Crooked Front Grilles

[Jay Laifman]

It always bothers me when the grilles on the cars are crooked - not lining up with the turn signals. I always figured it was lack of care by an owner or the sign of previous damage.

But, now that I've seen the pictures of the 1972 911s by Sumner (http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...September-1971), I see that perhaps some of these were from the factory:

[Greg D.]

Good eye... Over the years I have had 4 cars of "grille" vintage and neither of them had perfectly straight grilles, and I am pretty sure at least 3 of those were original factory fitments... One was on a NOS fender and that wasn't right either. In fact once you start looking, you spot it all over, the straight ones are almost the anomaly, or they have been restored by someone who took the time to make them fit ;-)

[Peanut]

Funny... I noticed that on these photos too. Part of the hand built charm

[Aldo]

Looks like the shop guy spotted it too... And has called in Mr Big

[Jay Laifman]

Ha! And he's not looking very happy about it. It's probably a picture looking for a caption: "Mr. Big is agonizing about having to ask Gunter to cut out yet another stein at morning break."

[classic]

And it's only made worse, by fitting the reproduction grills that are 5mm too short.

[Fishcop]

And it's only made worse, by fitting the reproduction grills that are 5mm too short.

When is someone going to do the grills properly again?!

[Aldo]

When is someone going to do the grills properly again?!

Doesn't Eric Linden make them?

[classic]

Eric makes SWB and LWB through the grill fog light ones only.

[Haasman]

I am glad someone is speaking to this. Yes, not all the grills were straight, correctly positioned from the factory, but it still drives me crazy. It must be my lurking OCD but I will spend time to get them right.

On a related topic, I've noticed that not all turn signals and their plastic lens (thinking fronts but also rears) fit all that well. Maybe another thread. The importance of course is the prevention of moisture getting into the housing and ultimately corroding.