What is this grill out of?

[Daniel Black]

Okay, so I work as a truck dismantler at a salvage yard. We usually deal in newer trucks(2000-up) but I noticed an old grill leaned up in a corner one day that looked like it would fit my '86 Ranger. My truck's never had a grill since I owned it and personally I liked it better without one than the standard Ranger grill with the offset blue oval. I like things to be symmetrical. This grill has no place for the Ford emblem. It did bolt right in but also has extra holes for mounting that my truck doesn't have. Also I had to saw off part of my hood latch so it would still work. It says FoMoCo on the back and the part # starts off with E2 for 1982. Did any other Fords use a Ranger/Bronco II style grill? Is it from some sort of special model? Any info would be greatly appreciated. I love the way it looks but it's a mystery and it bugs me not knowing when people ask about it.

 

[Mark_88]

Looks like a first gen ranger with the chrome plastic pulled off...there is usually a blue oval in there too but that seems to have been pulled off too...

Does it fit all around the lights or is it just the rad covering? Typically the original stuff is all one piece...not two pieces...until after the 88 model year then they changed to several pieces...

 

[Daniel Black]

It does go all the way around the headlights. I thought on most grills they were molded with a place for the oval that was glued on later, like the replacement grills in parts catalogs that don't come with the emblem. The weird part was the hood latch didn't have room to move to open the hood before I cut it off. A huge problem I didn't notice til a few days later when I wanted to top it off with oil and couldn't get the hood open. lol.

 

[Daniel Black]

I see what you're saying now about the chrome being removed. My buddy has a B2, I might see if I can pull his chrome part off.

 

[Mark_88]

That might work. Although I don't recall being able to separate them. I was actually thinking of doing that too because the plastic chrome was scratched and looked pretty bad...I ended up just painting it all blue at one point.

They were getting hard to find and I eventually chipped a corner around the lights...the replacements were really expensive (in Canada) and I had more important things to fix so I just accepted it as it was...lol.

 

[fangotango306]

if you can post or pm the rest of the part number I could probably trace its origin.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It doesn't look like how that is how it is supposed to look...

I have only had a plain black grille or the one with an argent center though.

 

[Daniel Black]

Thanks. It's supposed to be warm tomorrow. I'll pull the grill out and get the part number off of it when I get in from work.

 

[Shran]

Very interesting. I have had a whole bunch of first gen trucks and parts over the years and never seen a grill like that... they all have had an oval molded into the driver's side. Maybe it's a really early '83 grill?

 

[Daniel Black]

Okay, I pulled the grill back out. The part number is E27B-8150. The 2 is stamped upside down but it's definitely a 2 and not a 7. One thing I have been curious about, aren't most grills all plastic? A magnet will stick to this one on all the chrome parts and the leading edge of the black bars. Maybe some reinforcements?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Whatever you have going on, it is really fricking weird.

I did a quick yahoo search and found this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/E3TZ-8150-D...-8A405-A-FORD-GRILLE-EMBLEM-NOT-/161197685862

Mine is all plastic and one piece. Never seen one any other way before.

 

[librum]

I think I have your answer. There was a limited program for custom fire support vehicles in v6 Rangers, pre 89. The oval was bolted around the metal grill. And RED, not blue. In 89 the oval was back, molded into the plastic, but still red.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I think I have your answer. There was a limited program for custom fire support vehicles in v6 Rangers, pre 89. The oval was bolted around the metal grill. And RED, not blue. In 89 the oval was back, molded into the plastic, but still red.

The insert I linked has corresponding tabs to the grille in question and has provisions to bolt on an oval.

Cool trivia thing about the fire support vehicles though.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Moved to the exterior forum