How about the curved louvers in a 33 Ford , they would blend in with the coach line on the cowl . Frank
I do actually have a pair of E&J lights but I think they might be too big for the grille. I will dig them out at some point. I am moving slowly and enjoying the process. Maybe tomorrow I will have a way to attach the grille and the headlights. I did decide to complete the full panel below the grille. There is also an airscoop panel below that will help to feed air to the bottom of the radiator.
LQQKING real nice! one thing that has struck me out of the blue........ Same angle as the windshield....... One of those hidden details........ I will be shooting for that. Thanks for the inspiration!
Say, Moose, what if you bobbed the horns to reduced the size of the chin pan so it follows the outside lies of the bottom of the grille shell plus maybe 3" then added a nerf bar kind of bumper? Car is a stunner!
Mike , I like your idea of bobbing the horns, but I would shorten them by take I got a piece out just in front of the crossmember and keep the down turn. I also like the pointed spreader bar versus the straight one. Frank
A year from now 100 cars will running that type of grille shell ! ! ! And you started the trend thanks for the good work .
Got the grille mounted permanently. The bottom of the grille didn't quite fit the panel below it so I made a small V-shaped piece out of mahogany and painted it black. Now I need to get some glass in the windshield.
I think I have finalized the glass shape. It's just 1/4" plywood now but I'm finally ready to bring the patterns to the glass shop. The old bronze windshield, made twenty years ago, had metal surrounding the glass. On the new aluminum windshield, I changed the pattern so that there is metal only on three sides. The glass size remains almost the same but reducing the size of the frame I think is an improvement.
Putting some miles on it now. The new smaller radiator is working. Temps rise when I'm climbing hills, but the fan holds the temperature at 195 or so. It's really nice driving behind the new windshield.
Thank you for your positive comments. I will be working on a hood with a hinge down the middle and some hood sides to hide the radiator hoses next.
And I decided that I want a '32 hinge down the center of the hood. So I need to reshape the hinge ends to suit the model A cowl and the radiator, leaving some way to adjust the height so that the sheet metal will align with the shell and the cowl.
When I began this project last fall, a friend told me that with a small radiator, I need to make sure that whatever air comes through the grille has to also go through the radiator. So I made some small panels to close off the spaces between the grille and the radiator sides.
Late to this party. The grill looks great, as does the splash pan. I think the black wood piece you added actually looks intentional and makes the panel appear more finished and professional instead of amateur. Well done!
Lately I removed the Riley emblem on the grille and replaced it with a v-8 logo on the grille bars. I have also made some hood side panels that hide the lower radiator hoses and the sides of the radiator.
I’d prefer to see the radiator hoses without the panel. The smaller panel may not cover it but has a better overall look. What a great looking car you have.
In addition to the small side panels there will also be a hood with a hinge down the middle over the engine. The small panels hopefully will make more sense then.
Working on patterns for hood tops now. I don't know whether to use aluminum or steel. I will want louvers.
I have not made the hood yet. It just got too cold in my shop. But I have been playing with replacing the Riley logo with a v-8 logo.
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