Got my 71 Charger hidden headlight grille cleaned up.

[chargervert]

I cleaned up the grille for one of my 71 Charger projects. Other than some pitting on the grille and headlight doors. It looks good. It's hard to find these with no pitting, especially here in New England. I did the grille surrounds in black instead of argent because the grille is going in a yellow Charger and the bumper is going to be body color.

 

[chargervert]

I am going to do this 72 hidden headlight grille next. The drivers side inner grill has a piece broken out of it. If anyone has a drivers side inner grill that they want to sell let me know.

 

[440 PHIXX]

That looks great!

 

[chargervert]

It came out pretty decent compared to what it looked like before. Gonna look great in my yellow Charger. The rear bumper is body colored, so I am going to blast and paint the front bumper to match and add the hidden headlight grille.

 

[Bee1971]

I was talking with Jimmy Boros about this on Facebook a tad

He said it would literally cost thousands to have these grills rechromed and then painted , fixing all the pits in the pot metal etc.

I have to talk with him more on cleaning up the surfaces without scratching the surface chrome for repaint on my original

Damn bugs , then you start cleaning and eventually all the black starts to fade away over 50 years

What did you use to sand or clean before repaint ?

 

[chargervert]

I used a screwdriver that fits between the lines on the grille and headlight doors to scrape off the flaking chrome where there were pits,then I painted the black and used lacquer thinner to clean the black paint off the chrome lines. I hand sanded the grille surrounds where they were painted argent and painted them black because the car is yellow. I have no doubt to rechrome this grille would cost a minimum of 3 grand. The car is going to be a driver, I can't see spending that kind of money on anything but a trailer queen. The grill is a ten or fifteen footer. I already have $1400 in the grille now!

 

[T2R9]

Looks good!

 

[QOTHL]

Got any photos of the broken piece?

 

[chargervert]

Yes it's a 72 drivers side grille section. The grille piece,not the headlight door. It's the one one the left.

 

[howard s martin]

Is that a GY3 (Citron Yella) Bee

 

[chargervert]

Is that a GY3 (Citron Yella) Bee

I bought already painted.I think it's FY1 Top Banana.

 

[Outlawd]

That's going to look great in the yellow Charger!

These grilles are getting very hard to find. I also needed 71 pieces I couldn't find so I ended up putting a 72 setup in my 71 charger, painted the surround black also, it's just a daily driver but turned out good.

 

[JG71B]

Nice! I like the Argent with the slight texture myself but that will look good on yellow. Here is my original 71. I just washed with hot water and went for it lol

 

[chargervert]

That's going to look great in the yellow Charger!View attachment 1265634 View attachment 1265635 These grilles are getting very hard to find. I also needed 71 pieces I couldn't find so I ended up putting a 72 setup in my 71 charger, painted the surround black also, it's just a daily driver but turned out good.

The blacked out grille really pops with the orange! Came out great!

 

[chargervert]

Nice! I like the Argent with the slight texture myself but that will look good on yellow. Here is my original 71. I just washed with hot water and went for it lol
View attachment 1265960 View attachment 1265961 View attachment 1265962

I have a nicer grille done in argent for my 71 Charger R/T. That car is EV2 Hemi orange. I just started blocking the car for paint.

 

[dicksmidlac]

I just finished redoing my 72 hideaway setup.Instead of argent I went with a graphite colour on the surrounds and Center.Then blacked out the mesh parts.

 

[chargervert]

It came out great! Nice work!

 

[howard s martin]

Just retired and this will be my next project. been setting since 1977-- 1971 super bee GY3 (Citron Yella)--my first car!

 

[pioneer61]

This must be the month for this project. Finished mine last week. Wiping down every little rib with lacquer thinner after painting with semi-gloss black was tedious. Personally i prefer it all black.

 

[howard s martin]

Anyone have a 71 right side grill for sell like this--thanks (this is left side)