Projects Cowl band

Where can i buy a Cowl band for a 1930 Model A.
the two venders i looked at had no stock.

Thanks for the help

 

Have you tried Paul Ellis? HRP

 

I dislike Mac's but they show them in stock. HRP

 

The repos I have had really don't fit that well. I would try to locate an original one.

 

I noticed that also, after getting a aftermarket band and installing it, I stood back and looked at it and decided the car looked better without it, I just looked like a afterthought to me. HRP

 

I bought one from Mac's and it did not fit well at all on my 31.

 

I bought one from Mac's probably 10 years ago. Picked it up at a show-they're hard to ship. Fit fine, but I can't access the lower mounting bolts on my modified A. Cut off the lower bolts, devised a clamp/holddown and i am please with the fit and finish.

 

I bought one from Brattons a while back. really nice quality and fit good

 

......I think Bratton's is out-of-stock as well as most other Model A suppliers at this time. My friend recently checked with everyone and nobody seems to have one. I'm thinking that the reproduction ones may come from the same source and they are waiting to do a new run of them.

 

you are right, Im sure they all come from the same place. I know someone else was looking for one a few months ago and they were all out of stock

 

Originals are best, shipping does get costly because of the size. Bob

 

The real problem is the retired guys with the hard earned skills to massage metal are thinning out, not many younger guys stepping up to take their place, makes getting dented and dinged stuff like stainless grills, headlights, cowl bands [etc] smoothed out is tough...
$15 used to move a '30-'31 headlight to nice...
maybe try and contact a restorers club, see if any of their guys still ding dents...
if not, have them ask if they know any dingers, as they may have known some younger guys that are trying to carry on the tradition...
.
If your band, or a band you can afford to mess with only has a few dings, no creases, maybe make a short set of hardwood dies... the radiused corners will require a funky set of dies...
make the male half a little narrow so you can add a little English to your strikes...
round over all of the male die's edges so a miss-hit won't crease you band...
get someone to hold the flimsy band while you "tap" it...
use your junker or get a close to free one a see what you can do... if its a no, no loss...
I have 7 or 8 hanging around but not a keeper in the bunch... HIH.
.
I was cleaning up the lower beltline on a '30 door, welded a 9/16" bolt's shank onto the tips of a hammer...
might be able to clamp it in a vice, set the band over it and "tap" from the outside...

 

I have a nice original hanging in the shed. Brought it to several swaps, but everyone said, "I'll just buy a new one" so I quit bringing it. As Bob said, the shipping cost kills it.

 

I think mine is a Mac's, fit my truck just fine.
I did have to cut the bottom 3" off and make new attachment bolts because my truck is channeled.