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MussEd



Member Since: 20 Feb 2013
Location: East Lothian
Posts: 354

Scotland 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Baltic Blue
Grill surround trim - screw holes?
My project to give my front end a face lift continues at almost glacial pace. Various bits wending their way slowly to my door and as I wait patiently for every courier van to gingerly inch up my frozen street I got to thinking about the six screw holes on either side of the front surround panel.

I’ve seen people spray the fir tree clips that are used to fill in the screw holes and others mention filling them and painting over. Was just wondering what I would use to fill these in? My bodywork prep skills/knowledge aren’t at the level of others on here so please forgive me if it’s an obvious question...search function hasn’t help me in this regard may I add...
Post #884868 12th Feb 2021 12:12am
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Sulisuli



Member Since: 30 Oct 2016
Location: South west
Posts: 4795

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
following with interest Thumbs Up 2015 HT XS 90
2008 SVX 90
2000 XS TD5 90
Post #884883 12th Feb 2021 8:22am
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L90Andy



Member Since: 29 May 2014
Location: Stratford-Upon-Avon
Posts: 717

United Kingdom 1997 Defender 90 300 Tdi ST Nato Green
I've recently filled old light guard holes by bonding on small patched of aluminium (old sill panel!) behind the hole with JB Weld. Then with a wet finger I smooth over the bit that squeezes through, sand down once dry and jobs a good'un. Can post pics if needed. Instagram: l90andy

2006 Land Rover 90 TD5 CSW Silver Edition

My 1984 Ninety: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56071.html - SOLD!
My 2015 Defender: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic39625.html - SOLD!
Post #884885 12th Feb 2021 8:39am
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dorsetsmith



Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: South West
Posts: 4554

Embarassed Embarassed wrong post

Last edited by dorsetsmith on 12th Feb 2021 11:45am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #884889 12th Feb 2021 8:56am
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hank



Member Since: 12 Sep 2016
Location: South Wales
Posts: 2294

Wales 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
The bodyshop who did mine look to have splodged some filler through the hole. Has held up fine for 18 months now


Click image to enlarge
 > 110 XS Double Cab
Post #884891 12th Feb 2021 8:59am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17351

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
L90Andy wrote:
I've recently filled old light guard holes by bonding on small patched of aluminium (old sill panel!) behind the hole with JB Weld. Then with a wet finger I smooth over the bit that squeezes through, sand down once dry and jobs a good'un. Can post pics if needed.


This ^^.

I have patched many unwanted holes of various sizes in LR bodywork over the years by the following method:

  1. Roughen the back surface slightly with some medium emery or wet and dry
  2. Feather the edges of the hole on the face of the panel so that they are not sharp
  3. Cut a patch of thin aluminium (or piece of a scrap panel if you have one) to fit comfortably over the hole on the rear and roughen the patch in the same way as step 1.
  4. Bond the patch over the hole. Traditionally I have used a well-known two-part epoxy for this, using moderate heat from a hot-air gun to make the epoxy runny and to make it cure to touch in a matter of minutes.
  5. Once the epoxy has fully cured, sand the surface and fill with filler as required.
  6. Finally sand smooth and paint just as you would for any body repair.

This method is quicker than it sounds and has served me well, and there are places on my S1s where I can remember filling holes but can only see them from the back now. There may be better adhesives now of course, possibly a bespoke panel adhesive (although I suspect that these remain slightly flexible which you wouldn't want), although some of my repairs are over 40 years old and the Araldite is still as good as new.

I have exactly the same job to do as the OP on a grille panel, I want to fill the holes so that I can fit a genuine SIII V8 grille to it, it's been on the "to do" list for at least 5 years now!


Last edited by blackwolf on 12th Feb 2021 12:32pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #884901 12th Feb 2021 9:32am
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MussEd



Member Since: 20 Feb 2013
Location: East Lothian
Posts: 354

Scotland 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Baltic Blue
^^^That sounds just the job. Thanks
Post #884937 12th Feb 2021 11:06am
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Oldowner



Member Since: 26 Dec 2018
Location: South west
Posts: 618

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Aintree Green
The proper way to fix holes - this one was bimetallic rot from the inside from the tub stay. Five minute job if you have the know how.


Click image to enlarge
Post #885390 14th Feb 2021 12:49am
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nitram17



Member Since: 08 Jun 2014
Location: newcastle
Posts: 2261

?????
Post #885391 14th Feb 2021 1:25am
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3671

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
Oldowner wrote:
The proper way to fix holes - this one was bimetallic rot from the inside from the tub stay. Five minute job if you have the know how.


Click image to enlarge


Pretty sure the holes in question are on a plastic panel aren’t they?
Post #885413 14th Feb 2021 8:11am
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gcc130



Member Since: 05 Jun 2015
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 735

Yes, genuine panel is fibreglass I think.
Post #885418 14th Feb 2021 8:37am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17351

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Not sure about the bulbous a/c panel (polymer, I think), but the non-a/c panel is alloy.

^^^ Not everyone has a TIG welder!
Post #885427 14th Feb 2021 9:20am
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2141

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
Puma AC surround is plastic and I simply got the bodyshop to fill and colour match mine.....



Click image to enlarge
Post #885445 14th Feb 2021 10:28am
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