Technical Looking for Grille Ideas for a 60 Thunderbird

Hey guys i'm back with another question on my 60 T-Bird. I am trying to think of something creative to do with the grille in the car. Original thought was just to use one from a '59 Bird but I am having a hard time locating one so looking for other ideas. So if anyone has any ideas or pictures of 58-60 Birds with something unique done feel free to share them with me.

Keep on Cruisin'

 

With T-Bird complete grille/bumper units on 56 Fords, I wonder how the opposite would be like...

 

I've always liked the simplicity of the '58 T-bird grill. The regular Fords used the same material. The small inter-spaces between the circular holes makes it a natural for the "drawer-pull" treatment.

 

I`ve always thought the grille-bumper combos should be flipped upside down. And get rid of the bumper gaurds.

 

Now that's a different idea, I already plan to remove the bumper guards eventually

 

that would be interesting , can someone photocobble/chop one ???

 

I looked at this for a bit last night and kept thinking of cutting the lower part of the bumper (chin?)off and let the cut ends transition back underneath someway or pie cut and let the whole chin lay back under the car to let it fit the contour of the outer ends more.......then maybe a floating grille bar smaller but maybe similar to a 57 chevy or 54 olds???

 

Here are some photochops of the '60 Squarebird.
The stock grille and bars are actually quite nice but usually hidden by the bumper guards.
First: stock

 

Remove bumper guards, emblem, and license plate area. Looks better already!

 

To make the bars stand out, just paint the mesh black to give a floating effect.

 

Now find a second grille bar set and you could do this:

 

Or just keep it simple and leave the center bar without the uprights:

 

can you flip it upside down?

 

Here is the center section flipped upside down. Doesn't really work for me.

 

Two shots of Richard Glymph's Tbird. I love this one!

 

Here's another grille with bullets. Love the Squarebirds!

 

If it was mine I'd do just the mesh.

 

This was my original idea I found and I like it

 

I'm not sure about the bullets, I feel it might be to much. I swear somewhere I've seen a 54 chevy grille floating in a 58-60 bird bumper, but I can't find it now

 

57 Chrysler grille/bumper?

 

Rod & Custom, April 1962. I liked this grill so much I built one for my '59 Bird. Hard to see in the photo, but the bars were gradually stepped back in the opening for a 3 D effect. A Saturday with some 1/2" conduit and a hand bender did the job. Brazed all thread to the tubes to adjust the depth, and bolted two upright pieces of angle iron to the inner sheet metal for mounts. Tube pieces were also brazed together. Was not as hard as it looks.

(There is also a great article on a RPU in the issue too! )

 

I have that issue!!!!

 

looks like a over sized citroen with a mouth or the t-bird turned into a catfish ..

 

I meant flip the entire bumper not just the center.

 

The upside down opening looks like a Carp.

 

Simple is good,,,blackout mesh is an improvement, with a single bar.

 

I'm partial to the simplicity of the '58 grill minus guards. But I tend to lean towards the less is more camp.
This rendering by Rot'n'Kustom works really well, notice the flow with the scoop trim:

 

I've always been partial to the chrome, vertical, "waterfall" floaters (Buick style??) in these type open mouth grill/bumpers. With a little imagination and some basic search skills you can find or fab things to use from 1/2" thick drawer pulls to 2" wide bumper guards. While not exactly what I mean, I did a quick Google search and found this example........
http://www.how-to-build-hotrods.com/grille.html

 

I started a grille but sold car to a friend. Is on a 56 vic.