I’ve done a bit of searching but have come up short. 11 tooth 53’s are the holy grail of Desoto grills but the earlier 9 tooth’s are kool also. Having the sheet metal that the teeth sit on is just as valuable. So is there a way to make a 9 tooth into a 11 tooth? So does a guy just have to source 2 more teeth and if so with ones? Is someone making teeth? The reason I ask is there might be a 50 Merc project in the future and along with the car there is a 9 tooth grill with the sheet metal pan. I’m fond of the 11 tooth look.
The teeth in the '53 grille get shorter towards the ends. They fit well into a Merc shell that way. The 51-52 style has the parking lights integrated into the end teeth. Those are sometimes eliminated or swapped out with other center teeth, but you don't get that reduction in height toward the ends like you do with the '53.
I seem to recall someone making “chrome” plastic repopped DeSoto teeth. One of the 50 Merc accessory venders is where I might have seen them. My total recall capabilities aren’t what they used to be.....
Yes you can make an 11 tooth from a 9 tooth grille. All the center teeth are the same between each, but every tooth is different, one center and then right and left doing out. I had the each part number but its been a while since I looked at it. Let me see if I can find that.
That post by Crash Vegas is excellent info. I remember when I had the grill apart for my 51 I had to sort out the teeth out of the 52 Desoto grill to get each tooth in it's correct spot and each one only has one spot. I didn't find the outside teeth from a 53 but the guy I sold the car to finally did. His money and his taste as far as how he finished it out and last time I knew the 57 Caddy hub caps were on his 56 Chevy. I sure wouldn't have given those to him if I had known he was going to put truck wheels onit.
The Jalopy Journal
