49-50 merc grille question

If a guy wanted to turn a 49-50 merc grille into a solid "one piece" grille w/o the center bar, can it be done by cutting up just one other grille half piece or does it take both halves?

 

it would take both of them to make it equal, or you could just take out the center piece and bolt it back together..

 

JC Witney used to have a piece that replaced the center piece. If you PM jeffsled,he can tell you how they did his.

 

Here's a pic of jeff's Merc grill....

 

We ran that look at one time, if memory serves, it does take two extra halves to make it work, like slddnmatt replied. ( when not using after-market pieces )

 

It was a piece made by Cal Custom to replace the MERC center piece. I still have one in the box for my Merc. NO, its not for sale!!

 

What a tease,hahaha!

 

WOW ! That lighting in that building is terrible!!!!

 

That's it? That's all you got? hahaha!

 

So remove the center piece and the two grille halves can collapse together? Am I understanding that correctly Matt?

 

I was thinking about the same grille treatment for my Merc. Is their a Cal Custom part number listed on the box? A PN, or actual part nomenclature would help the websearch. A pix of the actual part would also help.

 

If you bolt the 2 halves together it will not look wide enough but yes you can do it .your best bet is to get some extra halves and ad them into the center its not hard to do at all i even seen people ad it to the ends but its best in the center..

 

Will see if I can find it today and get some pics. Bought it over 30 years ago, $10.

 

Thanks everyone for their help. I haven't completely made up my mind on a grille. For now it's either the stock grille, stock grille modified to one piece, desoto maneater grille, or some sort of a single bar style. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks

 

Check out the "Sam Barris Mercury Grille" thread by Pro Stock John for more grille ideas. Here is a link to the thread.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=377748

 

How about something like these ??? Both are fairly inexpensive to do when compaired to doing a 53 Desoto grill.

 

Put Sharks Teeth in the opening like they did on Airplanes
it would be Different!
or take Old Coke Bottles & hanging from the Grille Shroud
or Door Pulls
use your imagination.!

 

I do like the '55 desoto grilles as well. How much are you having to shorten them to get them to fit into the merc grille surround?

 

I think Papke sells the center piece that replaces the center bar.I think that would be the the most simple way to do it,if you wanted that model type of mercury grill.

 

My personal favourite is the 49-50 Canadian MONARCH with the verticle teeth removed it bolts right in.The first picture is with the after market center grill piece installed on my car. Larry

 

Roddin-Shack, I've seen the photo album of your Merc. That is a NICE car.

 

I have my old grill for sale...

 

Hey i shorten them by removing the 2 outter teeth. I also cut them in the center just enought to give them a little more of an V and also reverse the V on the ends as much as you can to match the mercs hood profile. Hope these pics help explain how i do them.

 

I agree Ray. I really don't want to cut up or weld on my stock grille. I think it's a good enough piece that even if I decide not to run it, it will make someone a nice grille.

 

I think it looks good with the center piece removed,if you DON'T have the bumper guards. If you are gonna keep the bumper guards,then keep the center piece.

 

Looking at your grill,it looks like you have a '50 center piece. The '49 piece has EIGHT on it.

 

Rick: I like the grille on the green Merc. Nice look for my 51.

 

Hey enfieldjoe since you liked the grill on the green merc you might like this one also. I did this one many years ago and have always liked it. sorry to say but the car has been put into storage to be finished another day. If you like it it will require a some metal fab on the grill mouth but i think its worth the extra effort

 

The size of the bars on that Merc grille, I bet you could cut some bucks to shape out of plywood the right thickness and scare up some stainless C-channel stock intended to make a window frame or something out of, and carefully bend it up to match and polish it. Worth a try, if it looks like shit you're not out much.

 

Yes Bob it is a '50 center piece. That's what was on it when I got it. It also has '50 door handles. Not sure why but I'll probably end up shaving those anyways. I think you're right though, it looks better to keep the center piece if you are using the bumper guards. Yours looks just right!!!