to the shape?
Hi Rob, post a photo and guidance for me. I can look at my spare car to see if suitable. I hope to pull the engine out the spare car late October, this would mean the radiator grille will be in hand.
I discovered another one has a cut along the side at the bend.
They are held in by one rivet at the top and two at the bottom.
Grinding off the copper rivets.
Popping them loose with a knife and hammer.
Interesting serial number. Note two different stamps for the 66. Mine is saloon body G 6468, so I suppose when you add a few DHCs on the production line, this serial number matches within a month or two with the body number.
Other stampings.
Brass wire spacer soldered to each bar in the middle, missing in a couple of places.
Strap spacer at the center sliding cover for the starting crank access.
I thought about it awhile and decided, why not silver solder? It’s used on jewelry.
So I got a strip of brass, shaped it on the end to fit the bar, cleaned and tinned both pieces, and silver soldered them together.
Trimmed it off and drilled the holes.
Bent it with pliers.
It’s the same as the others. I’m happy with it.
Also filled the crack in the other bar.
The trick to this is getting the metal super clean like with sandpaper, and good flux and low torch flame.
Now off to the plater, and in six months I’ll see them again.
Automotive archaeology!
