New grille needed for W124, what's my options?

[DriftworksJames]

I need a new grille for my car as the current one has a nice dent in it courtesy of a previous owner
What's my best option for a replacement? Eurocarparts or similar?
Are there a couple of different ones I can choose from? I've been noticing subtly different ones on similar cars, is there a good one I should go for?
thanks,
James

 

[stwat]

You could go for one of these mate

Avantgarde

 

[DriftworksJames]

now that looks like a very good idea. Just what I was after, cheers

 

[DriftworksJames]

has anyone got a picture of a W124 with this type of grille fitted and ideally clear front indicators?

 

[Howard]

Got a feeling that grille's for facelift cars only James......

mentions 08/93 to 07/95 (facelift years) .

Is yours a facelift, if not it may be a problem, Spike has a very nice Avantgarde grille on his pre facelift w124, but he made it himself. I have yet to see an 'off the shelf' pre facelift grille that looks half decent ....

i may be wrong.

H

 

[DriftworksJames]

cheers H, mine's an '88 model so I very much doubt it's the facelift
the search continues................

 

[Howard]

Let me know if you find a nice one as i would be interested if it doesn't look poo.

cheers.

 

[PJH]

See this thread from last April...Link :bannana:

 

[Howard]

Thats the one i was talking about earlier ,i got confused and said that Spike had made one when in fact it was Bloodmoon.

It is made from different parts of different models, i'm just not confident enough to order an insert , chop it up and then glue it to the old outer.

If it doesn't come out absolutely perfect, then i think we've all seen the cobbled together creations that tear round the town centres on a friday night, that's my worst nightmare to have a mod that doesn't look factory fitted.

I'll start practising with the evo-stick over the weekend ....

 

[Vlad]

Driftwork,

I would consider getting a replacement grille from a MB Breaker, such as Mercman or maybe off e-bay...there are normally some going pretty cheap.

I would then take out the grey plastic insert, remove the chrome strips that just push on, clean it, rub it down with some fine emery cloth, and then spray a good primer onto it (one that sticks to plastic) and then spray it a nice satin black and then refit the chrome strips

I did this on my old E280 to very good effect after seeing it done by various owners of W124's in the States. Really sets the car off a treat!

 

[DriftworksJames]

thanks Vlad, that sounds like a good plan
If I buy a new replacement one from EuroCarparts of something, will it be black or grey? Also, will it normally include the chrome metal surround cos I need that too....
thanks
James

 

[Vlad]

James,

I'm afraid I can't comment on Eurocar parts, however, the grille insert will be grey if purchased from a Merc dealer...They are relatively inexpensive as are the chrome trim strips.

 

[DriftworksJames]

ok, thanks again

 

[Apial]

Dronsfields sell the whole lot, ie chrome surround, insert and star for £25 + vat. 01457 871717.

 

[DriftworksJames]

now that's exactly what I needed
ordered one just now.
cheers Apial

 

[Vlad]

Heres a link to see a before and after shot of a grey grille which has then been sprayed black

Cheers

http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=86810

 

[Apial]

now that's exactly what I needed
ordered one just now.
cheers Apial

I hope you have fitted it by now. I fitted mine this morning, and was amazed at how good the quality was. I thought that it was new! It had to be at least 10 years old though. But then the whole car looks and feels like it was only about 2 years old anyway, and not the 13 it really is! Mercedes really knew how to build them back in '91.

I had to adjust the bonnet pull before closing it. This was because I was replacing a "Sport Grille" that was set closer to the engine. Failure to check the adjustment could mean a bonnet shut for good!
Here are the 2 grilles I mean: