White230CE
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2009
- Messages
- 230
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Hertfordshire
- Your Mercedes
- 1989 W124 230CE
My hunger led me to scavenge!
I took the grille off my donor car and was going to substitute it as a whole, when I found a post (I'm sure it was here, but I could be wrong), that said you can replace the individual chrome strips on the plastic grid that comprises most of the grille. (These are -> shaped if you look end-on. However, you can't buy the -> shaped strips individually; you can only get -] shaped strips individually).
So, off with the spring clips and screws that secure the plastic grid to the frame, removed the grid, and pulled out the individual strips. Chose the best (that's relative!) to put into the grid. Made the mistake of not realising that they are of different lengths owing to the tapering shape of the grille frame (the plastic grid when off the frame doesn't taper, but you see the shortfall when you put it back in the frame), so had to re-do.
Anyway, when it came to putting the scavenged grille on, there is a rubber insert that goes between it and the bonnet. I got a new one from Merc (couldn't scavenge that bit!). The insert has a flat sticky side and a ridged other side. Didn't know which side goes on the bonnet and which side goes on the grille. The donor car had it one way; the cannibal had it the other! I ended up sticking the flat sticky side on the bonnet. I did this because the bonnet had a profile in the middle to guide me whereas the grille only had bolt holes. After doing this, when I came to fit the grille, I realised that maybe I should have put the sticky side on the grille, because the insert on the bonnet didn't quite follow the curve of the grille at its corners. Managed to make a reasonable adjustment after a bit of cursing and fiddling.
Did I put the insert the right way round?! and does it matter if I didn't?
Thanks.
Incidentally, as I am a novice, I initially found the spring clips to be a real pain to remove and fit. After various attempts, I found the best tool for it was a screwdriver-sized mini crowbar (exactly like a screwdriver, except with a crowbar tip). Suddenly, it became very easy!
I took the grille off my donor car and was going to substitute it as a whole, when I found a post (I'm sure it was here, but I could be wrong), that said you can replace the individual chrome strips on the plastic grid that comprises most of the grille. (These are -> shaped if you look end-on. However, you can't buy the -> shaped strips individually; you can only get -] shaped strips individually).
So, off with the spring clips and screws that secure the plastic grid to the frame, removed the grid, and pulled out the individual strips. Chose the best (that's relative!) to put into the grid. Made the mistake of not realising that they are of different lengths owing to the tapering shape of the grille frame (the plastic grid when off the frame doesn't taper, but you see the shortfall when you put it back in the frame), so had to re-do.
Anyway, when it came to putting the scavenged grille on, there is a rubber insert that goes between it and the bonnet. I got a new one from Merc (couldn't scavenge that bit!). The insert has a flat sticky side and a ridged other side. Didn't know which side goes on the bonnet and which side goes on the grille. The donor car had it one way; the cannibal had it the other! I ended up sticking the flat sticky side on the bonnet. I did this because the bonnet had a profile in the middle to guide me whereas the grille only had bolt holes. After doing this, when I came to fit the grille, I realised that maybe I should have put the sticky side on the grille, because the insert on the bonnet didn't quite follow the curve of the grille at its corners. Managed to make a reasonable adjustment after a bit of cursing and fiddling.
Did I put the insert the right way round?! and does it matter if I didn't?
Thanks.
Incidentally, as I am a novice, I initially found the spring clips to be a real pain to remove and fit. After various attempts, I found the best tool for it was a screwdriver-sized mini crowbar (exactly like a screwdriver, except with a crowbar tip). Suddenly, it became very easy!
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