How to repair/refurbish grill and headlight surrounds?

-
Bronze Barracuda

Bronze Barracuda

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2019
Messages
369
Reaction score
120
Location
Vancouver
Does anyone have any experience or ideas on how to repair the trim around the grill inserts and headlight surrounds of a 1967/68/69 Barracuda?
The previous owner screwed sheet metal screws through the headlight surrounds and one screw through one of the grill surrounds.
I am not sure if they are pot metal or stainless??
I was thinking turning my welder to lowest setting and filling in the holes then grind/sand, polish paint the black areas with what looks to be a flat black? Or maybe solder??
I want to repair them good enough for a daily driver Like maybe a 6-7 out of ten. (I know it's subjective what I might rate a 6 others might rate a 5, 4 or 7) Here are some pictures.
Any thoughts or help greatly appreciated.

PXL_20220914_020550981.jpg


PXL_20220914_020540824.jpg


PXL_20220914_020537038.jpg


PXL_20220914_020525815.jpg


PXL_20220914_020513347.jpg
 
They are aluminum and very thin. It takes a skilled welder and a tig welder to weld on trim like that. The rest can be done with special form tools, a trim hammer, bean or sand bag and alot of patience. Search YouTube for trim repair.
 
I would use a paintable epoxy to fill the holes. That would not work if the holes are in a non painted - polished location.
For those I would try that aluminum welding rod that melts with a propane torch.
 
ch1ll said:
They are aluminum and very thin. It takes a skilled welder and a tig welder to weld on trim like that. The rest can be done with special form tools, a trim hammer, bean or sand bag and alot of patience. Search YouTube for trim repair.
Click to expand...
ok thanks ill check out aluminum trim repair.
 
my68barracuda said:
I would use a paintable epoxy to fill the holes. That would not work if the holes are in a non painted - polished location.
For those I would try that aluminum welding rod that melts with a propane torch.
Click to expand...
I guess there is a good use for those melting rods after all. Good idea with the epoxy on the paintable parts.
 
Not sure, but you may have to remove the anodizing from the area you are welding.
 
Issue with any aluminum welding is that the spots you weld will always be different in color than the rest unless you get them reannodized.
 
Mtrhead said:
Brite work anodizing is $$$
Click to expand...
That must depend upon where you are.
Here in Indy I work with a company called ‘Industrial Anodizing’.
For the rear trunk trim and the two door steps on the 68 Barracuda to strip the existing anodizing so I could polish the parts them to re-anodize it was around $100.00
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top