How bad did I screw up? (Kinda long, sorry)

[sflrainmaker01]

After Rescurauder's paint job a year ago, I noticed some defects that became troubling.:depress: Some cracking paint on the front bumper, a small crack in some of the light bodywork that was done on the left rear qtr, some dirt in the paint at the bottom of each door and maybe one or two other small defects that you wouldn't normally find until its washed and waxed.:bigcry: I took the car back to the paint shop and they agreed it needed to be fixed and redone. Other than the bumper and the rear quarter, I would leave the car alone. I just hope it doesn't come out worse.:rolleyes: Except for some orange peel I was just going to wet sand out on the upper doors and rear quarters, I love how the paint laid out on this car.

Anyways, I was removing the headlights etc and decided to remove the grill too. Everything was fine until the only bottom clip snapped at the last second leaving me a grill with no bottom clips (the other one or two were already broken). :mad2: How bad did I screw up? I mocked the grill back up with out its bottom clips and it seemed a tight enough fit. Or do I need a new grill? FYI, it's going in for the repaint tomorrow morning.

[chief455]

See if anything can be fabbed to secure the bottom of grille. If not, or if yes - paint as planned - buy a new grille and get it painted. It can be done out of the car, using a small amount of left over paint. Install new painted grille.
My badgeless silver grille was done this way, and I can't even tell.

[2mercs]

If you were closer i could get it fixed for ya. You can "weld" the plastic back together.

[sflrainmaker01]

If you were closer i could get it fixed for ya. You can "weld" the plastic back together.

The piece that broke is still in the tab on the car while the grill is in the trunk at the body shop. How does that piece come out, exactly? Maybe I could salvage it.

[RF Overlord]

It's the same kind of clip that's on the gauge pod, just a little bigger.

Good luck trying to re-attach it...as you saw, they're pretty tight and I don't think any glue will hold. It may hold enough to re-install the grille, but the next time you need to remove the grille it will likely break again.

[sflrainmaker01]

So, it comes out by gently pulling on it? Or are you supposed to depress something to get it out?

[RF Overlord]

Well, it's not "gently"...you do have to use a little bit of force, but it does just "unplug". Nothing to depress. I'm always afraid I'm going to break one when I have to remove a grille, but I've been lucky so far.

Remove the nuts from the top first, and then use a 1/4" ratchet extension (or something similar) to push on the clips from behind...make it less unnerving.

[sflrainmaker01]

Well, it's not "gently"...you do have to use a little bit of force, but it does just "unplug". Nothing to depress. I'm always afraid I'm going to break one when I have to remove a grille, but I've been lucky so far.

Remove the nuts from the top first, and then use a 1/4" ratchet extension (or something similar) to push on the clips from behind...make it less unnerving.

Ok, thanks. ;) That's what I thought. I almost tried to push it from the back, but didn't.:rolleyes: It didn't take a lot of force to break, that's for sure! :shake:

[Spectragod]

It's the same kind of clip that's on the gauge pod, just a little bigger.

Good luck trying to re-attach it...as you saw, they're pretty tight and I don't think any glue will hold. It may hold enough to re-install the grille, but the next time you need to remove the grille it will likely break again.

Duramix 4040 will do the job........

[CrownVictorious]

if you can't repair it you can sell it here for use to make a badgeless grille or you can buy another and use the two to make a badgeless grille. I realize you need this done yesterday as your car is going in for paint :). Just turning poo into lemonade :D

[jwibbity]

jb weld that ****!!!!!!!!