Radiator shroud repair, what works? Glue? Custom mix or ?
#2408277
11/24/17 03:31 PM
11/24/17 03:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 29,650 Hamtramck, PA
Alaskan_TA
OP
Fluffy Balladeer
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OP
Fluffy Balladeer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 29,650
Hamtramck, PA
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I have a near perfect 1970 26" radiator shroud with one damaged mounting point & a larger, perfect broken donor part for the same section. What type of glue / bonding agent have you used that works with this type of plastic? Thanks!
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Re: Radiator shroud repair, what works? Glue? Custom mix or ?
[Re: Alaskan_TA]
#2408400
11/24/17 08:56 PM
11/24/17 08:56 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 42,714 Spokane Washington
ScottSmith_Harms
Mr Wizzard
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Mr Wizzard
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 42,714
Spokane Washington
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It's made of a Polyethylene blend (grills are ABS, an entirely different material with different properties). Problem is that the Polyethylene/Polypropylene family of plastics are very "slick" and HIGHLY chemical resistant (they make containers for acids, paint stripper, etc. from a similar material due this fact). So, it's rather like gluing a broken candle together, glues, fiberglass and such don't adhere to it well, they just sit on top and eventually peel off. Therefore, pretty much impossible to "glue it" with anything. When they make repairs to large industrial containers they use heat and weld it together but this leaves visual melted plastic scaring which don't look good on our car parts. If you have light scratches or cosmetic imperfections you can use plastic epoxies as a filler and finish paint the shroud black with SEMS interior paint and get a nice finish, but as you know, O.E. correct is bare plastic.
.02
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Re: Radiator shroud repair, what works? Glue? Custom mix or ?
[Re: Alaskan_TA]
#2409385
11/26/17 11:58 PM
11/26/17 11:58 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,691 MO
cdp
master
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master
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,691
MO
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Re: Radiator shroud repair, what works? Glue? Custom mix or ?
[Re: ScottSmith_Harms]
#2409515
11/27/17 10:46 AM
11/27/17 10:46 AM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,916 new berlin wisconsin
Mr T2U
master
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master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,916
new berlin wisconsin
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Mr T2U shows the proper way to bond PP materials. The cosmetic detailing to hide the weld will be the trickiest part. if the person doing the repair knows what he is doing it's a 30min undetectable repair. both ridges are still present on the shroud so the repair is easy. i do bumper repairs like this a LOT at work. if you use the welding rod i have listed the weld will be the same color as the shroud. just take a SMOOTH piece of metal, the foil tape wrinkles when you use it as a backer filling holes and embeds itself in the weld. put the metal on the front side and attach securely. fill the hole with rod from the back side and smooth the weld with the iron. after the weld is cool pull the metal from the weld. the surface should be smooth. just a little detail sanding and quick paint blend and you are done. the sanding will be the same as filling it with adhesive. the biggest problem will be the repair area will look to good compared to the rest of the shroud.
perception is 90% of reality
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