Superaquarama Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 (edited) Always thought they were the same, but I see they have different part nos. Bit academic as they're NLA anyway new, so it's a case of either sourcing an excellent one or finding someone to properly straighten the existing - ours has a few minor dings and bends and then it could be re-anodised if successful. Anyone know of someone who could straighten out a grille ? Give the price of a good s/hand one (Just seen one go on eBay for almost £300 !) it may be worth getting an expert to sort the original - being ali, it's easily worked. Thanks, Anthony Edited August 6, 2014 by Superaquarama Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 Dimensionally they're the same but the 5 has black accents to the horizontal bars. I suppose it would be possible to mask up a 4a grille and apply the black bits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 They are different. This said 300 £ for a TR4A grille is nuts. Last year, I bought one original like new here-where-there-no-TR's for...80£ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 I have half a dozen of these in various states of dis-repair. I built a jig to hold them while I redo some of the welds. There are many problems to return these to bright-anodise. The real problem is that this process will exagerate any surface imperfections. I had one blast cleaned and will now straighten it. I'll go for the chrome paint I think. Not only is a 5 grille different, it has a lower bar without a handle-hole, there are two 4A variants with a slightly different profile to the bars. You always find cracks in these somewhere, if they have seen any high mileage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 An NOS un-used one will make £500-600 on ebay. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 That's why I keep ebay at bay Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harrytr5 Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 Hi Alan, I am having mine blasted the two stage powder coated. Bright on the leading edges and saturn black on the flats. Will view it by Monday or tomorrow if done.I am after a bottom rail to renovate another one I have which has a damaged bottom rail. Do you have a rail to sell me? Regards Harry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 (edited) Hi Harry, all my rails are TR4A ones. You messed one up I believe. Post a picture of what happened to it. I'd be interested who you are using for the painting. Edited August 6, 2014 by AlanT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Superaquarama Posted August 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 Thanks for the replies, everyone. Our car is in fact a 4A, I wondered if the starting handle hole might be the difference. Take your point about the anodising, Alan. It's not too desperate as is, but won't be as good as the rest of the car when finished. So if anyone has a good straight to spare I'd be interested. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 Apart from the painting of the bars I think there is also a difference in the corner edge of the bars. The 4A has a sharp square edge where as the 5 is slightly rounded (or was I dreaming) Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 (edited) Most of my 4A ones are rounded. I have a couple with the square edge. https://flic.kr/p/kxQbDz I think the 5 has the square edge but I ain't sure. Edited August 7, 2014 by AlanT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 both mine are rounded edges Quote Link to post Share on other sites
openroad Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 Hi Anthony, i have send you a pm re your grille, as i am taking one to Harrogate. The TR5 grill has the sharp square edge and no starter handle hole,and anodised facings with i think matt satin black paint. Hi Harry, i do have a deer mangled grille,but the bottom bar is a little twisted, i have been in contact with Alan T about possible finding a way to straighten the whole thing, rather than break it up ! Cheers, Conrad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 The sharp-edged 4A ones are a bit wider around the handle hole and less likely to crack. Also to top corners are more robust. But the welds are different and more likely to crack. Straigntening them is not the hard bit. Its doing it with no marks or ripples, that would be highlighted by electro-plate, thats the problem. If you are painting them you can correct such imperfections by filing, sanding or filling. Since a 5 grille is half painted already, the paint on the front of the bars, will be almost unoticeable I would think. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 My 4A grille has the sharp edge. Does that mean that there are sharp AND rounded edged 4A grilles.? Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 (edited) Exactly so Roger. There are two different manufacturers involved with slightly different techniques, materials etc. By the way I have this problem: https://flic.kr/p/mwqwKc You will all know what I have done about this, I expect: https://flic.kr/p/mwrMBL Edited August 7, 2014 by AlanT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 My memory says different extrusions used for the bars of TR4A to those on the TR250/5. Construction - had a full bottom rail/grille bar so no starter handle would go in. Plus of course the colouring of black. Cheers Peter W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 found this post dating 2009 which explains the edge bit. Roger, you must remember this... http://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/16994-tr4a-grille/?p=114859 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 From a repair point of view the rounded edge ones are a bit easier. You will find it harder to notice a bit of distortion. The sharp edge will accentuate this. But the two top-corners of these are really weak. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JPD Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 The grille on my 4A has rounded edges and with some cleaning up and a bit of welding it should be ok. Except that the 3 short rails above the drivers (RH) indicator are missing, Does anyone have any that they couild sell me from an otherwise scrap grille? Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Couple of pleasant hours experimenting with straightening techniques on these grilles today. This sharp-edge 4A grille had a small dent in the top rail and two major bends in the bottom rail but one. This is the top rail: before straightening, https://flic.kr/p/oD2gi9 after straightening, https://flic.kr/p/oD2g9b and the lower rail, you can see, was pushed back about 1/4in out of line: https://flic.kr/p/omKm7F https://flic.kr/p/oDePMV https://flic.kr/p/oD2g7C https://flic.kr/p/oBd5xd I used no special tools, or anything a normal owner would not have, or get easily. These are quite tough and this one took quite a bashing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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