Restoration - 69 Engine Grill

[Paul W]

Inspired by our pending drive day I finally managed to get my act together and reassemble my engine grill.

Several months ago I decided in a fit of boredom to rip my tired engine grill apart and restore the thing. Previous owners of the car have been none to gentle with it and I suspect at some stage it was painted black before being roughly striped.


So after waiting 3 months to have all the respective bits polished and anodized (and dealing with weeks of an acute lack of interest) I managed to have the frame re- riveted (with correct rivets Clyde!) and made a frame to assist in the re-assembly.

Re-assembly was a breeze, the only time consuming part measuring and re-measuring the fins to ensure they were centred on the frame.

The result? Huge improvement on the original – probably an 8/10, which I’m pretty happy with.

Below I've attached a couple of before then after shots.

[Paul W]

After shots

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[Paul W]

More

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[Terminator]

Paul,

I looked tonight after I saw your post, very impressive I might add.

Pity you have to pull it apart again my 69S and those of 2 others I have contacted have all silver anodised pieces no black bits at all.


Sorry!!!!

[Paul W]

Hi Clyde

As I was finding it so hard to get a definitive answer on whether those verticals were black or not I sort of hedged my bets. Beneath the satin black they are bright anodized with aluminum rivets. A careful application of thinned paint stripper will have them back to the correct finish in no time.

Regards,

[Terminator]

Excellent, who did the bar straightening for you and the anodising? Looks like a good job give it the once over on the weekend.


Few people realise the bars are numbered on the ends so you can't stuff up there at least.

[Paul W]

Thanks for the advice Clyde, it’s now in period correct trim.

I was hoping you could do me a favor and take a shot of the bolt heads used to attach your grill to the lid. Don’t know whether mine were original and I plan to replace them with a something as close to original as I can find, in stainless.

If interested I'll find the details of the metal finishers I used. They happen to be the same people used by a couple of the better known 'restorers' and are quite experienced in polishing and reanodizing Fuchs rims. I get the feeling this wasn't the first grill they've done - the arc on the fins were perfect.

Thanks

[Terminator]

Fabulous job will look at mine in the light tomorrow.

Allen key (cheesehead I think Porsche call them) bolts I think.

I want to look at some of your cars areas also on Saturday, not so familar with the 69 model as I am with the 72/73 series....great to have reference sources isn't it!

[pgxif]

Paul, that is excellent
Would you mind telling me how you got the bars straightened please ?
I've bought two 69 grilles over time (with correct numbered fins!) and seeing yours, it is time for me to get it sorted (and get rid of this horrible black plastic thing that was on the car when i bought it !)
cheers, Paul