Quality and availability of grille and headlamp bezels

[1969beepbeep]

Since ordering a Mopar Performance grille with headlamp bezels from Jegs in Nov 13 I have patiently received a few 1-2 week delays in shipping date until just recently learning that the new scheduled ship date is Jun 14. Ouch! I cancelled my order and am again searching the internet to buy a new grille. It appears that OER is now fabricating a grille and headlamp bezels for 1969 Roadrunners and several suppliers are stating that the grilles will be available for shipping in mid January. My research has found that grilles and headlamp bezels are being fabricated by the following manufacturers: Mopar Performance (P/N P5153416 grille with headlamp bezels), Dynacorn (P/N M6040 grille, M6041 headlamp bezel pair), and OER (P/N 2947007 grill, 2949246 RH bezel, 2949247 LH bezel). Does anyone know how these grilles compare in quality? Is the Dynacorn worth paying $100 more over OER? The best price for both Dynacorn and OER grilles appears to be Car Parts Discount. Has anyone purchased parts from Car Parts Discount? Any insight would be helpful. http://www.69roadrunner.net/mopar/images/smilies/banghead.gif

 

[4spd69RR]

Try Classic Industries!

 

[red 69 runner]

I got the OER and paid $400.00 thru BE/ A parts.opened the box and it was made in China.the fit is very good but we will see about the finish holding up.I am happy with it

 

[Budnicks]

I saw them part #RG69 69 Grill center & lft/rgt light bezels on Year Ones site too, IIRC $605, not cheap, I haven't used any either... they are discount exempt too

 

[mahoney0_00_3]

you can buy good used grills and head light doors used I put a used one my car and it looks good-your have to spend the time to polish it and clean and repaint it with ARGENT PAINT and semi-gloss black. don't buy china part for your car they are cheaper and hold up better-you can buy a factory part or something that will break ,china stuff is not the best!my buddy matt bought one and the grill cracked,the metal in 3 places 5 y/o.I gave him a grill that I had for 100. usd 50usd 4 2 head light doors-they are all 45 years old and look good they are all over ebay

 

[69hemibeep]

A few years ago there was only one manufacturer and a bunch of distributers, so unless that has changed get the best price.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

I have run into the same thing, I think somewhere some how they stopped making the bezels, I had an order in with Herb and 4 weeks later he says they are no longer being made. the grill is but not the bezels. got a used set from paladin over at 4bbodies A guy named tallhair has 3-4 sets he says and hemi 5.7 does restoration on them try there.

 

[tallhair]

Yes I have 3 or 4 grills and I'll have to check to see how many head light buckets. Also have a few filler panels. PM if interested.

Zach a.k.a. ' 5.7 hemi ' does amazing work. Check out the 69 RR grill he did here:

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...r-grille&p=909960638&viewfull=1#post909960638

 

[Big John]

Yes I have 3 or 4 grills and I'll have to check to see how many head light buckets. Also have a few filler panels. PM if interested.

Zach a.k.a. ' 5.7 hemi ' does amazing work. Check out the 69 RR grill he did here:

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...r-grille&p=909960638&viewfull=1#post909960638

I just looked at that and if he's not anodizing the aluminum when he's finished. It will look good for a little while, but the polished aluminum will oxidize and tarnish unless you do something to seal it like a clear coat. Anodizing isn't expensive like chrome is, so I don't understand why you would go through the hard part... straightening and polishing.... even paint it and then not bother with protecting the aluminum.

 

[tallhair]

I talked to him the other day about that and it has to do with the way he does it and "closing he pores" on the metal or something. Just PM him and he'd be happy to tell you more about it. He also told me he's willing to clear coat them but he did a 68 or 9 grill for his Dad 10 years ago and it still looks brand new w/o coatings. Not my business just passing along info.

 

[5.7 hemi]

I don't "clear" the polished area's cause I'm afraid it may yellow, peel, otherwise take a dump. Now when I did my first Super Stock conversion on my 64' b body about 6-7 years ago, I have only polished twice since. Some Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish, a few minutes and it's shiny again. Now, if somebody wants to have a clear over the polished aluminum, I will do it.

Since I have read a lot of people saying that the polish should be "cleared", I will look into getting the best stuff I can find. Also, the anodizing is only stripped from the area's that are to be polished, all other's are left with the anodizing on the grille.

By the way, I'm working on another one and it will go up for grabs when I'm finished.

 

[mahoney0_00_3]

if you polish up and nice used grill and h/l doors they look great and they are the oem part/use (never dull its good stuff and has a protection coating )polish and clean it with brake clean tape it up and paint it 3-4 light coats so the paint is dryer and it looks right and pull off wet ,let it dry and re polish it!I did my grille 10 years ago and I polish it 2 times a year.I do my whole car with it/crome that is

 

[Big John]

I don't "clear" the polished area's cause I'm afraid it may yellow, peel, otherwise take a dump. Now when I did my first Super Stock conversion on my 64' b body about 6-7 years ago, I have only polished twice since. Some Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish, a few minutes and it's shiny again. Now, if somebody wants to have a clear over the polished aluminum, I will do it.

Since I have read a lot of people saying that the polish should be "cleared", I will look into getting the best stuff I can find. Also, the anodizing is only stripped from the area's that are to be polished, all other's are left with the anodizing on the grille.

By the way, I'm working on another one and it will go up for grabs when I'm finished.

This subject came up on another forum and one of the guys has had his polished aluminum clear powdercoated. His cars are really nice, and he knows what he is doing.... So it sounds like very good advice to me if re-anodizing isn't an option.

 

[5.7 hemi]

pics

Here's what I've done so far. Waiting on the dark argent (textured) and working on the center grille.

 

[mahoney0_00_3]

its great how they come back ,with so little work.My gille and bezels are the ones that were on the car 33 years ago. outside and driven for years ,all year --some NEVER DULL and some paint and its perfect. wish the rest of the car faired so well!

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Hey Zach, one of my headlight bezels is scratched real bad on the inside were the textured argent goes, can that be fixed?

 

[5.7 hemi]

Yep. I have a can on the way and should be here today or Monday. It might be better to re-spray both bezels so they match....old paint vs. new.

 

[Basketcase]

I need to redo the argent on my bezels(PO removed it). where do you get your paint?

 

[5.7 hemi]

Totallyauto.com expensive, but right on the color and texture.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Pics...

The grille is painted black and polished, still waiting on the dark argent textured paint.