Grilles Can't Be Welded...Right?

[Wildaugust]

I have a near perfect grille except for this damn hole (arrow). A previous owner mounted a bracket on the grille so that he could wrap his block heater extension cord. The bracket was just bolted to the grille and was easily removed, BUT instead of running the cord over top of the grille, he...

This atrocity bugs the hell out of me, so, I would like to fix it. If new fins could be welded in that would be great, but I don't believe this can be welded, besides, the heat would likely ruin the surrounding area. I suppose I could try using JB Weld or equivalent to glue some aluminum or plastic fins in place. If I use aluminum I may be able to get them to shine. If I use plastic, my best bet would probably be to paint all of the vertical fins black. Maybe I'll just have to buy a grille.

What do you guys think?

 

[Mr C]

You're probably into a new grille there. If you had to make one out of two, I'd go the JB weld route...that stuff is great.

 

[commando1]

Doesn't it really piss you off at what the idiotic "minor" things previous owners do that will really cost ya?
Dashes for example....

 

[greasemonkeyman]

There is this stuff used to weld up pot metal.I think I remember it starting off around $60 for the kit but it seems to work real well.Helps with alot of the white metal/pot metal repairs,assuming you have the old parts to replace.Here's a short video on this stuff.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dINNNtVk0cU

 

[Wollfen]

There is this stuff used to weld up pot metal.I think I remember it starting off around $60 for the kit but it seems to work real well.Helps with alot of the white metal/pot metal repairs,assuming you have the old parts to replace.Here's a short video on this stuff.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dINNNtVk0cU

i checked this out and it looks like top stuff i think ill order the kit for $59 and try it out on my pitted taillight housings before they get chromed. And yes i think it would work well fixing that grille.

 

[Stormer]

JB Weld works better than you expect it to.

 

[greasemonkeyman]

Another quick video using MuggyWeld to repair potmetal.......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utmgHTdlKBU

 

[Wildaugust]

Hey, thanks for the responses everyone.

That Muggy Weld looks like something that would work, especially if I find a damaged grille that I can cut fins out of. I can think of lots of other things I could use it on too.

If I use plastic to make some fins I'll use JB Weld to hold them in place. Maybe I can use chrome paint on them. Anyway, I'll see if I can save this grille.

Stan, I looked at what you had to go through to with your dash. I'm glad you were able to fix it. Some previous owners sure do some strange things. When I bought my truck, it had a sheet of metal welded between the bottom of both frame rails in front of the engine. The metal sheet was also welded to the bottom of the bumper, making it almost impossible to get at the front of the engine. The whole area from the bumper to the oil pan was blocked off. The idea must have been to keep grass, weeds and crops out of the fan belts. They had been using the truck on a farm. Later on, when I started doing disassembly for bodywork, I discovered that they had also welded the truck box to the frame! :urkidding:

 

[AAR65]

Alumiweld! Or nothing. They manufacture it the next town over. If you can solder, this stuff works magic on grilles.

 

[commando1]

Bookmarked!!!!

 

[mcmlvii]

I used Alumiweld to repair a stripped out threaded hole in an SU carb. It worked well and I was able to cut new threads in the new material. I'd think you can repair your grill with the stuff by bonding in small aluminum strips.

 

[68Bigred]

I used muggy weld and repaired some damage on my grill worked great. However I painted my grill silver so it's not chrome anymore. I like the look.