In the days before plastic trim melted in the sun, stamped aluminum graced the front ends of many American cars, because it was cheaper and easier to manufacture than the chromed pot metal grilles it replaced. It was also more easily damaged. Ham-fisted mechanics, runaway grocery carts, inconveniently placed fence posts, garage doors, and other hazards are just a few of the natural and man-made forces that can wreak havoc on a car’s grille during its lifetime. Even the rare arrow-straight specimen that’s survived relatively unscathed has likely been diminished enough by time and weather that its surface is pitted and dull. But unlike side moldings and other exterior trim that are often shaved for a cleaner, custom look anyway, you can’t exactly get away with not having a grille on your car if you’re at all concerned about appearances.
Unfortunately, due to the complexity involved in manufacturing them, very few reproduction aluminum grilles are available from aftermarket sources, which is why prices for N.O.S. pieces can approach $1,000, and good repairable used cores command top dollar. So unless you can cough up the dough for N.O.S. (if you can even find it), you’re faced with the prospect of restoring the used grille you have or find at the junkyard.
Although some people may be content with simply getting the piece polished, aluminum that’s left in its natural state doesn’t have the correct look and won’t last long without oxidizing again. A true restoration includes having the polished grille reanodized to reproduce the correct appearance and provide a long-lasting finish. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth the cost if you want your car to stand tall. We brought our ’63 Ford Falcon’s well-worn grille to Ano-Brite for restoration because the company is one of the few commercial anodizers that’s equipped to replicate the original finish that was applied to OEM grilles at the factory. Follow along as we cover the process from stripping to dipping.