Re: Vacation Car - 56 Patrician
Posted by HH56 On 2021/7/23 13:40:30
Quote:
You can but it is a bit tedious and requires some care. Carefully grind or file off the peened over part of the pot metal at the points where the screen attaches to the grill. Remove only enough to flatten the peen and allow the original wide attaching washer to slip off but still have some of the stub remaining so the washer can be replaced and will locate back in the same position. Remove the screen and carefully drill the center of the remaining stubs to accept a small and short sheet metal screw and washer. I think I used #4 round heads that were maybe 5/16-3/8 long with washers to fit their diameter so the small screw head would securely retain the larger original washer. Can't remember if I used any locktite but it probably would not hurt to add a bit for insurance.
After removing the screen, drilling and then and polishing the front surface and half inch or so that is chromed inside the front of the squares you can do some more tedious work and mask off the polished part of the grill in preparation for repainting the dull silver or aluminum paint that covers the rear 1 1/4 inch or so of the squares behind the chrome. Try to match the color with one of the several shades of silver wheel paint that some have recommended as being more durable and able to better withstand the constant air flow thru the grill than regular cans of spray paint.
The gold mesh screen is actually anodized aluminum and if yours is gold and will not polish out you might find a suitable wheel paint that comes close for a match. No idea when the change was made but several books said early cars had silver mesh which might have been a steel material and later cars switched to gold aluminum because Cadillac also used gold and it was a better or richer looking color combination.
You can see a fair representation of what I have described with the screws in this photo. I didn't count but there are probably a dozen or so attachment points on the upper part of the grill and a similar attaching arrangment in the bumper section.
Attach file:
IMG_2422.jpeg (149.07 KB)
I started to polish the grille trim and it is looking pretty damn good!! On the grill, it would be a lot easier to polish the mesh and everything else if I could remove the mesh. Is there a way to remove the mesh and reinstall it later?
You can but it is a bit tedious and requires some care. Carefully grind or file off the peened over part of the pot metal at the points where the screen attaches to the grill. Remove only enough to flatten the peen and allow the original wide attaching washer to slip off but still have some of the stub remaining so the washer can be replaced and will locate back in the same position. Remove the screen and carefully drill the center of the remaining stubs to accept a small and short sheet metal screw and washer. I think I used #4 round heads that were maybe 5/16-3/8 long with washers to fit their diameter so the small screw head would securely retain the larger original washer. Can't remember if I used any locktite but it probably would not hurt to add a bit for insurance.
After removing the screen, drilling and then and polishing the front surface and half inch or so that is chromed inside the front of the squares you can do some more tedious work and mask off the polished part of the grill in preparation for repainting the dull silver or aluminum paint that covers the rear 1 1/4 inch or so of the squares behind the chrome. Try to match the color with one of the several shades of silver wheel paint that some have recommended as being more durable and able to better withstand the constant air flow thru the grill than regular cans of spray paint.
The gold mesh screen is actually anodized aluminum and if yours is gold and will not polish out you might find a suitable wheel paint that comes close for a match. No idea when the change was made but several books said early cars had silver mesh which might have been a steel material and later cars switched to gold aluminum because Cadillac also used gold and it was a better or richer looking color combination.
You can see a fair representation of what I have described with the screws in this photo. I didn't count but there are probably a dozen or so attachment points on the upper part of the grill and a similar attaching arrangment in the bumper section.
Attach file:
IMG_2422.jpeg (149.07 KB)
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