Hot Rods 34 ford shell/grill?

Picked up a 34 ford 5W and I’m contemplating a 34 ford shell/grill, what day you and where is a decent place to buy on?

 

Might check the prices before you make the change.

 

Bob Drake is probably backordered and they are $2500. A good swap meet one that needs rechrome are going for $1-1500. Might find a painter for $600-1000. Rechroming an original will run $2000+. And you'll have to redo the hood.
What you have is unique, I have seen similar, but yours might be one of a kind.

 

This was in the parts classifieds 6 months ago

 

It’s certainly different but I like it, I’m not in a huge rush so if I come across one or if the bob drake makes sense I’ll pick one up. It’s a hard choice but 34 ford grills there’s something about them.

 

I agree about the '34 shell. Perfect and a big improvement on the '33 IMO. You could always do what everybody else seems to do and run a Deuce grille s shell...

 

Stick with the truck grille

 

I would just stick with the truck grill over the deuce. I dig the deuce but I would save up for a 34 instead a deuce.

 

I vote 33 grille. Lee Nottingham makes them .

 

I would need a new hood and sides and plus it looks like it’s the same price as a 34

 

Just another thought that may be more affordable: swap out your ‘37 commercial grill fo a ‘35.

 

I need to figure out how to even mount it

 

Mine, which is stock at that point, mounts on a bracket that is part of the radiator, across the top of the radiator, that accepts (2), 1/4-20 bolt through holes in the grill into the the bracket at that point. The bracket on the aft side is for the rods that run from the radiator to the cowl. On each side of the grill there are two holes in each side of the grill that bolt to the splash aprons that bolt to the frame at the bottom of the aprons and that then will index the proper slant to the grill that Henry intended. So you end up with only (6) 1/4-20 bolts positioning and holding the grill in place. Two in the top of the grill and four total, (two on each side) through the grill and splash aprons.
A word of advise. At the two holes on each side using some type of glue or J/B weld attach the 1/4-20 nuts to the grill, they are a bear to reach and hold. Hope this help make your decision. BTW monitor e bay for a grill they sometimes show up but in all kinds of conditions so be careful.

 

I like the grille on it. The more I look at it the more it grows on me . You could stick a '34 Chevy grille on there. Would be cheaper.

 

I could make a bracket from the frame I suppose and I have the hood sides that need to be fitted possibly

 

For the love of Jim "Jake" Jacobs, keep the truck grille!

 

Looks good with the chrome it really helps! The chop doesn’t hurt either lol

 

Let’s see some more photos of it!

My personal idea?

I’d run the truck grill while finding someone with a 34 grill I could copy. For two grand I can fuck up a lot of metal trying.

 

That’s not a bad idea lol! I need to take more pictures hopefully over the weekend if I have time I can take some better ones.

 

That's a neat car! (I have a '34 grille for sale in the classifieds FYI...) Since your car is channeled it's going to put that stock grille pretty close to the ground!

 

^^^^ Yep, with that heavy of a channel the tip of a 34 grille is going to about right on the ground.
Better do some measuring before you make the leap.

 

Dude... just sayin’....

 

Have to agree with arkiehotrods, Jake's Coupe is iconic.

 

All I can say about both of those is at least they have not had irreversible changes and can be put back right like they were in the first place by Ford. In my opinion Ford got it perfect.

 

If that car is channeled as far as it looks the stock 34 grill chin will hit the pavement.

 

I like the grille but would tip the top back a little. Looks like the front of the hood could use a trim anyway at the lower front edge. Jacobs grille is tipped back...and looks good.

 

I prefer the 34 Grille. Like the others have said, with that much of a body channel over the frame, you will have to section the 33-34 grille or it will drag the ground. Having said that, since you're asking for personal opinions, I would get a used 34 grille, section it, then fix the hood back to the original 34 front lip.

The 33-34 grilles pop up occasionally in the classifieds for about $600-700 for what you'll need to do to make it fit.

If you really liked the look of the 37 PU grille, I don't think you would even be asking about a 33-34 Grille, you would be asking how to fix the one you have so it looks more correct. No matter what, your grill sits weird and needs corrected. Perhaps if you leaned the top back, or kick the bottom out, and fix the hood so it actually lines up, you might like the 37 PU grille better.

 

Think long and hard about it before jumping in. It's never just One simple change. One thing leads to another and another just to get done what you started. Then while your at it might as well just,,, Next thing ya know it's been a year or two sometimes more than that. It's a long ways from being a Silk Purse but I see miles and miles of Smiles just as it is. Something to be said for that.

 

Sage advice from Pist-n-Broke. Drive it and enjoy. Make a plan, collect parts and work on it over the winter. Personally, I would leave it.

 

If you like the chrome, try painting the bars with silver metallic or "chrome" paint. Cheap, and if you don't like it, repaint red primer till you figure what you like. I painted these after wire-brushing as I didn't want to pay for chrome for the application