Repairing Broken Grille - 1969

[BlueSS454]

The headlight doors for my 69 are broken in 2 different places on each side.  Is there a way to repair these so they are useable or am I stuck trying to find another set?  There are pics below of the broken areas.

[The70RT]

On my Cutlass grill I repaired I had some extra pieces from another grill and cut them out and used fiberglass resin and small patches surrounding the repair and then sanded and filled it in to look udetectable. Some other kind of plastic may work too. It looks like where yours is broke It would be an easy fix since it is in a inconspicus area. Once you get in to the finned area it gets more difficult . I just didn't want to but nos for 600. Most used ones need work.

[BlueSS454]

I'm lucky with the fact that none of the fins on mine are broke, just these 4 mounting points.  I was thinking plastic welding, but I don't have the equipment.  I was also thinking of using some cut out plastic pieces with some epoxy, but not sure it will hold?

[The70RT]

Mine have been mounted for a couple years and are still holding up. Mine were on the mounting points as well....... and many other places. Once the resin dries on the grill you have to grind it off to remove it. Epoxy? Maybe jb weld. As far as plastic welding a friend of mine did his camaro grill....the original plastic didn't take the remelting prosses very well. Maybe it maters how much the grill has been exposed to the elements? He ended up doing like I did. A small repair  kit is like 15. It will go bad before you ever use it all.

[tan top]

what i done to mine ..... cut some thin  gauge sheet metal , bend it into the same shape as the broken part , but slightly smaller . then tap it inside & glue it ,between the original side pieces, then drill o hole where the clip / screw goes . now you have made a metal liner ,it will not twist or snap , stronger than factory . then melt plastic over the top & shape it for cosmetics , open out the clip slightly &  slide it on 

[1hot68]

what i done to mine ..... cut some thin  gauge sheet metal , bend it into the same shape as the broken part , but slightly smaller . then tap it inside & glue it ,between the original side pieces, then drill o hole where the clip / screw goes . now you have made a metal liner ,it will not twist or snap , stronger than factory . then melt plastic over the top & shape it for cosmetics , open out the clip slightly &  slide it on 

 ihave done the same thing works very well!!

[tan top]

what i done to mine ..... cut some thin  gauge sheet metal , bend it into the same shape as the broken part , but slightly smaller . then tap it inside & glue it ,between the original side pieces, then drill o hole where the clip / screw goes . now you have made a metal liner ,it will not twist or snap , stronger than factory . then melt plastic over the top & shape it for cosmetics , open out the clip slightly &  slide it on 

 ihave done the same thing works very well!!

 

                                       

[Back N Black]

I used short strain fiberglass and it worked very well for me, hard to detect the repair.

[GTX]

I sort of jury rigged a couple places on a spare 68 grille I had and used JB weld sandwiched with a thin sheet metal on the underside for extra strength at the mounting point. Then I took a dremel tool with a drum sanding tip and smoothed out the JB weld while it was still slightly soft. After that I repainted and you couldn't really tell. I didn't think it mattered anyway since it wasn't on the face.

I kind of wish that I had done something with epoxy or something else like fiberglass maybe but since I have little experience with them the JB worked ok and is pretty much rock hard, harder than the area around it.

[jaak]

I'm with most here, a small metal splint and jb weld, makes a strong repair.

Jason