Quote:

---

Quick test for the right stuff at a junk yard, burn a small piece, ABS should make a deep orange flame, light on fire as opposed to self extinguishing, and make allot of thick black smoke.

---

Hahaha... how in samhell did you come up with that idea???

Thanks for the invaluable info!

Quote:

---

Hahaha... how in samhell did you come up with that idea???

---

Well, spending 20 years in the plastics injection molding and thermoforming industry doesn't hurt

Quote:

---

If you KNOW the piece you want to repair is truly ABS, you can simply go to Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and buy some ABS glue in the plumbing dept. It is the BLACK (as opposed to purple or clear type)type used to fuse ABS drain and waste plumbing pipe at the joints by plumbers. It WILL fuse ABS back together.

---

Quote:

---

Please tell more about the acetone method...Makes your own gap-filling glue?

---

Quote:

---

This is not how I repair grilles but it's a good DIY method I've used.

Start with 100% pure Acetone, buy a gallon. MEK will work as well but IMO Acetone works fine and is safer to handle, either way wear gloves, either chemical can cause cancer and is easily absorbed through your skin.

Pour an ounce or so into a glass jar (small open mouth jar). Take a scrap grill and using something sharp, scrape off peelings (like pencil shavings size) into the jar of acetone. Put allot of shavings in, the acetone will gradually melt the plastic into a goo. Add enough plastic until the goo reaches toothpaste consistency. Once you have a good batch melted put the lid on the jar tightly and set it aside. Now, prep your grill as normal, V out cracks on both sides, etc. Use clamps near the joint to align the two sides flush and parallel. Smear on some plastic goo, leave it crowned up over the crack like a regular weld looks, let it cure overnight or longer until completely dry and hard. For the strongest welds do not sand the backside or in hidden areas, the added plastic makes the repair much stronger. Sand visible surfaces to flush the next day, or wait a couple days, as before just be sure the material has hardedend completely. Fill any pinholes with Bondo or JB Weld. The crack will practically disappear at this point, paint as normal.

You'll likely find that labor and experience are your biggest "expenses" and that the amount of time you invest will show in the results.

---

Quote:

---

Anything made of ABS will work. You can buy sheets of it at Home Depot,Hobby shops, etc. Most other makes from the same vintage used ABS as well, so you can cut up a Ford Granada Grill and use it if you want. Quick test for the right stuff at a junk yard, burn a small piece, ABS should make a deep orange flame, light on fire as opposed to self extinguishing, and make allot of thick black smoke.

---

Scott, I don't want to set my taillight on fire, can you tell me what the red plastic material is (don't think it's abs) and if it will work with the method you mentioned?

Quote:

---

I've used PC-7 to make stuff for my 71 Challenger grille, worked great.



Ryan

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Anything made of ABS will work. You can buy sheets of it at Home Depot,Hobby shops, etc. Most other makes from the same vintage used ABS as well, so you can cut up a Ford Granada Grill and use it if you want. Quick test for the right stuff at a junk yard, burn a small piece, ABS should make a deep orange flame, light on fire as opposed to self extinguishing, and make allot of thick black smoke.

---

Scott, I don't want to set my taillight on fire, can you tell me what the red plastic material is (don't think it's abs) and if it will work with the method you mentioned?

---