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Oem grill color?

Started by Engineerd3d, 06 April 2021, 01:18 PM

Engineerd3d

I picked up a set of bars for my grille. I see the glass fiber showing in the oem plastic grille. I wonder what the original color was? I am contemplating giving it a coat of paint. Or should I just leave it be? The grille is otherwise unmolested besides the bars being dented.

BCDC

The colour is just the "beige" plastic that it is moulded with. If you want the original look leave it alone. I have seen some painted black but it doesn't do it for me. I replaced my chrome strips as well as some were slightly dented by an idiot who reversed into me at a petrol station a while back. Hopefully you have the guide clips as well as it is easy to break some as you slide the old strips off. It can be an idea to cut the old strips near the dent and re fashion the channel so that they slide over the clips. They are usually are too long at the bottom so you will need to cut the new ones as well. A new set looks so good compared to dented ones. Good luck.

BCDC
1978 280SE Cream with blue interior. With SLS

Engineerd3d

I will leave it alone then. I kinda dig the glass fibers poking through. These strips are aluminum. The ones on there seem to be aluminum as well. It looks like i have to file the ends at an angle to meet up. Will post some before and after pics.

90077merc

Is the OEM plastic grill replaceable? I notice so many are chipped.
1974 450 SEL

ptashek

Quote from: 90077merc on 06 April 2021, 11:53 PM
Is the OEM plastic grill replaceable? I notice so many are chipped.

Yes. It's held in place by a few bolts on the inside of the chrome shell.

Grille: A1168880023
Shell: A1168880515

Vertical strip: A1158882385
Horizontal Strip (x6): A1168880185

1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

rumb

Grille and shell are both NLA now.

Color is medium gray not beige.
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

floyd111

But there should be enough NOS ones out there. There are also copies that are an exact fit, but they have a different shade of gray. Once installed even a concours judge might not spot that. I accidentally bought 3 of them. Think I paid 50 euros each. Still have them here.

ptashek

1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

Engineerd3d

So the grill bars came in. To be frank i am not happy with the purchase. The bars are not a direct fit and the ends are not machines at an angle as they are supposed to be. I am in the process of machining the bars to a proper fit as well as figure out the proper angle.

floyd111

Grill bars.. as in "grille", or the chrome trim on top of them?

ptashek

Quote from: floyd111 on 09 April 2021, 08:28 PM
Grill bars.. as in "grille", or the chrome trim on top of them?

The chrome trim I'm sure. The bars need trimming pre-assembly as they were used on several models (115/116/123 - at least), and the final length differs.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

Engineerd3d

Quote from: ptashek on 10 April 2021, 05:58 AM
Quote from: floyd111 on 09 April 2021, 08:28 PM
Grill bars.. as in "grille", or the chrome trim on top of them?

The chrome trim I'm sure. The bars need trimming pre-assembly as they were used on several models (115/116/123 - at least), and the final length differs.

Well, i ended up making a 16 degree wedge to get the angles proper. The crimps at the end seem to have been done by pliers. Are these crimped ends supposed to be perfectly flat? Or are they supposed to be cut at the proper length?

Type17

Here's a pic of my OEM grille mesh on the day (in 2014) that I replaced it - medium grey is a good description, I think.


'76 350SE in Silver-Green

floyd111

Quote from: Engineerd3d on 10 April 2021, 01:24 PM
Quote from: ptashek on 10 April 2021, 05:58 AM
Quote from: floyd111 on 09 April 2021, 08:28 PM
Grill bars.. as in "grille", or the chrome trim on top of them?

The chrome trim I'm sure. The bars need trimming pre-assembly as they were used on several models (115/116/123 - at least), and the final length differs.

Well, i ended up making a 16 degree wedge to get the angles proper. The crimps at the end seem to have been done by pliers. Are these crimped ends supposed to be perfectly flat? Or are they supposed to be cut at the proper length?

o wow, really? I have a whole pile of that NOS grille trim here from at least 10 sources.
That confirms my suspicions then, when I thought I saw more than 2 types. That's gonna be fun trying to match and fit. Pffff!

Engineerd3d

I finally put the grille back together. Gave it a bit of a polish with mag wheel polish. I think it presents well. (See attached pictures)

I also made a video of the machining process and fixturing in case someone finds this interesting. https://youtu.be/VzMKHV5AG3E

Thank you for your help guys. Once more thing checked off the list.