Grille interchange

[hawkeye]

Are the size of plastic rectangles that make up the 2nd gen chargers all the same?  In other words, could I cut out a small section of a junk 70 grille to replace a similar section on a 68 grille?  Thanks

[Mike DC]

'68 and '69 share the plastic outer headlight door surround sections, and the headlight doors except for the emblem mountings.  The big plastic center sections will physically interchange between the '68 and '69 as long as you also change the hood latch assemblies with them.

1970 grills don't really share anything with the others. 

[bull]

You could insofar as cutting a chunk of plastic out of anything and replacing your broken piece. There's nothing about a '68 grill that would accomodate a '70 grill part other than you might walk away with a chunk that's similar in thickness and size (roughly). You'd probably be as well off going to a business that sells plastics and get a generic remnant of similar thickness.

[Ghoste]

Just for the sake of knowing, his question about the square opening, are they the same for all three years?

[JB400]

Considering that the headlight doors work for both 68 and 69, I'd say the square openings could be swapped from either of those years to repair a section.  As far as the 70, no idea.

[Ghoste]

Yeah, knew the 68 and 69 ones were the same and I am guessing the 70 is too but I really don't know.

[bull]

Is he talking about the open squares in the grill, the closed squares in the headlight doors ro something else? If he's got both he could just put a tape measure up to them, right?

[Ghoste]

Hey, good point.

[hawkeye]

If I had both grilles I wouldn't be wasting your time.  Will be getting 68 piece this week and if I figure anything out I will post pictures.  I just was brainstorming and wondered if anyone had done this kind of repair before.

[Ghoste]

I wasn't meaning to offend , I was taking your op to mean either way, that it was hypothetical or that you had a 68 and 70 grille and wondered.

[hawkeye]

Didn't mean to be so short.   I really appreciate all the help you guys have provided on this post and all my others. 

[bull]

No offense. From your first post I thought you had both.

[jaak]

I think he means taking sections of the "fins" to graft repairs on 68 grille.

Anyways it shouldn't be a problem, in fact its probably made from the same type of plastic. I got to repair a couple of vertical fins on a 69 grille I have, and I plan on using a broken 73 grill I saved (I measured with dial calipers...the vertical fins on a 69 are the same width as the horizonal fins on a 73). I plan on using that 73 part to make plastic "patches" for my 69 grille.

Kerry, Check out this link to the sticky thread at the top of the body/paint page, a lot of info on repairing/restoring grilles.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,39926.0.html

Jason

[hawkeye]

Jason, 68 grille came today and was in better shape than I anticipated!  I think it will be easier just to fix the fins and not graft in other parts.  I will try to post side by side pics of the 70 grille pieces and the 68 grille.   Thanks