TECH: Making grill inserts for a 59 Chevy

I’m working on a 59 ElCamino project in which I recently installed a 60 Mercury grill. I found the factory hood scoops didn’t look right. I needed to make something with Vertical teeth, so it was off to the hardware store to get some supplies as I thought about how to make it.

#1 prototype was a couple sticks of 3/16 brake line and a tubing bender to try and get the radius, length and spacing to look right and match the Merc grill.

 

The brake line bender was fine for the prototype but not good for the solid rod production pieces.
Each grill has 38 teeth, that’s 9’ of rod just for the teeth. Not to mention the one I didn’t like and made over
- Using my belt sander I rounded the ends of the rod.
- A bending fixture was made out of a s**** piece of 3/8 plate.
- Locate the rod into the hole in the tower, bend it around the circle, overstroking it a little then mark it for t*******. After about 100 teeth I was glad the fixture was easy to use.

 

With a box full of teeth I made a fixture to hold them in place while I welded everything to a piece of 1/8” X ½” strap.
- Because the grill has a V the teeth are angled 5deg. so they will be straight when viewed from the front.
- I made an angled block to hold the teeth in position, then spaced them using my hi-tech ¼” plywood guide.
- The teeth are tacked to the strap front and back.

 

- The original grill inserts mounted with 3 screws so I made tabs to use the existing holes.
- I still have a little bending, tweaking and cleanup to do before they go to the chrome shop.

 

All together this project took a couple evenings and part of a weekend. I invested less than $25 in materials. I’m happy with the results and can’t wait to get them to the chrome shop for the finishing touch.
The next project is to install an EZ-Boy custom aqua and white Seat cover.
Thank you for viewing this episode of T&T Fabrication

 

...great idea.....

 

The new inserts match the grille very well. Had you considered using stainless rod so they wouldn't have to be chromed? Is the grille chrome, or is it stainless or aluminum?

 

I love the grill, but more so the car as a whole. Lovely.

 

Very cool.... I dig it...

 

Love the grille. love the car.

Unfortunately, you have now drawn my attention to the turn signals..

-Abone.

 

I have two plans for the turn signals.
A) make some bars to go in front of them.
B) The Merc grill is a little narrower than the fenders. Frank Palmer suggested making some scoops, maybe I could put the turn signals in there.

 

The grill is chrome so I will chrome the inserts to match. It should be under $100 to get chromed.

I spent $2.58 each for the 3' sticks of steel, I bet stainless is alot more.

 

can we get more pics of the car, i usually don't like el-caminos but that thing is the ***s

 

Saw you headed down 30, west of 360 a couple of weeks ago. I was in a black Ranger, gave you a nod, then you tore *** with that 4spd. Cool car. I mean truck... er yeah, car. Dig the **** outta that grille. Where did you find the stock Merc part, those are rarer than the truck!

 

Damn that looks good.

 

nice.

 

I would have used Cedar but that`s just me ?

 

Great idea it looks great......are you bringing it to the Pileup?

 

This is what I love to see!
Imagination, some time, and a unique look!
Great job!

 

The piece I have wasn't big enough, I know a guy that can score me some more at DOTD though

Thanks for the compliments, my "Shop Truck" is quickly getting out of hand.
This one is getting full upholstry and paint over the next year or as time permits.

 

Nice tech on a great idea... that there is customizing! I do agree that now the turn signal needs some treatment, too. Great job. vic

 

That thing(the iden***y crisis again) looks better every time I get to catch a glimpse of it. I especially like the firewall adornment from a Lone Star boat, those were maid in Lamarque, Tx., right next door to Texas City, my home 20, haven't been made since the late sixties, I believe. A friend knew the guy and got him to pop out a bare hull for him in the late seventies/early eighties, as he still had the building and the old molds.

 

Nice! it's the little things...

 

Beutiful.

 

wow, that's a great looking grille. Fits the car much better I think. Great craftsmanship, nice subtle change. As for turn signals.. howabout puttin em between the headlights on each side, behind that georgious grille? Don't know about spacing, or what's behind the grill in your car, but it's just an idea . I'd go for round, or maybe a thin wide oval. Just an idea.

Keep up the work, lookin good.

 

Damn!

I gotta say it.

I MUCH PREFER the Inserts to the mercury grille. You did such a nice job on those...why not go "whole hog" and ditch the mercury peice altogether? (and yes, I am somewhat aware of how much cussin must have gone on to get them straight...the haze of cusswords blew in from "up north" about an hour ago.)

Yoo ken doo eeet!

 

I'm so far off my original plan to replace the floors and make a solid driver out of it I might as well go nuts on a fabricated grill. I'll let you know when I get back from the Gene Winfield cl*** at the end the month.

Really though, just between you and me Lux, I can't wait to get the ElCamino mostly finished so I can get back to the Model A and make it shiny Black.

 

mmmm...shiny.
You're my Hero, Tyler.


from what I've seen you pull off recently, I'm not entirely sure you need the winfield cl***...but go anyway-if any of the buckets of cool he exudes happens to be left over, send me some down here in muscle car/race car land!

 

love the look. I would continue it right across in front of the park lights, just sink the lights in a couple inches to keep the look. I would keep the merc grille, they should have been an original replacement part for the chevys.
If you make a new grille and dont't need the merc anymore, I could store it on the front of my 59 for you......

 

very nice touch.... well done fellow THEM! member