Art & Inspiration '32 Grille Shells

It seems most car people I've run into have, or at one time have had a '32 Ford grille shell hanging in their shop / garage / what have you, regardless of if they ever owned a '32 or not. Show of hands: Who's got one (or multiple)? I'm guilty as charged...



Just need the rest of the car now!

 

Yes. The plan was it would be on the car by now, but stuff happens.

 

Showing off your wealth huh? I have some 2X4's I'll trade ya lol

 

Hardly wealth! It’s the only deuce part I own, and it was a hand-me-down at that.

 

I've been a deuce grille/shell hoarder for years. I'm down to 8 currently as I parted with a really nice one for a man restoring a 3 window. I'm ready to buy more, there hasn't been any really nice ones for sale recently. I know that's not very many compared to some collectors but I'm glad to have what I have.

 

The 1932 radiator shell & insert on the left is for a passenger car, the one on the right is a 1932 commercial radiator shell.

Both of these are original.


This is a original shell that has been filled.\


HRP

 

My one and only

 

This is a few that the late Deuce Roadster sold at the Charlotte,N.C. swap meet, at that time he had amassed a huge collection. HRP

 

That is sort of like elephant tusks. How many Deuces died for that?

 

Here are a few a have had over the years. Most ended back on cars. I have one that was given to me by my former boss. He bought it in a junk yard in 1964 for $6.00.

 

<——————

 

This has got me wondering how many noteworthy Deuces have been built without this great piece?

 

I have 2 grille shells and inserts left, I sold the rest to people that needed them.

I still have the red one and a pristine example hanging on the wall of the garage, I will hang on to that one in case I have a accident and need a replacement, eventually the red one will find a new home. HRP

 

A garage I toured during the Havasu Deuce show last summer.

 

I have one hanging on the wall. It's off Deuce Daddy Don's roadster. View attachment 5295306

 

I swear there are more original shells out there than there are original cars left.

 

I rotated it for you @chevyfordman , a perfect shell and grille like that deserves to be seen in its natural state.

 

When you think about it, it makes sense there is.

 

Just watching various internet sites recently, It seems there are more original shells (hanging up on a wall) in existence, than there were original (Henry Ford) 1932 cars EVER built !

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/32-ford-attraction.547935/#post-6069526

(Borrowed these numbers from a H.A.M.B. post) - 322,962 Ford passenger cars and the 115,322 commercial trucks built in 1932 which totals at 438,284.

 

My father explained to me that back when, the 32s usually ran around with the radiator off kilter. They had a habit of leaning to one side.
A story on an unrelated note:
My buddy had me hustle, one late sixties Sunday, to Tom's River NJ. He saw an ad that stated the Roaring 20's auto museum was gonna close and sell out.
There was nobody else there. The cars were top shelf perfect. The prices reflected the preservation and care given them. I figured I was wasting my time.
There on the wall hung a perfect 32 shell w/ grille, cap, and emblem. $40 bucks.
I squeezed the 50 bills in my pocket not realizing how much my decision to walk would haunt me FOREVER.

 

I'm not worthy!

 

Thank you for rotating that photo 4dor, for some reason some pictures

are rotating and I haven't been able to figure out how to rotate it myself.

 

That's @ John Stimacs

 

Got four of them. Two glass and two steel. Nothing screams hot rod more to me than seeing one hanging in someone's garage.

 

It would also be interesting to see what other 28 to 36 ford parts stash/hoards there are out there

 

Here's what I have, plus set of original frame rails, and an uncut K-member. Just need 2 bars for one of the shells. Like me a roadster someday.

 

Several of mine, I had to repair or make from pieces or I wouldn't have so many.

 

Do you have an extra radiator cap opening piece? I am trying to save one with some serious past damage there.

 

The good news? I have one.

The bad news? It's fiberglass.

 

I have a fiberglass one that was dropped off at All American Classics -boss gave it to me! And a real steel one that was chopped decades ago.