Vantage grille help please?

[NealCS]

Someone has gently reversed a towbar into my (8 bar) grille - it has only damaged the middle two bars particularly the fifth one down which is slightly bent now and tends to ping forwards at one end.

Has anyone tried straightening/rechroming these, or does anyone know a source for the fifth, and maybe fourth bar?

I think it is the 'bright finish' bar - anyone able to confirm?

Thanks all.

[mikey k]

They are polished aluminium rather than chrome
They can be deconstructed to try straightening it
That said it may have snapped the vertical plastic support hence the misalignment
Does it move back further than the others?
If so the support is broken
AFAIK it is not a part AM will sell seperately

[Big Ry]

I had the same issue on mine last year and I tried to straighten the thing out but I didn't get anywhere. As soon as you think one part is ok, another slat seems to pop out.
As Mikey said, I wasn't able to buy a single slat, it was a new grill.

Have a look on eBay, and if you do need a new one then get a 6 slat

[NealCS]

mikey k said:

They are polished aluminium rather than chrome
They can be deconstructed to try straightening it
That said it may have snapped the vertical plastic support hence the misalignment
Does it move back further than the others?
If so the support is broken
AFAIK it is not a part AM will sell seperately

THANKS for useful advice Mikey - I'd assumed that rust was ferrous metal showing through but it must have come from the towbar - I took the bars off and spent an hour bending and then polishing out the scrapes with a Dremel, and it all fits back together perfectly. Supports are intact.

I'd still buy a fifth- bar if anyone had one knocking around but it looks pretty perfect again now.

[avinalarf]

Great job,well done,looks good as new.

[hashluck]

avinalarf said:

Great job,well done,looks good as new.

+1

[mikey k]

Good job!

[john ryan]

I had same problem. Removed three slats, and put a small saw cut in the back at the base of the crease so that the front edge would bend back. Not noticeable after a polish (except to me!)

[NealCS]

john ryan said:

...put a small saw cut in the back at the base of the crease so that the front edge would bend

Thanks all, and smart idea John - in my case I had a friend stand on one end while I gently bent it back in shape then hammered the kinks out between two sheets of hardboard!