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Early Grille, what are they made from?

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1965_MGB

1965_MGB

Jedi Warrior
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I just got done putting another grille in my 65 B. The new one is heavy and two piece. The original is a single piece unit that is much lighter than the newer one.

I'm curious if the original is made of pot metal or aluminum? I have not plans on getting rid of the original. One day I may even send it off for restoration if it is worth doing.

I checked the grille with a magnet, and it does not stick.

Any ideas?
 
Original should've had each slat individually attached to the grille itself.
 
Stainless early (I think), then aluminum in the mid to late 60's, then stainless again as a factory replacement.

If the original center section is very thick material and one solid piece then it's aluminum.
 
The original is a single piece. The aftermarket one I just installed is a two piece, with the "teeth" riveted to the outer shell.
 
Attached are a couple of photos of the grille in my '64 B.
Is it original to the car?
I can't say for sure. I know the badge isn't because I got it from Moss.
The grille itself does match with the description of the very early (until late '64) grilles contained in Clausager's "Original MGB" book, with one notable exception. Clausager says the early grilles had 36 riveted vertical slats. I have counted the slats in the accompanying pics five times, and come up with 37 each time, which would seemingly indicate my grille is NOT original.
The grille shell is probably chromed brass and is non-magnetic. The slat assembly is all steel (magnetic), with the slats individually riveted to a frame.
The one-piece aluminum grille was introduced at car number 49502, and had 39 vertical slats.
The grille introduced on the '70 models is noted by Clausager to have 37 vertical bars, but was a much different grile than the one on the early cars.


P1010102.jpg
P1010103.jpg


There is an "originality" section on the site noted below, but it doesn't help a whole lot in this case, other than to demonstrate that the grilles pictured have 36 bars.

https://www.cibolas7.net/22801.html
 
Your grille looks like the one I just put in the car. The originals were one piece. Or that is the info that I have anyway. I didn't count the teeth in mine, but I think they are the same for both repro and OEM.
 
Ron,
If you get a chance, I would be interested in knowing how many bars are in the replacement grille you just installed.
My guess is that it has 37, vs 39 in the aluminum grille you removed.

According to Clausager, the second version, the one original to your '65 car, had a chrome surround, bolted inside of which was a stamped aluminum one-piece grille unit with 39 bars. This grille design apparently persisted through the '69 model year.

Earlier cars, pre-sn49502, had the same chrome surround inside of which was a 36-bar stainless steel grille with the bars individually riveted to a top and bottom stainless transverse bar. Essentially this is what is depicted in the pics I previously posted, except that my grille has 37 bars instead of 36, making it most likely an aftermarket replacement made suitable for both the 36 and 39-bar grilles.

This raises in intruiging possibility for concours judges.
Does this supposedly all-original l962 - 1964 MGB have the correct grille?
Look behind the center post of the badge mounting. If there is no bar behind it then it is an "original" 36-bar grille. If there is a bar directly behind it, then the grille is a non-OE replacement with at least 37 bars, or perhaps a grille from a later car with 39 bars. Much pursing of lips and shaking of heads should then ensue, followed by a massive points deduction for non-originality.
 
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