Tractor grill shells

Let's get back to the asked question. The man wants pictures, he ya go!!

 

Heres a couple more for ya!

 

I like the finished out looking farmall shell (above) most are not done
as good as they could be, I really dont count because im new to
"traditional" hot rods. I wont step on any toes, but as far as how they
look that depends on each car. It seems most (on the hamb) dont like them.
the unfinished, just thrown on ones ,dont look good traditional or not.
I always like a farmall grill on a farmall, dad has about 20 of them!!!

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the "ratrods" start in California? Like most other stuff.

 

o.b.g. do you have any oter info on the rod with bline on the doors and the machine gun zoomys?

 

That depends on who you want to point the finger at, in 72 Rod and Custom did an article on cheap hot rod beaters some say that was the start.
Others say that Robert Williams did with his Traditional deuce, and it was copied and deteriorated into the tractor grille rat rod shit.
However the Poms claim that the 'Low Flyer's' started the craze in the early 80's so maybe it didn't come from Cali??
(Damn POMS!!)
The term however is believed to have started when Gary Baskerville wrote an article on the Burbank Choppers, calling there cars 'rats' after the 'Rat' bike craze.
They were not amused.
Then the whole Kool Kar Kulture, Orca Betty, rust and red wheel, spider web, skull and tractor grille craze came into being.
See.


Doc.

 

Should have known old dad had something to do with it. He sure had a way of wording things that stuck.

 

However the Poms claim that the 'Low Flyer's' started the craze in the early 80's so maybe it didn't come from Cali??
(Damn POMS!!)

Doc.[/quote]

Doc, One of them ''Damn POMS'' now works for Rod 'n' Custom.It's come full circle, perhaps!!!!!Don't know if the Low Flyers thought they were doing anything more than recreating back in the day! It made me look at REAL Hot Rods and Customs in more detail!

Nick.

 

Cool, I cant say I have ever seen one of their cars unfortunately. I did wonder if they were like Robert El Williams, and just miss understood traditional cars?
Doc.

 

This just keeps on going... so I've got to comment on something said earlier...

If we go by this rule, wouldn't using a '32 shell on anything else than a '32 make no sense??

If the shell works with the body aesthetically, then by all means use it.. but if you are just doing it to say look at me, then....

Brian

 

I wonder if turtles have the same discussions about shells and if they end up feeling the same way.

 

You think tractor shells make you squirm...watch this

 

Put it this way, would a 32 shell on a farmall or John Deere look good? Would a John Deere tractor owner take his tractor to a tractor show with such a shell?

That should help you see the square peg logic.

 

Probably the most intelligent thing said yet on this subject.

 

when they're just yanked off any random tractor, too tall, lines not matching the cowl they look like shit. when done right, like the one in the second post, and everything flows why not? some of them look really cool, all streamilined and shit.
It's just like anything else, It's all in the presentaition.
If its ok to make a shell from scratch so long as it looks good, then why's it wrong to modify a tractor grille to look good? people have no qualms with using vintage aircraft parts, why not tractor parts? I'm not sure who said it but alot of them do look like track noses, and i would be willing to bet money that quite a few of the early track cars ran modified tractor grilles

 

I seriously wonder why some of you are on this site!!
Hey, a 32 grille would make dog shit look good, thats why they get used so much.

 

wanna know why you didn't see tractor grilles on cars back in the day. It's because tractors are a money maker. They have a longer usable life span than a car. You wouldn't go pulling apart a perfectly good tractor for a grille shell, would you?. Seems like a good way to ruin a tractor to me. Since when did being different become so original?

 

That was just a fad!?!

 

Why didn't this guy just bolt a swamp cooler to the front of this car. I can see how everybody considers these grilles much more stylish and sleek than a Model A, or 32' grille shell. Are you people serious with this bullshit? To each his own, but Holy Shit!

 

Still not in favor of, but:

 

With all due "fng" respect, the whole point is that tractor grille shells are not traditional and this forum is not the appropriate venue for them. I've seen them done okay and most I've seen make me sick, but either way, they are not traditional. Second, isn't the point of hotrodding to improve performance? If so, why would you put something larger and heavier in place of something smaller and lighter to do the same job? Third, any true "kustom" car guy would not put a tractor gille on something unless it was so extremely modified that you might think it was hand formed from flat sheet metal and bore no resemblance to it's primary form (and any custom car builder would and should be insulted to hear someone call THOSE things "kustom cars").
Thank you.

 

Now that is some funny shit !!!!!!

 

BTTT because this post is so fuckin bad that its good!! You guys know what kinda cars I like. The fugly reality is these JCL turds are being built in droves and they are knockin on the HAMB's door. Seeing how everyone is an expert these days, there is really no use in fighting it. Climbing off the soapbox (again). D.

 

Some of the rat rods pictured are a hidious embarrasment, with or without the tractor grill.
Many of the tractor grills on other cars pictured are too clunky and don't suit the otherwise decent looking car.
But some of the ones posted by the Oliver bros garage and others are tasteful and some look reminiscent of some lakes modifieds I saw pictured in old "little books"....probably not from tractors but tall and narrow with '30s streamline style.

 

I think just working with what they had at hand!Not as much reference material i.e. no internet and no Don Mongomery books.still NO TRACTOR Grilles Though!

 

I'd bet a lot of you guys who complain about the tractor grills have a belly-button 32 grill on your non-32 car. Don't get me wrong, they are the best looking grill EVER, but at least the tractor grill guys try to be a little different. I also have to say that not all tractor grills look good. The first one on the green car looks good to me because the shape of the top mirrors the shape of the cowl. Just my 2 cents.

 

Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by Kustm52
If we go by this rule, wouldn't using a '32 shell on anything else than a '32 make no sense??
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

OH NO! I think I like this! Help! My logic hurts!

P.S. Sorry about the non traditional wheels.