Mesh Grille + Female Pheasant

[GI]

Oh dear. A recipe for disaster, if ever there was one.

I'm afraid to say that the rampant Dorset wildlife has managed to stove in the lower mesh grille on my V8S. It is still attached the top left but the rest of it has been bent back quite a lot. There are appears to be some kind of hard putty affixing mesh to the fibreglass: does anyone know what this is? Supplier?

Luckily there is no damage to the radiator or suspension (as far as I can tell). I hit the bird at about 60mph so I am amazed there is such minor damage - I honestly thought the lowermost bodywork would have been at least cracked, if not hanging off. I guess I may just have guillotined her head off - poor sod.

Re-affixing of the mesh: is this a job for me, or a job for a specialist?

Is it possible to get it looking like it was, or would it be better have a new grille? I know how difficult chicken coup mesh is to flatten. Is a new mesh expensive or can I do a DIY job? Is the mesh painted or coated in something?


Thanks for any advice.


Cheerio,

Graham

[WildfireS3]

I would take the oppurtunity to get some nice chromed mesh on to the car. IIRC it was fibreglassed in. Don't think it will be too much of a job to reaffix it.

[pstruck]

Graham, try getting in touch with 'v8esser' from here. He has the modified 'corvette' V8S.

Here's the write up on replacing the grille that he did... www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=11&h=0&t=85443

Would agree with wilfire. An ideal opportunity to get some nice woven stainless mesh in there (but you don't like that do you)!

Pete

>> Edited by pstruck on Monday 20th December 18:08

[GI]

Not sure I like the shiny mesh I've seen ... somewhere ... on a Chimaera maybe. Looks like one of those Hollywood stars with too-white teeth. Or like a spokes-Jaws for Colgate. Don't think it suits the car.

Black'll do me fine. I like a car that might gum you to death at any moment.

Fibreglassed in? Not too much of a job?

In the words of Manuel: "I know nuh-thing".

It does look like a kind of putty, like very hard grey PlayDough, that is stuck to the mesh.

[Pies]

how about using silaflex (sp)to fit the new grill in ?

[homerj]

Blimey, just how big are the Dorset pheasants then? I hit similarly described creature with no damage and left the feathers there as it looked like the car had eaten it (that'll be mature then).

Or was it the speed of the impact?

[Notanutter]

For this and other similar quickish and unmessy mends, try 'Milliput' (used for repairing T-pots and suchlike), it's a 2-part epoxy putty which sets hard as stone, sticks wonderfully to everything and can be smoothed nicely with a wet finger (mmmmm....), buy it in craft stores and - like Marmite - use sparingly.

P.S.: pheasants are big in Hampshire too (if you see what I mean) so watch out for them around Beaulieu on 28.12

[NickP_S2]

Putty type stuff is used to fix the ventilation intakes to the underside of the bonnet, one each side of the wire grill. Not sure what it is but it looked like filler....

[Colin Blues2]

You could use any of the above mentioned products or Davids P38 or P40 Isopron products available from Halfwits. They are a fibreglass filler and chopped matt in resin respectivley, the second will probably provide a more permanent result than the first.

[GI]

Thanks for the pointers, chaps.

Has anyone ever tried to repair a grille? Would it better to buy a new one (or create one from suitable DIY mesh)?

Is it the kind of thing you can buy ready-made?

I am anxious that it will be strong enough to withstand a similar impact in future, and so protect the radiator. Therefore, the DIY route may be a false-economy if ever the wildfowl make another attack.

[Pies]

You can buy the mesh from most autofactors just select the type you like,and cut to suit

[Colin Blues2]

DIY stores have a selection too.

[KentishS2]

Colin Blues2 said:

DIY stores have a selection too.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to check the cooling system for leaks following this incident?

Perhaps remove the caps and do a pressure test then re-fit the caps.

Now, which way around are they fitted, should the pressure cap be on the swirl or on the expnasion tank?

[GI]

I'm not being drawn into THAT conversation!

I like the way you say "wouldn't it be a good idea to check..." - it just trips off the keyboard without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking of two words: 'me?' and 'dunce'.

Seeing that there's no puddles of oil or water on the garage floor is about the limit of my knowledge of the cooling system. I do have a Bible and it WILL be consulted, then considered, then consulted again, then thrown on the fire.

>> Edited by GI on Tuesday 21st December 17:38

[oldred]

KentishS2 said:

Colin Blues2 said: DIY stores have a selection too. Wouldn't it be a good idea to check the cooling system for leaks following this incident? Perhaps remove the caps and do a pressure test then re-fit the caps. Now, which way around are they fitted, should the pressure cap be on the swirl or on the expnasion tank?

Kentish,
You mean you can't just put them on any way around! What is the recommended way? My sprung cap is on the swirlpot!