FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Can anyone offer some tips or pointers or where to start when re-assembling the grille.

Mine in in pieces for chroming and polishing, and is ready to go back together.

I've read an FC handbook, but in reality, I'm finding it a harder task.

Any ideas from those who have been down this road ?

Cheers

Mark

From putting the FE grille back together, make sure you are in a good mood (seriously), lots of patience and don't force anything! You don't want to be braking threads off in your diecast!

also with an fc grille, make sure you put the bottom bar on first!, youll thank me later  8)

Thanks.....


Darcey...I'll do just that...but why.....please elaborate a bit.....I need more tips if possible !

Cheers

mark

if you try bolting everything else on first, you will find that the bottom bar wont go on. what you need to do is fit bottom bar, the sides, the bars then the 'upright' bars.

also all the grill bars are different lengths-this will be a pain

Excellent...now it's making more sense.....so let me get this right ( I'm slow I know ):

Fit bottom bar to frame first !

Then fit Left and Right Corners to the frame !

Then fit horizontal bars into the left and right corner bars, then the vertical teeth last !

I did notice the horizontal bars are different lengths / curves....any idea which goes where ??

Cheers

mark

if you want i can go put an old one together together with parts and let you know???

Now that's above and beyond the call of duty.

I don't expect you to rebuild a total grille, but would be handy to know which horizontal bar goes where.

If you can work that much out for us without to much messing around, then that would be great, and will just have to add another beverage to the growing list of ales that I'll be buying you in 08 !

Cheers

Mark

ok went out and had a play with a half complete grill

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/pro_058fc_350/blwnfcgrill.jpg)

i measured them by using a piece of string on the bar,
then putting it up against a tape measure. the first one you can tell by just looking, the middle/bottom are obveously slightly different, not only in length but in shape

just to be sure...

top grill bar:               94.5
middle:                       95.5
bottom:                      2 mm longer

Steady on...I said  " A " Beverage...not a bloody Keg !

Thanks for the pic and the effort you have gone to......an excellent example though, and just what I needed to know.

Thanks Heaps....now get outside and do some work on your car....I want to see that thing finished.

Cheers again

Mark

Thanks Torque and Stinky for your tips......THE GRILLE IS IN THE CAR !

Took me an hour or so to build the grille........I had to force things a bit, but I think you have to expect that when you use the frame off one car, the horizontals off another, and the teeth from another 2 cars.

I'm  not sure if there is much difference in 57/58/59 models, but some of the holes didn't exactly line up.

Also, some of the bolts in the back of it, aren't pretty to look at, as I had to use longer bolts to help pull the teeth back to the frame, but then that meant big spacers.

But at the end of the night, the grille is built...it won;t come apart....it's in the car....and it looks great !

For the first time in 4 years, the car is actually starting to look like an FC again.

It's amazing how much character the grille gives these cars.

I'll get some pics sent, but I'll wait til I've fitted the front bumper and headlight rims first, that way, the front end will be totally complete !

Cheers

Mark

Good stuff Mark!

I meant to reply to your post a little earlier - like before you fitted it all up. :o

I found that assembling my grille in the green car, that all the NOS pieces didn't really go together that well with a few gaps here and there.  What I did was to grind back small sections at the back of mainly the vertical pieces in order for them to sit exactly flush when installed and tightened up.   I did the same with the parklights to make them sit just right as well.
Maybe too late for you but might be usefull for others doing the same thing.

Ken

That's interesting Ken....goes to show that even buying NOS stuff....doesn't guarantee a perfect fit !

Thanks for the tip....like you say...a bit late for me but good for others.

This was one part of the rebuild I was dredding.   Heard all sorts of stories about putting the grille back into the car, stretching fenders away from the subframe, chipping paint ect.

In reality for me, the hardest job was building the grille.   Fitting it, took me all of about 30 seconds to sit it in place, and 5 minutes to bolt it in !

Cheers

Mark