348 hood grill replacement...HELP!!!

At the top of the hood on my 348 the black grill intake has become warped and white due to careless waxing. I bought a replacement ($38.00!!!!), but have no idea as to how to get underneath the bonnet and bolt it in. There is a plate riveted into place - so I have no access. Has anybody done this before?

 

Matthew: I looked at the Parts Book and at my car, and you do indeed have to drill out the rivets and remove the "air conveyor" plate before you can undo the nuts to remove the intake grille. It shouldn't be particularly difficult to do, just inconvenient. If you don't want to rivet the plate back in place, you can probably find screws that would work, just make sure they aren't too long and dimple the hood. Pop rivet tools aren't expensive at all, and the rivets are probably just pennies. You'll have to paint them black after installing. Good luck!

 

Matthew,
$38.00???? Wow, I am really shocked. Almost every 348 I have ever seen has the hood grill warped from sun damage. Where in the world did you
get it for 38 bucks? I just can't imagine that's the going rate from our
Italian friends.

 

I know! I got it from Ferrari of New England. I have no idea why it's only $38. Well I do know why - it's really nothing, but I was still shocked when I saw the price. I think Mark, the parts guy at FoNE, was also shocked.

 

Man - I wish it was easier. Thanks! I let you know how it goes.

 

Matthew, if you do decide to drill out and replace the rivets, you can blacken the rivets before installation. Just take some gun-bluing and put the steel (won't work on aluminum, SS or other non-ferrous metals) rivets in the liquid for a couple of minutes. You can also buy the metal blackening kit from Eastwood.