Hi, I have decided to get to changing the cowl grill with a different mesh. Sadly after a lot of help from a board member the shipping for the original cowl mesh just wasnt viable.
Anyway I took it apart last night to be met with a wonderful ingenious method of application.
Now my question is this:
How do I get rid of the PO workmanship?
Contrary to how the pictures look, I do not believe that it is indeed what it looks like, ie dog poop and hay, but I think its actually Fiberglas.
Any thoughts on how to remove this endearing piece of customization?
PO Had Cowl grill issues???
- toplessexpat
- Posts: 1183
- Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:29 am
- Your car is a: 1976 Spider 1800
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: PO Had Cowl grill issues???
Do you want to keep the original wire or not? If not, then it looks brittle enough to pull / sand away. If you do, then have you tried alcohol? Methylated Spirits / White Spirit / Ethanol should dissolve the glues and it'll just come away. The mesh itself looks like something you could get from Home Depot...
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- Posts: 1833
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:45 pm
- Your car is a: 1975 Spider
- Location: clermont fl
Re: PO Had Cowl grill issues???
the original cowl grill is a plastic piece, actually 2 of them clipped together, if you need anything im sure someone here has it as do i
Automotive Service Technology Instructor (34 year Fiat mechanic)
75 spider , 6 Lancia Scorpions, 2018 Abarth Spider, 500X wifes, 500L 3 82 Zagatos. 82 spider 34k original miles, 83 pininfarina, 8 fiat spider parts cars
son has 78 spider
75 spider , 6 Lancia Scorpions, 2018 Abarth Spider, 500X wifes, 500L 3 82 Zagatos. 82 spider 34k original miles, 83 pininfarina, 8 fiat spider parts cars
son has 78 spider
- toplessexpat
- Posts: 1183
- Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:29 am
- Your car is a: 1976 Spider 1800
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: PO Had Cowl grill issues???
... an excellent point - I meant the "original from the PO"BEEK wrote:the original cowl grill is a plastic piece
Re: PO Had Cowl grill issues???
Hi all. I couldn't get back on the Forum yesterday. I stupidly changed my email and password. Which deactivated my account. It's now all good again.
I ended up literally chiseling the previous, lets call it adhesive off then made a template with cardboard. Test fitted for size made minor adjustments for the washer jets and wiper spindles. Then cut the mesh I had. I do not have the original piece. Then reassembled. IMHO it looks infinitely better than what adorned it before.
Then removed the front grill. Cleaned and painted. Re-installed.
Pictures to follow.
Ian
I ended up literally chiseling the previous, lets call it adhesive off then made a template with cardboard. Test fitted for size made minor adjustments for the washer jets and wiper spindles. Then cut the mesh I had. I do not have the original piece. Then reassembled. IMHO it looks infinitely better than what adorned it before.
Then removed the front grill. Cleaned and painted. Re-installed.
Pictures to follow.
Ian
Re: PO Had Cowl grill issues???
The New Cowl Grill. in the rain.
The Front grill painted.
The Front grill painted.
Re: PO Had Cowl grill issues???
Hi Toplessexpat,toplessexpat wrote:Do you want to keep the original wire or not? If not, then it looks brittle enough to pull / sand away. If you do, then have you tried alcohol? Methylated Spirits / White Spirit / Ethanol should dissolve the glues and it'll just come away. The mesh itself looks like something you could get from Home Depot...
I did indeed try try your suggestion of alcohol, Methylated Spirits, White Spirit, Ethanol. But to be honest it wasn't as helpful as I had hoped, I just kept falling down, I couldn't see the grill, and when I accidentally did find the grill - I simply couldn't focus on it. After drinking that lot I had triple vision.
- toplessexpat
- Posts: 1183
- Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:29 am
- Your car is a: 1976 Spider 1800
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: PO Had Cowl grill issues???
LunaticTaskbar wrote:Hi Toplessexpat,toplessexpat wrote:Do you want to keep the original wire or not? If not, then it looks brittle enough to pull / sand away. If you do, then have you tried alcohol? Methylated Spirits / White Spirit / Ethanol should dissolve the glues and it'll just come away. The mesh itself looks like something you could get from Home Depot...
I did indeed try try your suggestion of alcohol, Methylated Spirits, White Spirit, Ethanol. But to be honest it wasn't as helpful as I had hoped, I just kept falling down, I couldn't see the grill, and when I accidentally did find the grill - I simply couldn't focus on it. After drinking that lot I had triple vision.
Love it! Suggest next time not imbibing