grille restoration

[charger01]

The grille in my 69 has a couple pieces broken off on the lower portion of it.  I have a spare grille for parts. How do I go about cutting out the bad pieces and replacing them, or can I?  Also what is the best way to bring back the shine in the grille trim.  Would it be safe to use different stages of sandpaper and then buff it out?

[4402tuff4u]

This topic has been covered in many posts. You might want to do a search on this topic. I'm not sure on a 69, but if you can unbolt the broken section and replace it with a better one do that. On 68's the grill is made up of three sections. All I did was to lightly sanded with 400 paper, seal any cracks and primed it with SEM flexible plastic primer. Lightly sanded it again and painted it. You can use epoxy glue (two part) J&B (?) Welding compound to cover cracks or gluing plastic sections together. The stainless steel trim can be polished to look better than new. Again do a search and you will see many posts on the subject. I did mine with Eastwood products and buffing wheels and the trim came out awesome - better than new.

[Shakey]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,2588.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,4620.0.html

[charger01]

Thanks Shakey,  I will put your advice as well as others to the test soon. 

[charger01]

Did you use Eastwood self etching primer as well?  Or what kind did you guys use?

[Shakey]

Did you use Eastwood self etching primer as well?  Or what kind did you guys use?

More reading.

Self-etching primer has acids which can eat away at plastic.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,49.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,5616.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,6321.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,6267.0.html