Alternitive grills for a 32 ford?

Since your car has a competition look to it, why not try a solid aluminum insert that doesn't quite fill the open area?
Maybe an inch smaller all around.
Mount it on standoffs so it's out from the grille shell a little bit.
Make one vertical bend to match the grille shell angles.

I'm guessing enough air may flow around the edges and through the radiator to supply adequate cooling air for the radiator.
You'd probably want a shrouded mechancal fan on the engine side so as to pull the max air possible.

 

Don't listen to the doubters. Do something different. Everybody told Jake not to put a truck grill on his 34. Now it's a classic. Go for it. Go to a swap and fink something funky and kool.

 

While not as pretty as a deuce grill, this one is certainly different. It might be a little crude for some peoples tastes but it fits this car perfectly. I like it but I think it would look a whole lot better if they had curved the top corners of the insert.

 

Take a piece of wood, cut holes w/ hole saw, radius edges w/ router. Use heat gun to 'sag' the plexi into the holes.

There are some guys who've tried to do airplane canopies with the 'drape over a form' method; it didn't work well enough for the optics to be good (can't have various thickness or it changes the focus) but you're talking about a grille insert - not a windshield.

Disclaimer: I haven't actually tried doing this. But... I have bent plexi and lexan a couple times; think it has a chance. Might be worth spending a few scrap/remnant pieces on.

 

The whole time I was reading this I was thinking about the little deuce coupe too.

 

I think for a comp look I would go with a chopped shell no insert maybe a moon tank at the bottom half in the shell

I wish some one was here to smack the mess outa me I never realised that that was thee duece coupe

 

Why not a chrome '32 shell:

 

there is a guy out on the left coast i believe that has a 35 ford grille on his 32. it really changes the whole look of the car, kind updating it . the car is black and possibly has 35 fenders on it also. it looks like a job barris or one of the other customizers would have done back in the day . mike

 

you could also use a quarterround bit in the router and round over the front edge of the hole.. your plex would have to be over 1/4" or so.. and you'd have to sand and polish it, but it could be a nice look.

 

i decided on the ol 32 shell. i did narrow it 1.5 inches on the bottem. i choped it 3.5 inches and made this cool insert.

 

I think that it's too damned tall and the hood looks like it goes uphill - that really kills it for me.

Steve

 

i like it

 

That was my very first attempt at building a hotrod. I was 20 years old, and didn't know shit from mud, but I was car crazy!!! As so often happens, there was a shortage of skills and money, and that car never was finished, instead it was sold to help finance a 1960 Chev Impala. (which was my very first drag car). It wasn't untill about 20 years later that I built my first successfull "ground up" hotrod.---Brian

 

You are thinking of the [thread=221879]Blue Bird[/thread], '34 coupe, my all time Favorite!!!

 

My vote is for Bishop's idea with the shell cut down to match your channel.

 

Alternative girls and a 32? Perfect.

 

Sorry to bring up this old thread but because my Tudor came with a truck grille (since sold) and I've always liked to do things just a little bit different, I'll be doing just this - sort of . . .

Steve

 

Perfect! Where is it now?

 

ohhhhh sweeet lightning holes on your frame!

 

I see you finished, but I would have suggested 32 desoto. Looks like the one on Bluebird.

Seems like if you aren't using a 32 Ford on a 32 Ford, the masses think it is desecration of some sort.

Your solution looks good by the way.

 

Found it!

I liked it better with the long zoomies. Why did you take them off? The reason I ask is because I'm thinking of putting something similar on mine. Maybe you can save me the trouble if you had a reason(s) other than you just didn't like the way they looked. It's still a great looking car! So why did you go with the shorter headers?

 

hers the most recent pic of the 32. im liking the grill now.

 

Yep i like it !!!

 

This is what it looks like today.


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Yep. Looks great. Btt

 

I hope this image is clear enough, but as I recall there were lots of custom rods in the 50-60's with a variety of fabricated inserts like the one on this model kit with a horizontal tube deal. Gary

 

I'm liking no grill insert



Posted from Austinrod