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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Fitting a frogeye grill

I tried "dry assembling" my Frogeye grill to check the fit before painting. It fits, in as much as the little pegs on the back of the grill all align with their respective holes. But it doesn't lie particularly flat and neat onto the body. The grill is an original (not an aftermarket copy) but has been rechromed.

I can try a bit of gently bending by hand to improve the match, though I don't want to crack the chrome. Its a bit annoying as I had already done this before it was sent for chromng but it appears that the process has altered the shape a bit - flattening the curve of the lattice grill part.

But the question - when I eventually fit it I will use the proper spring steel clips that push onto the spires - whatever they are called. This should pull the grill onto the body but is that all one does? Won't the grill chafe and rub on the paintwork if not positively clamped to it? I don't recall ever seeing and sort of gasket(rubber) used between it and the body. Am I missing something?
GuyW

Guy,

My guess is that when the clips are properly seated, the grill should remain flush against the bonnet. I don't believe that the grill ever had any kind of backing between itself and the bonnet.
Martin

That's correct,the spring clips alone hold the grille flush. But if you have an aftermarket one like me - or one that has changed shape after plating it will still only fit where it touches,and the clips will be unlikely to pull it flush.I did try a small flip seal once but it looked funny and did nothing to disguise the gapping. Like you I have an original grille and by contrast fits absolutely perfectly.
Although there will be an elastic limit I would imagine much persuasion to correct the grille shape now will induce stress marks in the chrome.
,
f pollock

Furgus, the odd thing is that before I sent it for rechroming I trial fitted it and made some adjustments for a reasonably close fit. Clearly the chroming has altered it, either some sort of changes in the stresses in the metal when in the baths. Or more likely, it has been handled roughly and pushed too firmly against polishing wheels.
GuyW

Sounds about right.The bath temperature is about 150 degrees F, so unlikely to deform the shape. An enthusiastic polisher will be pushing the grille against its natural curve,thus flattening the profile and crown,so he'd really need a reference checking fixture before it was put in the bath.
f pollock

When I had mine re chromed it didn't fit flush any more. I tried pulling into line by putting a thread on the pins and bolting it to the bonnet but it ws only a limited success. To avoid chafing the paint work I fitted a clear plastic liner at the rear of the grille although once securely fixed there was not any movement.
Bob Beaumont

Hi Guy,
After having mine re-chromed and a repaint I found the pins were slightly too big for the clips. I used a rubber grommets to hold the grille in place and so far so good. I bought a grommet set from Toolstation and used the very smallest ones. Hope this help. Mike
M S Pope

The solution is obvious.
Polish the back of it enthusiastically, Guy.
Nick and Cherry Scoop

Mine is an aftermarket one from Moss. The chrome fell off soon after it went out of warranty, so I had it rechromed. Yes it was flatter after that. Bending it back into shape was accompanied by tiny noises, but it has been OK for 7 years now. Still not a great fit, and I have squeezed silicone behind it to keep the dirt out. It will have to do. The obvious ploy is to test fit it after all the polishing, but before plating.

Les
L B Rose

True Les, though mine got polished both before and after plating!
GuyW

Resurrecting this thread as I have resprayed the bonnet and I'm now refitting the grille. I have broken or lost most of the clips, so bought some generic ones, but they are thicker than the originals and nearly impossible to push on. When they do go on, they deform and don't stay tight. The pegs on the grille have slightly wider ends so they widen the hole in the clip, which then won't contract to grip the peg. I am about to buy new clips, but the AH Spares ones for example look exactly like the generic ones and I am not sure they will work. The originals are thinner and springy, the generics are thicker and stiff. So where did you guys buy clips that work?

This isn't helped at all by the grille being a poor fit, but I should have moaned about that when I bought it.

Les
L B Rose

Les, I think some people have threaded the grille spigots and then secured it with nuts and washers. I'm intending to try that - I think Guy and Bob have done this so will hopefully be along with more information.
Bill Bretherton

Yes, that's what I have done - at Bob's suggestion. The spires are pretty delicate and on mine they were of different thicknesses, possibly due to different amounts of build up in the chroming process. In the end I have used a combination of small nylocs on some threaded spires, and spring clips on others.

The main problem with mine has been getting it to fit closely to the bonnet. The upper 'eyebrow" section seems to have deformed during its chroming process. I had checked it against the then unpainted bonnet before sending it away and it fitted well. I think that when polishing the chrome he had held it at either end and pressed too hard against a buffing wheel, heating and bending it in the process.
GuyW

Yes I threaded mine M3. The spire clips supplied by AH, Moss and the like don't fit too well. The Grille sadly fits where it touches despite this :(
Bob Beaumont

Are the spire clips from the usual suppliers the rectangular type? If so, might Starlock fasteners be better? They are available in a wide range of sizes and strengths - see https://www.bakfin.com/starlocks/imperial-roundshaft/

You can buy them elsewhere, of course, but this page shows the full range.

Jonathan Severn

My Frogeye grill looks a bit different now I have fitted it.

GuyW

Winter sunshine brings out amphibians

GuyW

I had not thought of starlocks - good idea. Meanwhile I made some rectangular clips from a bit of thin stainless steel, actually cannibalised from a defunct garden light. The 3 pegs around the heater intake defeat me - how do people get these on? I did think about threading the pegs but I don't have the right die. I'll try the starlocks and if that's too difficult I'll invest in the die.

Les
L B Rose

It can be done with long needle pliers and the rectanular spring clips but it is a bit of a game! I threaded those and made it easier with a socket and long extension
Bob Beaumont

And aperture to keep the front end down at high speeds, or for head up, pedestalled, water temp gauge.
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 05/01/2019 and 19/11/2020

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