411 Grille question

Thomas591 · #1 (**permalink**) 21-09-21, 05:17 PM

On my 411 S5 the grille aperture does not match the outside of the grille Element. Please look at the attached picture. What am I missing…

Regards
Thomas

jalli · #2 (**permalink**) 21-09-21, 09:15 PM

i dont think you are missing anything. here is mine. not sue why you have a gap. the grill looks fine. the housing hole looks too big

Geoff Kingston · #3 (**permalink**) 23-09-21, 01:47 PM

Thomas,
The overall appearance should be the same as the photographs posted by Jalli though obviously you don't have the same centre bar as you have the pegasus and shield rather than the name plate, the inserts should not be splayed towards the centre and there shouldn't be a gap showing at the top and bottom. Your grill surround slopes towards the centre whereas at the top it should slope quite noticeably from the centre to the sides and ever so slightly the same at the bottom, I have just checked two chromed surrounds I have had for years one reputedly never fitted to a car one second hand and I am sure both would cover the gap.
To me it looks as though someone has made a mess of assembling the Grill and the surround, the spacers are clearly in the wrong position which has distorted the inserts and is probably also why the centre of the surround has been pulled together.
Geoff

Barrie · #4 (**permalink**) 23-09-21, 08:50 PM

It looks as though there’s been a minor shunt. Notice the top ring seems to indicate some bending and misalignment of the bonnet.
The mid and lower rings indicate that the frame top and bottom have been bent towards each other and could do with easing into a convex position rather than concave as they are at the moment. The frame will then fit into the aperture. Then you’ll need to straighten the internal struts so they match and are even.

In short I believe the aperture is correct but the centre of the horizontals of the frame insert have both been compressed.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Geoff Kingston · #5 (**permalink**) 23-09-21, 09:37 PM

Barrie,
A minor shunt makes more sense, I had thought the bonnet looked a bit odd but when you mentioned it I looked at some photos of my old 411 and the lower front edge was quite straight.
Geoff

Barrie · #6 (**permalink**) 23-09-21, 10:07 PM

Hi Geoff. Now that I look at the picture more closely I see that the bumper bar underneath each of the headlights is buckled upwards which may be a consequence of the centre of the bumper being pressed inwards. Whatever pressed it inwards then hit the grill and deformed it and front lip of the bonnet.
Barrie

Thomas591 · #7 (**permalink**) 25-09-21, 05:55 AM

Thanks everyone for their eagle eyed analysis! I can see some work is needed here.

Regards

Thomas