Grill trim fasteners

[RickB]

Here's a heads up.
If you are tempted to order the grill trim fasteners from Moss - save your time and money. (a buck each!!!)

What I got were small black plastic bits that slide (with persuasion) into the grill trim. They have a 'pin' on one side and a larger compression type nub on the other, theoretically designed to pop into the hole in your grill.

So, obviously the pin on the one side is superfluous and has to be removed. Ok, not a problem it snaps right off.
Trouble is the nub breaks when you press it through the hole.

So - I got two to fit and left them in the center and then used #6 x 3/4 machine scews with nuts for the other 8 points. The head of the #6 screw fits the channel of the trim piece very well.

Picture in a moment.

 

[RickB]

Here you go, first the fastener and next the grille with the trim piece attached.
I found this NOS trim about 6 months ago, but just got around to putting it on today.
Did I mention it was sunny here this weekend :laugh:
( well - sunny for the Northwest in March anyway, means I only got a little wet :wink: )

Doesn't look very good with this hot fill flash - hey its dark out there!!

 

[Jim_Gruber]

I just went to the hardware store and they have a threaded push on clip that you can use real screws on. Look in a real hardware store not one of the Big Box Stores.

 

[RickB]

I have a fully stocked True Value store across the street from my home. I'm not familiar with the fasteners you mention, could you post a picture?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

These clips are spring steel clips with a threaded insert. They simply slip over the "tang" that comes off of the grille.

They are shaped like this, have a threaded insert and it slips over the grile tab, tang whatever you want to call it, spring pressure holds in place. No more trying to get your hand in there. Don't have camera handy this AM to send pics,

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[Jim_Gruber]

Just poke around in the specialty fasteners at True Value in the Nuts and Bolts section of those parts boxes and you'll find them.

 

[RickB]

Thanks Jim,
Are we talking about the same part of the grille?
I'm talking about that center part that attaches to the front of the grille, made of stainless, forms a big kind of oval around the badge? The underside is formed as a channel that accepts a fastener that slides into it.
Maybe I'm just not picturing the fastener you are talking about.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

On the grille there are 6 stainless steel tabs, 4 on top and 2 on bottom that are fastened with screws. 4 go across the top of the front panel assembly. and 2 from underneath the front panel. The C-Clips just slip around the end of the tabs and provide a threaded insert that aq screw can bolt to. Grille is inserted and tabs tuck under the front panel. There are 4 screw holes in the front edge of the top panel.

 

[RickB]

Ah - yes I have those clips already - bought at my True Value store. Those are not the fastening places I am talking about - that's handled nicely using the same fasteners you are talking about.

The ones I'm talking about are the ones that fasten the (sort of) circular oval piece to the front of the grille. Its just the decorative piece that is stuck on the grille in the picture above. It has a channel that a fastener fits into that has a pin that goes through little holes in the face of the grille. This is where I used machine screws fitted into the channels and through the holes with a nut on the back side. There are 8 of these, not counting the center where I actually got the fasteners from Moss to work 'ok'.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Oh I see, Hey I own a Sprite. No sissy extra grille piece for us Sprite guys. We keep it simple. How about some super glue, J-B Weld, fire up the MIG Welder. Gotta be an easier although not a Concours way to do it.

 

[RickB]

heheheh... Frankie is anything but Concourse...

Unless they judge by fun alone! :laugh:

 

[Bob73RWA]

Rick,

I think the fastener is designed to go in the hole and then the part that sticks out is pushed through the part in the hole to hold it in place. It worked for me, but you have to be careful pushing the the large part through the hole as you discovered!

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Now that would be fun. Use the concours judging criteria to see who could get the LOWEST score!

 

[RickB]

There are some real monsters out there, my car wouldn't have a chance at either end. But it sure is fun to drive!!

 

[RickB]

Rick,

I think the fastener is designed to go in the hole and then the part that sticks out is pushed through the part in the hole to hold it in place. It worked for me, but you have to be careful pushing the the large part through the hole as you discovered!

Yeah - it's brittle and the little 'fingers' are easily damaged.
I like a nice machine screw & nut, gives a feeling of stability.
So how are you supposed to push the little part through the bigger part? It's molded plastic. Break the little part off and try to shove it into the bigger part? I can't see how that would work very well since the act of pushing the bigger round part through a hole that it is designed to fit into usually breaks off one or more of it's little fingers.
Maybe if you pushed it through the hole then melted it in place. :wink:

 

[mk2sprite]

HI Rick
Wow, I was just getting ready to order those clips Moss 455-330 for the 70 GT, the only other one that uses that setup. You need 12 for that one. I was curious as when I tried to remove the ones that were left on my grill they just crumbled apart. I will see if your idea works on the BGT as the back of that grille is way narrow, don't know if a nut will fit in there. Glad I saw your post.
Mike

 

[RickB]

The things are just way too much trouble IMHO.
I have that same (type of) trim piece on my 70BGT - I have no doubt you will be able to find something better at the hardware store.
There are those clips meant to be speed nuts, some of those might be the right size to fit in the channel then you could get the right size machine screw and putting the screw in from the backside of the grill fasten it that way.
Just another thought I had about how to make this work.
Rick