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

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1986F150Six

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

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

66gtk

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

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

'83 F150 XL Shortbox California
302 (EEC-III), AOD, 3.55 - stock original drivetrain

Rembrant

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

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.

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

Gary Lewis

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

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In reply to this post by 66gtk

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.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

66gtk

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

In reply to this post by 1986F150Six

'83 F150 XL Shortbox California
302 (EEC-III), AOD, 3.55 - stock original drivetrain

mat in tn

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

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

salans7

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

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

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

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

Administrator

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

I'll cross reference it in the morning.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

LARIAT 85

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

This post was updated on .

In reply to this post by 66gtk

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.

Lucille: 1985 Ford F150 XLT Lariat

*Colors: Dark Canyon Red exterior, Canyon Red interior
*Engine: 5.0, CompCams 31-230-3, "Thumper" E7 heads, Edelbrock Performer intake, Autolite 4100 carburetor, DuraSpark II ignition, Thorley Tri-Y headers, Flowmaster dual exhaust, H-pipe.
*Drivetrain: AOD transmission, 3.55 gears, 2wd.

Rembrant

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

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

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

Administrator

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

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

salans7

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

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

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

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Maybe so. It sure is confusing!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

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

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

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

Administrator

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.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

salans7

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

This post was updated on .

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

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

Administrator

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?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

JimJam300

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

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.

1982 Bronco restomod in progress: Built 4.9L, T19 4spd, 9" 3.00 rear w/ Eaton TrueTrac, 31" tires, fuel injection soon
https://www.youtube.com/@jimjamauto

1986F150Six

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

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SOLD!