Repairing a 35 Ford truck grille

[Fordman75]

I picked up a 35 Ford truck grille on egay for $142.50. It's missing the section of the grille down by the crank hole. A few bars are gone. Does anyone have suggestions on what to use to replace them? Should I form some using sheetmetal or use some kind of rod?

Thanks.

[34Fordtk]

I have a glass 33/34 grill and I am going to use stainless antennas(sic?) for the bars.

[fab32]

Do you know anyone with a pressbreak? If so you could have them take some strips of metal and make you some bars. A regular sheetmetal break might work also. Then you could just trim them and weld them in. YOu could also eliminate the crank hole in the process.

Frank

[Unkl Ian]

If your only going to replace part of it,you'll need to match the original construction.
So if the original is formed from sheetmetal,
it wouldn't look right just welding bars in the missing section.

[Fordman75]

I don't know anybody with a pressbreak but I do have a homemade sheetmetal break. So I guess I'll have to go to work once I get the grille in my hands. Thanks.

[manyolcars]

Heres the way I repaired my 35 pickup grille. I cut sheetmetal strips slightly longer than needed and a little wider than I needed. I opened my vise about 3/4 inch an centered the metal strips over the gap. I used a tool that looks like a 4" wide putty knife (or cold chisel). It has a dull blade. Center the tool over the metal over the gap, hit with hammer, slide strip and tool across, repeat. As the sheetmetal folds into the V shape you want, close the gap in the vise as needed. This gives you the PERFECT shape. Each bar I made was off center no matter how careful I was, so I made each strip oversize and trimmed to fit, then weld in. The new ones look much better than the originals I hammered back to shape. I did this years ago and didnt take pics, but if you need, I could go out tomorrow and make another and take pics

[Fordman75]

That's a great idea, I never thought of that. By the looks of the pictures quite a few of the grill bars look pretty thin so I think I'll be making more then just the missing ones.

[Unkl Ian]

For making a tube insert,I think this idea could be scaled down: Oval tube press. (http://www.kcdawnpatrol.org/Oval_Press.htm)

[man-a-fre]

buy 27" grill barfor a 32 from drake or possibly spadaro make a wedge shape tool like a wide chisel and put them on a piece of wood an tap the tool in the back side to spread them out just like your bars and weld em in with low heat real easy ,2.00 a 27" grill bar steel,3.00 for stainless.my.02

[Richard D]

buy 27" grill barfor a 32 from drake or possibly spadaro make a wedge shape tool like a wide chisel and put them on a piece of wood an tap the tool in the back side to spread them out just like your bars and weld em in with low heat real easy ,2.00 a 27" grill bar steel,3.00 for stainless.my.02

Can you elaborate?

[HeyMang]

Use 1/4" stainless tubing (if you want it metal finish) or mild steel for painted appearance. Cover your vice jaws with a piece of clean sheet metal (to prevent teeth marks) and slowly pinch the tubing until flat. Dont be eager to crush it, or it will warp and look weird. it will end up being about the right size. Clean the blades with emery cloth and weld in. I would replace the whole blade and not just sections though.

My .02

Holy crap, this thread is from March 04??? Oh well, hope it worked out man.

[rusty1]

...a friend of mine makes replacement bars for these grilles, give him a call...651-779-0307. Minnesota.

[roddinron]

I cut mine out completely and will make a whole new grill, but mine was wrecked pretty bad. Sorry, not a very good picture.