Technical => Body/Appearance/Interior => Topic started by: CoogarXR on May 21, 2009, 03:57:16 PM
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: CoogarXR on May 21, 2009, 03:57:16 PM
That 85 XR-7 I bought has the metal grille on it's smashed-up header panel. The new header panel I got has a plastic grille. I noticed that on coolcats there is a mention of a metal grille being made for a short time. I just wonder how rare it is.
I used the metal grille just because I figure it's more durable.
How many of you have metal grilles? Plastic grilles?
CoogarXR
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: 86XR7project on May 21, 2009, 05:06:26 PM
I have one of each but the one that came on MY car was a metal one but its been painted jet black.
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: blknredcougar on May 21, 2009, 05:55:00 PM
what is the part no. I bet it starts with E6..... that would be a 86 part
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: 86XR7project on May 21, 2009, 06:13:46 PM
Pretty sure my metal Grille was on my 85 XR7 and not my 86 GS
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: Haystack on May 21, 2009, 07:06:12 PM
two 86's, both were plastic. I pulled one off an 84 tbird and had it on there for a little while, and I think I remember it being metal.
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: Ifixyawata on May 21, 2009, 07:12:17 PM
I've never seen a metal grille.... hmm.
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: EricCoolCats on May 21, 2009, 08:55:45 PM
There was a p/n for 1985 and 1986. The last character in the part number is different:
The reason behind the metal grille was that Ford contracted a vendor to create it from zinc. Other than the fact that it won't rust easily, and probably takes chrome plating easier than plastic, I really never found a compelling reason to have a metal grille. It's certainly much heavier, thereby adding weight to the car. Then again, it probably withstands a front end impact a little better.
I've talked to people that have had both as OEM, from both model years. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to which cars got what.
Here's a snippet from an article I found online a few years ago (can't find it now, thankfully I saved it as a PDF):
Quote
10% rise in zinc use forecast American Metal Market, Jan 25, 1984
LAS VEGAS--Zinc usage in the United States in 1984 will increase about 10 percent, with consumption at 925,000 to 950,000 tons, and world zind demand will increase by the second quarter of the year at the latest, according to R. William Rosenquest, vice- president of marketing at the New Jersey Zinc Co., Palmerton, Pa.
...With autos and home building improving, Rosenquest projected a "good year for the die casting industry." He also pointed out that the 1985 Mercury Cougar "will sport a zinc die cast grille weighing 4 3/4 pounds. He stressed this is the first application of a zinc grille in a decade and "gives us hope for an expansion of die casting for other parts."
He also cited the Bureau of the mint's production of about 40-million to 50-million copper-coated zinc pennies a day. "This translates into 140 tons of zinc per day" and about 50,000 tons a year, Rosenquest said.
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: mercury-man on May 21, 2009, 09:39:17 PM
Our Grille is Metal:
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: BCA on May 22, 2009, 10:09:54 AM
FWIW, my cars grill is metal.
Brent
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: CoogarXR on May 22, 2009, 10:21:43 AM
Well, poop! I was hoping metal grills were rare.
CoogarXR
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: blu84302 on May 22, 2009, 07:29:43 PM
I never new of the metal grills. Thanks for posting this.
Title: 1985 Metal Grille vs Plastic Grille
Post by: Thunder Chicken on May 22, 2009, 07:52:25 PM
My grill is... well... I don't have a grill. Nevermind :D
My 85's grill was metal, though. I know that because I broke it when I ran into a Saturn salesman backing his car out of his parking spot (accident #2 in my "3 in 3 days" series) :hick: