June 2020

Whilst the radiator is off I look at the front towing loop options. I have not ordered one from the factory and decide it would be quicker to make one. With some 12mm Aluminium plate mounted on a a small rotary table I mill out the shape. I do not have large enough collets for the end mill I'm using so I'm being a bit naughty and gripping it in the 3 jaw chuck

Once the milling has been completed I mount it in a four jaw chuck and using a large hole saw I make an initial hole and then finish it with a boring bar.

Once complete I drill the mounting holes and polish it. I use wet and dry paper in progressively finer grades using WD40 as a lubricant, I then polish it with Aluminium polish.

To mount the loop I turn some spacers out of aluminium bar.

With the tow loop made I can now trim and fit the front grills. I start with the little side grills.

 I then make the cut out for the tow loop and fit the two large front grills

 Next I look at the small six grills that fit on the rear clip it seems that four have been pressed correctly and two have been pressed from the wrong side of the grill.

 These three pictures show the grills that have been formed in reverse so the pattern seen looking at the car is the backside of the mesh and would not match the other four grills in the rear clamshell nor the front and side grills.

Whilst these three pictures are what they should look like.

I email Ultima Sports and they can still supply these older grills, in fact they had some already on the shelf so turn around was quick.  I just need to get into the mood again for messing with that horrible black gunge.