Black grill [E3TB-8150-AA] - NOS [shelf wear]

[1986F150Six]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133993972273?epid=1749199248&hash=item1f32a9c231:g:k3MAAOSw2G5h4NRs

[66gtk]

This is curious.  I wonder what the proper OEM application for this grill end emblem is?  Mexican Explorer?

[Rembrant]

66gtk wrote

This is curious.  I wonder what the proper OEM application for this grill end emblem is?  Mexican Explorer?

I can't answer the question, but it looks just like the grill I bought for my '84 F150. It was a NOS piece still in the Ford box. There is a local guy here that worked in the body shop of a Ford dealer for 40 years, and he has a barn full of used and NOS Ford parts that he sells. I don't know if I'd call mine black, it seemed like more of a charcoal color up close, but it was an actual Ford part. Unfortunately I didn't save the part number.

[Gary Lewis]

I'm a little late to the party, but regardless of what the part says about the part number being "E3TB-8150-AA", that is not a part number in the Master Parts Catalog.

In fact, "E3TB" as a prefix and "AA" as a suffix are surefire tipoffs that the number is an ID #.

Here's the sum total of the entries for a grille in the MPC.  And you can see that there's no E3TB nor AA.  However, I'd bet that if I cross referenced ID# E3TB 8150-AA it would come up as part number E3TZ 8150-D.  And yes, that would be for a Bronco II or the little Ranger.

[66gtk]

[mat in tn]

that is awesome! plain and simple. looks like 70s style but I don't care.

[salans7]

Gary Lewis wrote

  However, I'd bet that if I cross referenced ID# E3TB 8150-AA it would come up as part number E3TZ 8150-D.  And yes, that would be for a Bronco II or the little Ranger.

I'd have to disagree for a few reasons. One, we both know the MPC omits ALOT. Two, if you look at an 83-88 Bronco II/Ranger grille, you can tell this isn't it. Three, if you look at subsection 8200, you can tell that this grille is most likely E3TZ-8200-H, based off of the color alone.

[Gary Lewis]

I'll bet you are right, Shaun.  Which means I'm wrong.

I'll cross reference it in the morning.

[LARIAT 85]

That grille was used for the 1982/1983 "XLS" model, which replaced the 1980/1981 "Freewheeling" model.

The XLS package included unique XLS striping and blackout treatment on pretty much everything that was chrome on other trucks, including the grille, mirrors, door handles, bumpers, side window surround, and all chrome exterior trim.

[Rembrant]

I know the XLS trucks and Bronco's had the completely black grills, but I thought the dark charcoal grills were a Bronco thing.

From the 82-84 Brochures:






I know the Bronco on the left is an XLS, but the one on the right isn't.

[Gary Lewis]

The 1985 cross reference says that ID# E3TB 8150-AA is PN E3TZ 8150-E.  So my version of the MPC has this comment added:




HOWEVER, the illustration portion of the MPC shows the name plate location on the R & B trucks to be as shown in Shaun's post, as shown below.  So I'm very .

[salans7]

Gary, the only thing I can think of is that maybe this grille is from South America, and maybe the way parts are ID'd there is different than in the US. It does say "Hecho en Mexico" on the grille, so could be a possibility. Rangers and Bronco II's weren't available in South America until the mid 90s, which also supports this theory.

[Gary Lewis]

Maybe so.  It sure is confusing!

[Rembrant]

By the way, if you search on that number, it brings up all kinds of other grills with the same number, so I'd say this is just a regular old Bullnose grill for the North American market.

Even this Ebay auction, which actually shows two different grills...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133799956983

And a post from right here several years ago, with a now dead link to a grill on Ebay with that same number.

https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Grills-NOS-used-tp30817.html

Actually, all of these Bullnose grills on Ebay are listed with the same number...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274760031726?epid=1749199248&hash=item3ff8f95dee:g:c3gAAOSwGulgeDGS

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114855540583?epid=1749199248&hash=item1abdec7767:g:hwAAAOSwgh1gy9CH

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264894588978?hash=item3dacf2a832:g:g~UAAOSw-mNfggSd

[Gary Lewis]

Strange!  Those are all very different grilles but have the same #'s?  I wonder if grilles are like instrument and radio bezels - you can't go by the numbers on them as they all seem to have pretty much the same #'s.

I have two grilles in the shop and I'll check the backs of them tomorrow to see if that might be the case.  Once is the hacked-up one that is chrome and dark - maybe E3TZ 8200-H Dark charcoal.  The other is also chrome but probably with argent, so might be E3TZ 8200-G.

[salans7]

I have the argent grille from my 85 parts truck hanging in my shop, so I will check the number on it when I go back out there in a few minutes.

*EDIT* I just confirmed that my argent grille has that same part number on it.

[Gary Lewis]

My argent/chrome grill has the same numbers on it: E3TB 8150-AA.  But the darker grille, maybe charcoal, and chrome grille doesn't have any numbers.  And it feels a bit lighter.  Perhaps it is aftermarket?

[JimJam300]

That grille looks a lot like the one on my base model Bronco, which I ASSUME was 100% original parts when I bought it. The outside is faded, but the inside has that charcoal look.

[1986F150Six]

SOLD!