Hi. So i started of with the what i thought to be easy chopping of my 32 grill shell. I had planned to cut out 3" and weld it back together again. I soon realized it wasn´t going to be that easy as it is wider at the top. So how do you all do it? Anyone got any suggestions? Heres a old pic.
Don't cut it until you have your grill handy....It sure helps the fit of the grill. When I cut one, I do the cutting at the bottom of the opening and do kind of an offset cut to maintain the radius on the inside as well as the outside.....Drop me a PM and I'll send a couple pic's of the piece I cut out Pat
Someone PLEASE post some tech or at least some pics on this! I need to do this also and had the same concerns. What is the easiest way to do this? BTTT
Can all of you save the pieces that you "chop" out? I have two original shells to repair and could use the "patch" panels. Thanks, Neal
I chopped a repo for a friend. He had a repo chopped grill so I made the shell fit it. I cut it about a third of the way up the opening. The sides are fairly straight there and was easy to line up. I found the metal in the repo shell extreamly soft and thin. The shells are not the same side to side. The pieces cut out are very different in shape. I cut it on a big band saw. I would use a cutoff wheel if I do another. The blade caught and really bent it up. It is so soft it was worked out to be 99% as new. I would not cut anywhere else because of the changing shape. You need the curve toward the bottom of the sides.
Hey Nick, I'd chop one of these at about the point, in the side of the shell, with the flatest, least shape. At a 3'' chop, perhaps 3/4" of mis- alignment will result when the two pieces (upper and lower) are realigned. You will than need to make a vertical pie cut, much as you would to widen an A-post on a chop job, the pie area is equal to the area of misalignment. I would not use a chop saw or die grinder, but a good old hack saw with a sharp blade to cut this. Go slow and check your fit well, prior to doing any welding. Given their construction, you should be able to damn near metal finish that shell after the welding is finished. Swankey Devils c.c.
Thanks for the ideas. I will give it a go during the weekend. If anyone has some pics it would help alot.
BTTT for this! Someone HAS to have some pics of this! I forgot how thin the shell is! It might be like 20 ga or something. Will be sorta challenging...
Well I cut 6" out of my deuce shell tonight. I have not finished the welding, however; here is the result. I made my bottom cut 4" above the bottom flat surface of the shell, I guess you would call it the bottom rad tank/cross member cover..... If I was going to cut another shell, I would start the bottom cut above 4", as the contour of the shell might be a little closer. Probably 5" to 5 1/2" above the flat cover in the bottom of the shell....
The one I'm working on now was done by a guy back in 1962. It was never finished though he did lead the top over and complete most of the side welding for the chop, which I think is somewhere between 4 - 5 inches. He stitched it, but on his cross welds, he gave to much heat and caused some of the metal on the side weld to sag, which he rough filled. So, I recut it, ground off the excess, and realigned it a bit. Little more shaping to go. His cuts were 10 1/2 inches up from the inside bottom lip and 7 3/4 inches down from the top inside lip peak. they seem to match up pretty well overall. I'm having browser problems once again so if this text goes through, I'll be content right now. I can try pics tomorrow.
Have a "wet" rag beside you when welding the shell back together. The new shells are so thin you willl wrap the shell. I did not have any problems with distortion, however; step welded the shell tegether not more than 1/4" at a time and put the wet rag on the shell... Distortion is only good with Stevie Ray !!!!
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