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My front grill has dull areas and small chips not very visible but i know its there. Sent away for good quality chrome tape.It installed easy and looks good hope it lasts.
Where was your source? My grille only has four chrome strips/slats on each side (every other one), so that might be an option for me. If it is like most vinyl, light (especially sunlight) is the enemy. If you keep it covered, you’ll extend its life significantly…
I’m considering using 5/8″ chromed plastic trim on each side of my front “hood” to cover holes where the PO drilled holes and installed a piano hinge, and make it look more like a TF. If I bought the ones for the center of the hood and tried to install them on the sides, they’d be noticeably short…As currently fitted with the piano hinge, the hood will only open about 18″ making it virtually impossible to work in there without removing the hood. Plus, I’ll be adding a chrome grille shell which will require refitting everything. So, I’m doing away with the piano hinge and going with the typical marine hatch hinge.
KentT2013-04-29 11:25:06Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Piano hinge ought to let it open way more than 18 inches, Kent. I wonder how the PO got it so wrong.
KentT All i did was typed in best chrome tape got lots of places to buy it choose the one with no shipping charges it arrived 5 days later Unless you know more than i do about it you cant go around corners. I thought i would use it on my door edging but that didnt work.
edsnova wrote:Piano hinge ought to let it open way more than 18 inches, Kent. I wonder how the PO got it so wrong.Ed,He mounted it with too little gap between the hood and the side panel, as far as I can tell. The edge of the hood hits the side panel when you open it. Only way I’d see to fix it is to file off the hood for more clearance, or move the bolt holes where he bolted it to the hood. The other side of the hinge is mounted to that flange on the side panel…I don’t want to drill another line of holes (he used six slotted head stainless machine screws) and weaken the hood there on that side. Similarly, he used a lot of short countersink “wood screws” to mount the other side of the piano hinge to the flange on the side panel — I’m guessing at least a dozen screws. I don’t want to drill more holes there either, if I can prevent it.Similarly, since I’ve bought a used grille shell to put on it, I don’t want to trim away any more of the hood — I think I’ll likely need all there is to align with the grille shell on the front… the current fit has the front edge of the hood level/slightly below the edge of the fiberglass grille shell, with welting on the fiberglass grille shell. When I put the chrome one on top, that means the hood has to rise at the front – likely even if I trim and/or flatten the flange on the chrome grille shell.Bottom line is I think I’m in for a total “re-do” of how the hood, grille and side panel fitment…I’m not yet to the point of fixing all these fitment issues — I’m still working through the mechanicals, then on to electrics (as far as I can go), before I get to fitment issues.Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Thanks, Greg. My current thinking is to paint the “fins” on the fiberglass grille shell a gloss black, then install the chrome grille, and see what it looks like with only four chrome slats on each side. This will make a “high contrast” grille, in comparison to either a highly chromed one (all slats there), or one that matches the body color (which would be “factory” for a red car). It’s looking like my interior is going to be dark (charcoal or graphite) gray and black, to reuse as much as I can yet get rid of my 1970s burgandy naugahyde seat covers/door panels. So, the grille would still sort of match the interior (and top) which is “factory” for other colors….
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Kent, Could you put a spacer [shim] between the hinge and the flange on the side panel? A sixteenth of an inch might give all the room you need.If this works it would not require any new holes ,just maybe longer screws.Raising the hood may also give the room you need to fit the grille but may effect the fit at the cowel.
Larry, I may be able to do that. That would certainly be easier. I’ve thought about picking up some 1/8″ aluminum stock for use as backing in some places. Something like that might work as a spacer here also.
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...KentT…Sorry. I just came across this post. The CMC manual says to install the hood with temporary 1/16-inch washers at three places on the side cowl. These three washers are removed after the hinges are installed. Its on part one, pages 31 and 32 of the CMC manual in the download section.newkitman2013-10-21 21:02:59
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
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