2006 Vantage vertical grille slats… plastic!

[PopsandBangs]

Hi all

Titivating my recently acquired Vantage and I’m trying to address the watermarks/ white deposits on the scruffy grille.

Taken it apart for a good polish and ceramic spray coating, and noticed that while the horizontal slats are metal, the verticals are scabby non-shiny plastic.

Anyone know that the original finish on these was? They are dull grey but I wonder if I should be spraying them chrome?

Any help much appreciated

[IainWhy]

I think you will find that the original finish was the aston approved "scabbius grey pasticus"

Mine look the same, as did my friends 5k mile car.

[PopsandBangs]

haha nice one. Cheers!

[LTP]

PopsandBangs said:

Hi all

Titivating my recently acquired Vantage and I’m trying to address the watermarks/ white deposits on the scruffy grille.

Taken it apart for a good polish and ceramic spray coating, and noticed that while the horizontal slats are metal, the verticals are scabby non-shiny plastic.

Anyone know that the original finish on these was? They are dull grey but I wonder if I should be spraying them chrome?

Any help much appreciated

They are, indeed, plastic mouldings. As are all of the uprights on VH Aston grilles in order to meet pedestrian impact requirements, which is why a modern Aston is one of the very few cars that still have metal grille slats.

As far as the vanes go, they were originally anodised aluminium. If you've rubbed them down and removed the anodised layer then they will be more prone to corrosion, especially where the spray coating chafes on the plastic uprights.

[sheepdip]

Good to see you have a full set. The pair that are second in that do not have any screw fastening can be easily lost. Even during washing they can become dislodged. I have had some spares 3D printed, but looking to re-design so that they cannot be pushed back.

[PopsandBangs]

LTP said:

They are, indeed, plastic mouldings. As are all of the uprights on VH Aston grilles in order to meet pedestrian impact requirements, which is why a modern Aston is one of the very few cars that still have metal grille slats.

As far as the vanes go, they were originally anodised aluminium. If you've rubbed them down and removed the anodised layer then they will be more prone to corrosion, especially where the spray coating chafes on the plastic uprights.

Thanks for this! Good to know…. I was very careful when polishing so hopefully will be ok!

[PopsandBangs]

sheepdip said:

Good to see you have a full set. The pair that are second in that do not have any screw fastening can be easily lost. Even during washing they can become dislodged. I have had some spares 3D printed, but looking to re-design so that they cannot be pushed back.

I’ve been thinking about the lightest of brushes with some superglue on the hidden sides of the loose uprights…. Looks like someone has done that before on them a while ago…. fingers crossed I won’t lose any!

[Toby Tram]

Mine had stone chips through the coating. I rubbed it down and found it to be sprayed, by evidence of the primer underneath.

I got a colour-matched paint, primed and sprayed the slats and just cleaned the uprights. Maybe I’m lucky but mine assembled nicely and now looks brand new.

Adi