34 Chevy grill shell insert Ideas

Hey Guys and Gals, Does anyone have an idea of what my grandson can
use or make for an insert in his 34 Chevy grill shell on his 38 Chevy truck?
Maybe a picture of what you have built or saw. As he is 22 years old the only way he could buy a real insert is to win the "Lotto"!!!! LOL
Thanks so much as always for your time and talent.

 

mine had stainless wire mesh almost like a mini woven fence it was heavy not this thin cheap stuff,problem is it was there when i bought the car ,have no idea where they got it

 

Maybe you can look to salvage some woven wire mesh from something, unless he would want to get some raw stock himself and fab one, it would be time consuming, but he could make a nice insert if he has the capabilities to. Either paint it, or get something he can polish.

 

I think if mine was missing I would use round bar and simulate a Ford-type insert.

 

Thanks Guys. Those are great ideas so far.

 

Round bar is easy to work and weld to, but very heavy on a big insert like that.

If you had a contact that has a shear and a brake, you could cut 1" strips and do a lazy bend by adjusting the brake. The hard part is attaching the bars to an outer piece of round stock that outlines the insert.

I made one out of 20 gauge strips which ended up being heavier that I thought. I'd go 22 or 24 next time.

Mine was a 33/35 dodge which had hidden factory upper/lower brackets that hold the bars. It was difficult to get the bars spaced right and welded on.

 

F&J, That looks very good !!!!!!

 

Here is a rem of some perfect sized stainless mesh i picked up at a scrap metal yard. There isn't enough for a grille, but will make some cool intake screens. I need to do some searching and find some more of this, especially since i have a sample of what i want.

 

Btt

 

I'd check into the metal screen and perferated metal stock from McMaster-Carr industrial supply catalog; they stock a big variety of that stuff.


Later, Kinky6

 

I made an insert with brake lines. Worked out pretty good. for the spacing, I set short pieces of 1/4" rod into strips of wood. A piece of larger size line was shaped to the shell contour and the bars tacked to it. I added a cross piece to the back of the bars about 1/3 of the way from the top and bottom. The owner then had the insert powder coated in Argent silver. Looked great.

Ron

 

Here is one I did

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25315&highlight=grill

 

And here is another insert for the same shell. Two opposite ideas.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=311&highlight=grill

 

hey 117 harv that is exactely what was used in mine ,i painted it but i think it could have been buffed out also. good heavy stuff that retained the shape

 

Not cheap but works if you cannot find remnant at metal salvage yards

http://www.mcmaster.com/#wire-cloth/=b7c28x

 

bigrat here of the hamb did one in honey comb for a 29 chevy it looked pretty good