Does anyone sell the horizontal bars for a '32 insert? I took my chances on an Ebay insert and it's even worse than I expected it to be. I think it can be fixed to my low standards with some new horizontal bars.
Yes, most everyone of the shops that cater to early Fords sells them. I bought mine from https://cgfordparts.com/ufolder/cgc...esc=grill+insert+bars&sd=Search&searchnumber=
C & G Antique auto sells individual replacement grille bars. HRP https://cgfordparts.com/ufolder/cgc...htextdesc=grille+bars&sd=Search&searchnumber=
Those would be called "vertical" as in up and down.. Crankhole is asking for "horizontal" as in side to side.
There in lies the rub, he want's to make one and this is whats available,they can be turned sideways. God nor Henry Ford intended them to be horizontal. HRP
I think that horizontal bars would be a stricky home built deal. I don't recall really seeing many way back when mostly show cars or show cars turned into drivers. Shouldn't be hard to build with some 1/8 by 1/2 to 1" aluminum flat bar (also known as billet LOL). Or if you really feel froggy 3/8" round would be pretty easy to work with as well.
I recall Barris doing that on the severely 'flamed' '32 five window in '55. Looked 'kustom', as he put it...Others followed suit, Ray Silva's (San Jose) black roadster pickup (first ever with Jag rear, 2 fillpots went over and measured it before it was finished, then hurried to beat him to the draw with a R&C story on how 'they' invented it... I believe Greg Sharp also did the grille bar trick with his black '29 RP. A former Bay Area Roadster club member did the horizontal bar trick on his '29 roadster...he had Ron Covell make the insert, then fitted it to the stock '32 shell. Not wanting to shorten (and 'ruin'!) his '32 shell, he had Jack Hagamann Sr. build a hood and sides for it. No shortage of experts here... However, Gil's refusal to cut and position the tall shell resulted in a chocolate brown full fendered roadster that seemed to 'turn up its nose' to all that otherwise admired it. Looked to me that the horizontal bars screamed, "LOOK AT ME! AIN'T I TALL?" I wasn't the only one that noticed...
I think I may just return the one that I got. I can't see my being able to make them any better than what they sold me. Seems to be a pretty delicate little piece.They are supposed to be straight, right?
That thing is nasty, why bother, even if they don't take it back. The Chinese one that I returned wasn't that bad (replaced with a Dales insert).
It's not just about quality control at assembly it's the lighter gauge of materials used in most of the offshore inserts being built. I've said this before, the first insert I bought not only did not fit my grill shell (too tight) but when the vertical bars were strummed like a guitar it sounded like "The march of the volunteers", the Chinese national anthem.
Look at the front page of yer old Hot Rod magazine, MIKE FOSTER Portland Oregon hand made horizontal grille bars for his red '32 Three window, (the one his Grandpa bought new, and MIKE still owns..) Its right at the lower part of the cover, and featured inside.. FEB 1960
But isn't that what todays online click-n-ship bolt-on building/customizing/rebuilding cars, including (or especially) vintage hot rods and alike has become supportive of ? Make China Great(er), one hot rod part per click at a time.
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