Grille Restoration

[k]

Got this in an email today.

They provide 113 Grille restorations too; was quoted $500 for starters (if in good cond).

Not bad considering new grilles go retail for $2100+

---------------------------------------------
                                     “MAXIM SL GRILLES”
                                            Bonita, CA, 619-733-5406
                                           maxim.slgrilles@cox.net
                  Specializing in reproduction grilles for the 190 SL 
•   The Grilles are made by skilled craftsman with over 20 years of experience as machinists, welders, polishers and platers.   
•   Each part is shaped, formed and carefully detailed from 18 gauge cold rolled sheet metal.
•   Every part is polished and carefully inspected before it is chrome plated, and then inspected again before shipping.
•   Each Grille is fitted to an original 190 SL body, but if a car has had front end damage, minor adjustments may have to be made to the car.
•   Grilles can be purchased with or without a new original “Star Assembly”. The star assembly is not sold separately. 
•   The old Star Assembly can be refurbished by “Maxim” at a reasonable price and installed in a new grille (blue picture) as shown below.
•   If you wish to keep your old grille, complete restoration is available for grilles and bumpers.
•   The chromed grille has a one year warranty against pitting or rust, 14 days exchange return policy if it arrives damaged or defective.
•   Shipping is paid for by the customer. Packing and insurance is included in the price
•   Payment is accepted by certified cashiers check, postal service money order or through our PayPal account.
•   Expect a response to your inquiry within 2-3 business days.
•   Please indicate if you are a parts retailer.
•   For more information and prices please email us your full name, country of origin, and a phone number.

                                                             Thank You

[scoot]

anyone else heard of these people?

[k]

only reason I posted, was many shops refuse to these as they are more trouble than worth...... from EPA regs to shipping damage.

Many shops are reverting to volume work of basic stamping & re-chrome

[JamesL]

http://www.groupharrington.com/shine/pagoda.asp

A real boys toys website....

[graphic66]

OT, check out the mini's, they look like a blast. http://www.groupharrington.com/junior_files/  . I kile the 300SL, of course, but the Jag and Jeep are pretty cool.

[Joe]

Looks like they're in England.

[dseretakis]

I'm not too thrilled about their payment options.  Certified check? Paypal? Talking about serious lack of trust.

Got this in an email today.

They provide 113 Grille restorations too; was quoted $500 for starters (if in good cond).

Not bad considering new grilles go retail for $2100+

---------------------------------------------
                                     “MAXIM SL GRILLES”
                                            Bonita, CA, 619-733-5406
                                           maxim.slgrilles@cox.net
                  Specializing in reproduction grilles for the 190 SL 
•   The Grilles are made by skilled craftsman with over 20 years of experience as machinists, welders, polishers and platers.   
•   Each part is shaped, formed and carefully detailed from 18 gauge cold rolled sheet metal.
•   Every part is polished and carefully inspected before it is chrome plated, and then inspected again before shipping.
•   Each Grille is fitted to an original 190 SL body, but if a car has had front end damage, minor adjustments may have to be made to the car.
•   Grilles can be purchased with or without a new original “Star Assembly”. The star assembly is not sold separately. 
•   The old Star Assembly can be refurbished by “Maxim” at a reasonable price and installed in a new grille (blue picture) as shown below.
•   If you wish to keep your old grille, complete restoration is available for grilles and bumpers.
•   The chromed grille has a one year warranty against pitting or rust, 14 days exchange return policy if it arrives damaged or defective.
•   Shipping is paid for by the customer. Packing and insurance is included in the price
•   Payment is accepted by certified cashiers check, postal service money order or through our PayPal account.
•   Expect a response to your inquiry within 2-3 business days.
•   Please indicate if you are a parts retailer.
•   For more information and prices please email us your full name, country of origin, and a phone number.

                                                             Thank You

[mdsalemi]

First, as to their payment options--obviously a small--very small operation if they don't take a credit card.  Jeez, even Dr. Benz (Dan Caron) has been taking them for years.  It's too easy as a vendor to get screwed, as it were, by unscrupulous buyers.  Let's leave it at that lest we open up a can of worms.  If you don't like the payment method seek another vendor.

Now onto the grille--the 190SL group and the restoration process of 190's is far more "tight" and organized than it is for 113's.  There are many fully restored 190's and a well known handful of experts on the car and their restoration.  People like Will Samples, Bruce Adams come immediately to mind.  A look-see on the 190SL forums I'm sure, and talking to people from the 190 group would find a few more.  Our own Dan Caron has done a lot of 190SL work too.

Armed with that information it will be pretty easy to determine the legitimacy of "Maxim SL Grilles"; to see who has used them and what the quality is.

Hopefully thelews will check in here as might Jim Villers; both of these Pagoda SL Group members and regular contributors are well known in the 190SL arena as well.

But what exactly do you mean by "grille" for the 113?  Do you mean the chrome-plated brass surround of the nose panel?  Or the chrome wings on either side of the star?  Or the black-painted aluminum louvered panels on either side?  Based on the price I think you mean the surround and let me tell you, from experience with this, you really need to fit the surround to your specific car...you don't hammer out a piece in California and ship it to who knows where and expect it fit, particularly repro parts.  If you want grill surrounds that don't fit there are plenty of them around, I think even K&K had some a while back, the product of a repro effort that resulted in less than stellar fit quality.

[dseretakis]

Sure will.

If you don't like the payment method seek another vendor.