Grille Detailing/Restoring-107

[Strife]

Before spending big bucks on replacing a tired grille and all its components, a $4.00 can of spray paint and a little time and elbow grease can do subtle wonders for the general appearance of your 107. My chrome was dirty in spots I could not really get to; I've also read that the plastic parts, not that strong to begin with, get brittle and will not tolerate any flexing to get to all the places that you would like to clean. The plastic had turned various shades of gray over time; there were wax/water spots that would not come off with any of my chemical arsenal.

I removed my grille assembly (not obvious how to do it) by removing the screws on the back. The screws are of different sizes and you need to take care to remember where they go. It would be "bad" to put an incorrect screw in somewhere and break the (old and brittle) plastic. Using liquid wrench would be a very good idea; as it was, even with liquid wrench and the correct size philips screwdriver, I stripped a screwhead and had to slot it with a hacksaw blade in order to remove it. Keep in mind that the plastic is old; do not stress it in any way.

Having a helper for insurance holding the assembly up while you are doing this would be a very good idea - dropping it could be very expensive. After removing the assembly by lifting up and out away from the hood, I removed the side pieces and the star while keeping the assembly on a blanket. There are screws on top and on the bottom of the plastic pieces.The chrome parts on the side slats also screw off (again, different size screws). There are some washers; don't lose them!

Use cleaning type wax to polish the chrome; if all else fails, use the finest rubbing compound to remove stubborn beginnings of rust, and then rewax. Remember that the dirtiest places will be where rust will begin! This also holds true for the part of the hood covered by the chrome surround.

The star is probably aluminum; it isn't going to respond to waxing the way that the "wings" will. It is, however, possible to buff it, if you have small buffers and a Dremel-type tool.

On the slats and plastic, clean thoroughly with paint prep or brake cleaner (of a type that will not melt the plastic, test on an unseen spot). If you used liquid wrench, make certain that it is removed before painting.

Mask the star with masking tape and then paint the plastic parts with a good, low gloss black. I THINK this is the original color - someone please correct me if this is not true!! I used a low-gloss engine type paint, which I'm hoping is tough enough to survive in this application. Spray just enough to evenly cover the plastic.

After dry, reassemble the pieces into the assembly and reinstall, again, using the PROPER screws in the proper holes. Make sure that everything is tight, but use caution, as you are screwing into 15-25 year old plastic or inserts in 15-25 year old plastic.

I think that you will be very pleased with the results of only a few hours of work and downtime. Except for the (now strangely less noticeable) dent on the star, my grille looks like new and like the pictures of this car when it was new.

[matt7531]

I did that a while back, using paint recommended for plastic trim. It flaked really badly. I'm a little worried as to the effects of the paint flakes on my radiator. Perhaps I did something wrong?

Originally Posted by matt7531

I did that a while back, using paint recommended for plastic trim. It flaked really badly. I'm a little worried as to the effects of the paint flakes on my radiator. Perhaps I did something wrong?

I did my 107 grill screens, one new, the other original, and painted both with a color close to the original. I dewaxed both, a medium/fine scotch-brite pad to scratch them up then spray painted. They look grand.

[matt7531]

what kind of paint did you use?

[Strife]

I used low-gloss black engine paint (hi-temp). I thought that given the extremes of temperature the grill sees, that this would be a good idea. Also, I think that this paint is quite sticky (although thorough de-greasing/waxing of the surface is a must for any paint).

[rickjordan]

To freshen up my SLs grille plastic, I used a soft bristle tooth brush and Vinylex. Went back and forth, sometimes in a circular pattern and jsut worked it in. Let is sit for about 5 minutes and wiped off the excess.

[matt7531]

I bought a can of "plastic trim paint", and it flaked right away. I'll try it again with these new suggestions. I appreciate all the comments. I'll say one thing, after redoing it, the car looked like a million bucks until the paint faded.

[demain]

Hi, I have a 1978 280SLC that I painted the grille matt black on. Before I started, I got some advice from a restorer/panelbeater I know. He told me the only way to make it work is to properly clean and degrease the grille, lightly sand it then prime it with a plastic primer. This is flexible and designed to stick to plastic. It is a strange paint to use as it is very thin and clear. Kind of feels like you are spraying water. A year down the track and it still looks perfect - not one flake has come off. Seems his advice was good.