Fitting a Hella grille

Post by **Carl** » 21 Nov 2005 12:32 am

I've been trying to fit the Hella lamp grille to my car today, but have had a few problems. It's all wired in and works fine, but the lugs on the bottom of the grille dont line up to the mounts on the car, they're about 1 cm out.

Not a huge issue - I'm going to make up some new ones, but I was expecting it to slot straight in. Anyone people in the Hella grille club have similar problems?

The grille is brand new BTW - both sets lugs are still on there, but both are too far inwards.

Post by **340GLT** » 21 Nov 2005 12:37 am

Yep you need some plastic brakets for that mate!! I have a couple if i can find them!!
Will look 2moro!!!
Cheers Adam

Post by **Chris_C** » 21 Nov 2005 01:51 am

I've never found a car they fitted on (well, seemingly they did fit some, as the one I sold to Pete had a pair snapped off) I've hooked mine up with an ali strip both sides, going between the lugs on the grill, and holes on the car. Seem to remember dremeling out the shape for both the lugs in the ali, so it just slots in, and bolting the strips to the car. Can't remember exactly, but it can't be too hard, I did it

I'll see if photos are possible tomorrow.

Post by **Carl** » 21 Nov 2005 06:56 pm

Stupid thing!

No worries about the brackets Adam - I'll bodge something together next weekend. Was planning to take the bumper off anyway, to check for rust, and waxoil if necessary so I can do it all at the same time! Can probably find a scrap bit of metal/plastic somewhere that will suffice!

I was just wondering if I had an odd car/grille, but sounds like they're all like it!

Post by **petefarrell360** » 21 Nov 2005 07:12 pm

Yeah, mine was a nightmare and a right PITA to fit! As Chris said, one side had no lugs from memory and the other had been originally used for a Mk2, so it was the wrong lug left out of the two orignally on the grille. So I did a very quick bodge, to see how I liked it and if I was going to keep it on the car and attach it properly. It involved MDF and metal brackets, yes MDF, which in theory should have swelled up with the moisture and split, but the brackets still there as good as the day I fitted them! I think they must all be a poor fit!
Pete

Post by **Tero Huikko** » 30 Nov 2005 05:37 pm

pre '85 car's grille have the lower studs closer to the car's center line. I had the same problem with my '90. Made an aluminium list below the grille with alu-studs...better than new. The list is attached with four bolts and nuts.

Post by **Carl** » 30 Nov 2005 06:08 pm

Ah, that would be the problem then. But it's all fitted now using some very crude mounts that I cut up from a length of dexion, mounted with some spare nuts/bolts I had hanging around. Not pretty if you looked close and peek through the grille, but does the job!

Post by **RandomHero** » 01 Dec 2005 12:54 pm

340GLT wrote:Yep you need some plastic brakets for that mate!! I have a couple if i can find them!!
Will look 2moro!!!
Cheers Adam

I'd like to know how they look like too. I have the same problem with the Hella grille on this moment.

Post by **340GLT** » 01 Dec 2005 02:04 pm

I had to use these on my grill as its from an earlier car!! I didnt notice until i had made the mesha grill and i wasnt gonna waste all my efoorts to make another!!!
I will sort out some pics Randomhero
Cheers Adam

Post by **redline** » 01 Dec 2005 02:16 pm

Carl wrote: Not pretty if you looked close and peek through the grille, but does the job!

Carl if they start looking to close just blind em with the high beam LOL

Post by **Chris_C** » 01 Dec 2005 04:51 pm

RandomHero, I just used two pieces of Aluminium 'fixing strip', a 10cm or so length about 2cm wide and 3mm think with holes drilled in thats sold in diy shops, then cut out the lug shaped holes to frop the grill into, and bolted the metal strips onto where the lugs should go on the car.

Post by **Carl** » 01 Dec 2005 05:53 pm

redline wrote: Carl if they start looking to close just blind em with the high beam LOL

LOL, I was actually thinking I could just run them over instead

Post by **RandomHero** » 01 Dec 2005 09:15 pm

Chris_C wrote: and bolted the metal strips onto where the lugs should go on the car.

Thanks for the answer, i had something like that in mind too. I'll have a look this weekend.

Post by MJ » 01 Dec 2005 09:38 pm

Looks like fitting a Hella grille is a Hella'va pain

ba boom ting

Sorry, I know it was lame

Post by **RandomHero** » 01 Dec 2005 10:31 pm

MJ wrote:Looks like fitting a Hella grille is a Hella'va pain

LOL