FITTING THE @$#&@ MK1 GRILLE MOUSTACHE WHISKERS.... HELP!

[sandman]

Hi good people -long time no see!

Hope someone can help me out here....
I'm struggeling with fitting the "whisker ends" to the MK1 grille moustache... I cannot get the chrome moulding to fit over the stainless clips.... What it the preferred way to do this without scratching up even more paint??
Any secret tricks?

I've fitted the clips to the car first, but am starting to wonder if it might be better to fit the clips into the moulding first - and the fit the rivets from inside the wing... ?

Any suggestions and help is very welcomed!

[indigo]

I have scrapped the rivets.
First soldered a 1/8 pan head screw into the clip (screw head inside the clip).
Slid the clips into the whisker, and “adjusted” so that it would not pull out easily.
Fitted up to car using original 1/8 holes using nuts and washers from the rear.
Not original but works a treat.
Credit to someone else, not sure who.

[360gts]

Hi good people -long time no see!

Hope someone can help me out here....
I'm struggeling with fitting the "whisker ends" to the MK1 grille moustache... I cannot get the chrome moulding to fit over the stainless clips.... What it the preferred way to do this without scratching up even more paint??
Any secret tricks?

I've fitted the clips to the car first, but am starting to wonder if it might be better to fit the clips into the moulding first - and the fit the rivets from inside the wing... ?

Any suggestions and help is very welcomed!

I gave up on trying to make the original application work.
The grille surround tends to warp the ends upwards after being re-chromed.
I used Marks' suggestion....two matric cap screws with the head filed down on two sides so that they slide into the moustache ends. They won't spin when trying to do up the nuts.
You need to enlarge the holes slightly......works well.
I put some mastic over the screw ends inside the lower wing.
Yes, as a purist I know it isn't original but it does solve the problem and prevents unnecessary scratches....

[Peter Laidler]

You could go one better. Use Mk1's suggestion (see GTS 360 Dermot - above) and use brass BA screws (4 BA as I recall) , suitably filed to shape as suggested, washers and nuts. No corrosion either.

If you want some to try, just ask me

[1071bob]

Make some stainless steel plates and braze or solder some M3 s/steel bolts in the centre, slid the plates into the trim and fit to car.

[Peter Laidler]

A stroke of pure genius from 1071Bob.

I don't know why you're not marketing them Bob. Trouble free, simple and rust free too

[rogerotto66s]

I also had problems.
I did rivet the clip to the body and then tried to slide the whisker onto the two clips.
No luck.
I assumed the whisker was bent so I ordered a second whisker.
Same problem.

Then someone told me to hold the whisker onto the bottom of the clips and apply pressure to snap the top part of the whisker over the top part of the clip. It did require a lot of pressure but it did go on.

[Peter Laidler]

Such a good idea, I used a smaller 4BA thread version to retain the stainless bezel to the instrument bezel. Worked a treat

[gs.davies]

Make some stainless steel plates and braze or solder some M3 s/steel bolts in the centre, slid the plates into the trim and fit to car.

I like this idea - this is another job I've eventually got to tackle on my car but I'm no metalworker.

Is this something that can be achieved with a propane torch? Or would this work?

- Cut the stainless plates to size
- Thread them
- Wind in a length of screw with the head cut off
- Secure with loctite
- Nip up from behind the front panel with a spring washer and more loctite

?

[Peter Laidler]

If you can't get to braze temperature - or even silver solder, you can use brass plates, drill through and soft-solder the screw in from behind. Then file off the excess screw head until the plate and screw as per brainy Bobs idea.

[Allen Brzeczek]

I did much the same but using brass screws and washers. Soft soldered the screws into the washers, the diameter of the washers exceeded the width of the channel so filed flats on opposing sides such that they slid relatively freely into position as required - used brass nuts and washers to fit to body'