[Billy]

I would like to have my complete grille powder coated matte black. I have it almost completely apart but am wondering if I should break down the last two components (the chrome bars from the black grill).

I can see that the chrome bars are attached with posts that go through the black backing and appear to be melted. They look like they can be ground off and removed, but how would they be reattached? Or has anyone had them powder coated as one piece?

I want the whole assembly to be black, no chrome.
Thanks

 

[cougarrand]

Before you try to powder coat your grill you better do a search of this site "powder coat grill". You will find that you "will" be replacing your grills. They will warp and turn in to junk! You might be able to do it if you build a jig to keep them from warping.

 

[1969XR7Vert]

Hi Billy,

The posts are peened over and yes you have to grind them down to separate the pieces. I drill and tap the posts to an appropriate thread size and then use screws and washers with Loctite to reattach.

I am sure others will chime in with direct experience but check with your powder coat person about temperatures involved in the process. I have read lost of stories about "Regular" powder coating ruining (warping badly) pot metal grille pieces.

Regards,

Bob

 

[Billy]

Wow, OK I searched - I guess media blasting and paint will be the way to go (don't know how I missed that except that I would have searched "grille"). Thanks for the reassembly tip as well.
Mental note: "NO pot metal to powder coater"

You guys might have just saved me some grill parts (and anguish).

Glass, plastic, or soda media?

 

[doctordesoto]

p-coat works just fine if you make an angle iron frame to suppot it from sagging---no need to take the heat rivits out either---the same area ythat warps from use is the area that the heat affects---we used cardinal bk01 semigloss---they didn't have low temp powder at the time---we hung the grill with the bars face down and wiped the powder off the grill bar faces prior to going into the oven--no harsh mask lines---i would do it again in a minute if i had another cougar
doctordesoto

 

[67Catmando]

I have seen doctordesoto's cougar and his grille is excellent. So good, I took a few pictures with my phone.

 

[letsroll]

You can powder coat the grill work. Here is a write up I did a few days back:
I have gotten back most all my pieces from the powder coater. I need to buy some new windshield trim and get it coated and that will be the last. The exception will be the vent window frames and the side window wrap. I may figure a way to do that without dismantling. The other exception is the emblem on the right front headlight. The back piece is black but the cougar body will be chrome. The powder coater, Like New Parts in Pekin IL http://likenewparts.com/ has been great. He read a thread here about powder coating on the front headlight stuff and made a bracket to mount the pieces to prevent sag. He also took the front turn signals and rear back ups apart in such a way so that we could coat them and got that all back together. I will get some component pics this weekend.

So if you have a powder coater who is willing to work with you it is doable. Like New Parts went with minimum temp to still get good coverage and took the time to build a jig. I highly recommend them. he would be willing to work with shipping if you cannot find a good coater on your end. I was extremely happy with his prices. He kept the jigs in case the work he did on mine influenced some biz for him.

 

[428cougarguy]

I had a set of vinyl top moldings powder coated in black gloss. Dropped them off, and came back one week later. The modlings were melted into junk! And the shop owner was mad at me for not telling him they were made of pot metal. Huh? Mad at me. This guy was the idiot for not asking or telling me that he couldn't do pot metal coating, due to the high temperatures! Forget about trying to get my $$ back for the value of the moldings. I vowed to never recommend that place again, and it has since gone out of business.

 

[letsroll]

I had a set of vinyl top moldings powder coated in black gloss. Dropped them off, and came back one week later. The modlings were melted into junk! And the shop owner was mad at me for not telling him they were made of pot metal. Huh? Mad at me. This guy was the idiot for not asking or telling me that he couldn't do pot metal coating, due to the high temperatures! Forget about trying to get my $$ back for the value of the moldings. I vowed to never recommend that place again, and it has since gone out of business.

Bad news that. The guy I used knew all about the metals and what could and could not take the heat. He talked about some metals that emit gasses when heated up and needing to use a special primer sealer on that stuff to prevent pocking or blister looking stuff. I am really impressed with Like New Parts. Check his web page at http://likenewparts.com/ yeah I know seems like a commercial but when someone treats you good, you do same for them!

 

[Billy]

OK, I glass bead blasted the grill and components. I had the steel parts powder coated and I sprayed the pot metal parts with a 3 part, single stage black with flattener. I think they turned out fantastic. We'll see how they hold up (compared to powder coat). Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[ahunt191]

I had a set of vinyl top moldings powder coated in black gloss. Dropped them off, and came back one week later. The modlings were melted into junk! And the shop owner was mad at me for not telling him they were made of pot metal. Huh? Mad at me. This guy was the idiot for not asking or telling me that he couldn't do pot metal coating, due to the high temperatures! Forget about trying to get my $$ back for the value of the moldings. I vowed to never recommend that place again, and it has since gone out of business.

I wonder how hot his bake-out stage was. I didn't have any problem with my vinyl top trim.

http://www.classiccougarcommunity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9650#p9650

 

[Al Bundy]

---no need to take the heat rivits out either---doctordesoto

Any tips on how to recreate these for us concours guys?