599 HGTE Front Grill Refurb

[puckrup]

I have a few areas of paint bubbling on HGTE grill, if removed there is white aluminium oxide powder underneath. It is relatively simple to sandpaper back to bare metal with 180, 320, 800, 1200 grit wet and dry to reveal smooth ALU surface. Difficulty is how to mask stainless steel inserts that run horizontally and vertically on the slats.

Has anyone attempted this as a DIY project or can recommend a UK bodyshop that would undertake this restoration?

[F355GTS]

Quite a few of my stainless slats fell out along the way, can they not be easily removed for refurb of the main grill and then rebonded?

[puckrup]

They look pretty well bonded or pressed in, not for the moving. I reckon I could pry out the vertical strips but unlikely to get the 2 horizontal bars out without kinking