Repairing a plastic grill

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nearpar

nearpar

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Got a decent used plastic grill for my 72 Dart.
This grill has a couple of broken mounting points and a small crack on the bottom.i do have the broken tabs that I am looking to reattach. I was wondering what some of you may of successfully used to make these kind of repairs. I want to reattach the original tabs and repair the crack.

Thank for your help
 
I tried a good epoxy and it failed, but it was on the car and I left it unattended. I saw something shiny and went to work on it. I’m gonna try it again come summer. However I may just buy one of the new repop ones and be done.
 
I have had great results with https://www.permatex.com/products/adhesives-sealants/epoxies/permatex-black-plastic-welder/

Not only for reattaching broken parts, but even for building them completely from scratch.

Because it will not stick to some plastics, I discovered that plastic like margarine lids can be used to built small forms. Similar to a concrete wall, just on a much smaller scale.

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Round hole in a missing corner on a complex surface?

Again, no problem. A straw works as an inner form for the hole;



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JB Weld makes good stuff as well. I've used it on our 69 cuda grille and tail light lenses
 
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If you can find a parts grill that is busted all to pieces for dirt cheap, buy it! Then take plastic pieces from the same area you want to repair, and scrape shavings off of that piece into a cheap glass dish. Then add a little bit of Acetone to the shavings and mix it up till it makes a gooey paste. You can then apply that goop to the V'ed out crack, and dab it into the V. Let it dry and then carefully sand it down smooth. Use the same method to reattach your broken off tabs. If you do it right, it won't bust back loose. Experiment on some pieces of the parts grill if you find one.

I edited my post to read "Acetone" instead of Toluene, because Mtrhead jogged my memory and he is correct. I guess too much paint thinner made me remember the wrong paint thinner....lol.
 
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Acetone & shaved plastic mix and apply..will harden to good as new
 
I've heard that model glue for polystyrene works well.
 
If the breaks are in or have an area (such as underside) which is not visable, I have had great results with using fiberglass weave, drywall tape, etc. lay it down after the basic repair is done and 'flood' it with epoxy. allow to cure. sand. 50/50 Duco & Krazy glue works amazing without the heat that many epoxies throw off.
Often times an area that is busted will also show micro cracks around that broken area and is probably brittle to begin with. Renforcing it will make the repair last a long time.
If you need a parts 72 grill, lmk.
 
If its cracked and all the pieces are there and fit well together, just use MEK (Methyl Ethyl keytone) available at lowes in the paint department on a cut down acid brush on the cracked plastic. Just 1 drop will suck into the crack via capillary action. And will melt the plastic at the crack rebonding it together with it's own plastic. No V notching needed. It takes about a day to fully dry to handling, but you can clamp it together on the back side with a piece of sheetmetal and clamps till dry. I glued these shattered things back together with it. Missing pieces I used JB weld.

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moparmat2000 said:
If its cracked and all the pieces are there and fit well together, just use MEK (Methyl Ethyl keytone) available at lowes in the paint department on a cut down acid brush on the cracked plastic. Just 1 drop will suck into the crack via capillary action. And will melt the plastic at the crack rebonding it together with it's own plastic. No V notching needed. It takes about a day to fully dry to handling, but you can clamp it together on the back side with a piece of sheetmetal and clamps till dry. I glued these shattered things back together with it. Missing pieces I used JB weld.

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Wow Thank you that is amazing.
 
Thank you all for your repair experiences. I was debating about buying a beat up instrument panel to customize and paint non-stock. I'm going for it now.
 
Two different methods, 'welding' and bonding:
The chemicals best used for plastic welding depends on the plastic.
Some plastics can be welded with heat.
Some plastics can be bonded with adhesives (like epoxy) and some can't.

ABS is one of the more common plastics used for trim etc on cars.
More info in this thread
instrument cluster repair what glue to use
 
The F body Volare guys use MEK and parts of old grills for repairs. F grills are terrible to break. They have it done to a science. I have never done, it just read about their work. LIKE Mopar2000 says!!
 
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