[DeTomaso] Trouble Removing Wiper Grill

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/13/09 13 38 38, artstephens at charter.net writes:


>      It appears that the wiper grills have never been off of #2556,  so it
> looks like they have been there for 37 years!  I've already broken one using
> needle nose pliers,  (the way I have always removed them on #4268).  Any
> suggestions on how to get these off without doing any more damage?
> 

Those things are cheap pot metal, and fantastically expensive.   More than 
$300 each for the factory ones, last time I looked.   YOW!

The early cars use prongs on the grilles which engage metal clips which in 
turn are pressed through holes in tangs on the body.   Spray liberally with 
Liquid Wrench to try to free them up.   Then you're probably better off using a 
flat-blade screwdriver to carefully pry them out (taking appropriate measures to 
protect the paint of course, wrapping the screwdriver with a layer of 
electrical tape works).

Once you have the grilles out, remove the tangs and discard them, and replace 
them with friendly rubber grommets.   The ones I found that worked best were 
by Servalite, part RG-XD.   The SKU is 39008 434498 (quantity 10)

I found only one on-line source, doing a Google search; it is at an 
electronics store in San Rafael, CA:

http://www.electronicplus.com/content/ProductPage.asp?pagenum=2&lname=&
maincat=Ha&subcat=Hgr

I actually bought mine at my local Ace hardware store, but another Ace store 
in another town didn't carry Servalite products.

Mike


**************
New year...new news.  Be the first to know what is making 
headlines. (http://news.aol.com?ncid=emlcntusnews00000002)