70redvert

What should I use to repair the broken tabs on a '70 Cutlass grill and some of the fins?

thanks

Olds64

One of our members in Germany used fiberglass to repair the grill inserts on his A body Cutlass. He posted recently, if you do a search on "restoration" I'm sure you will find the post. He said it turned out pretty good. You can't see the reapir unless you get close.

70Post

Much easier to use a good Super Glue type glue to tack the pieces back together (if there aren't gaps where it's been broken....ie missing pieces). Go to a hobby shop and find some of the thicker superglue. Make sure the breaks are clean from oil/dirt/etc.

Superglue will work fine but the stuff isn't great for something that gets stressed, etc. If you just "tack" the parts in place w/superglue then you can follow up with something like VersaChem 2 part glue FOR PLASTICS. Get it at O'Reilly's in the adhesive section back in the body shop/sandpaper supply area. MAKE SURE YOU GET THE STUFF THAT IS FOR "PLASTICS". They have a bunch of different versions but that's the one you need. It's packaged in a hanging card and it's a double black syringe looking container.

Fiberglass is very messy and mixing resin can be a pain...try the VersaChem stuff.

hamm36

I used "L" brackets, and "strait" brackets (were appropriate) with sheet mettle screws and sheet metal nuts, and a few mechene screws across the accross the top into sheet metal nuts. It worked out good for over 15 yrs, no one ever said anything.

Bobsw32

For years I tried every known glue I could purchase and NONE of them worked very well....Then I came across this stuff..............


When, after my daughter hit someone, (knocking out the entire grille set) and looking at repop grille-sets for a while, I stumbled onto a type of glue on the rack at NAPA . Plastic Welding System Napa #7652420. This stuff ROCKS!

The secret of its success is that not only is it an epoxy-type material, but it is a solvent-weld which fuses to most plastics, while ignoring stuff like coffee can lids. This aspect came in handy, allowing me to mix it on one. I built panels of material to replace the areas missing, while puzzle-fitting the pieces I still had.

You will need:

* The glue. And lots of it. I used at least a dozen tubes.
* Fiberglass mesh drywall tape. The kind that sticks on.
* A coffee can lid
* Scissors
* Knife
* Plastic (disposable) putty knives
* Clamps of several types
* Plastic box tape. The type UPS uses. The glue won’t stick to it either. Good for “backing up” your shapes while they harden

Olds64

This is good information. It is always a bummer to have a borken plastic panel, but there are some great idea here for repair.

70redvert

great info, thanks