'78-'79 OER Lower Grill Fit Question

[Z-28 Roadracer]

Got the new lower grill from Summit and tried installing it today. It appears that the grill was molded at a different angle than the front of my wife's '78 Z. Check out the pic. The right side is in position but the left side is quite a ways off. I considered heating it up with a heat gun but it has quite a bit of material to bend that much in that direction. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[CDesperado]

I would return it and get a new one. I think that's a problem with a mold or something. Mine isn't the all black Z version, but the fit is dang near perfect. Yours looks like the passenger side is 2 full inches from the mounting point.

If you heat it up, it will be very difficult not to distort it due to the honey comb. And if you damage it, you can't return it. Summit has a great return policy so I would try that first.

 

[KEVS79]

Agreed, mine fit alot better than that one...not perfect, but still better.

 

[Z-28 Roadracer]

I called for return but as I was being reassured that the OER piece is of the utmost quality blah, blah, blah... I started looking it over closely. The parting lines showed that it had deformed slightly from being straight after it was cast. I started flexing the grill while I was hearing the guy talk and, after bending it back the right way for a few minutes, it was pretty straight. I kept forming it for a few minutes and it's now on the car, fits fine.

I must have either been set in the wrong position when it was fresh or it was in a hot semi trailer and it just crept.

 

[typeomang]

have you tried bolting it on? It may draw it in. I could not tell from the pic if it was........1SG