The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop '49 Grille Question

I had someone over looking at my truck this morning. We started talking about some options regarding refinishing/replacing/remanufacturing the grille.

He seemed to think the grille was stainless steel, and could be revived by judicious polishing. He also said he had seen a company somewhere that could straighten out the various dings, dents and tears in the shiny part of the grille using some dies the company had developed.

Does anyone have any conclusive information as to:

1) Composition of the shiny part of the grille (stainless or chromed steel?)?

2) Contact information on companies that can fix them?

I'm still a ways away from having to do something about a grille, and the good news is I have 2 to choose from.

I'll look forward to your responses.

What I think:
1) The material is chromed steel. On my '52 all the grille components are painted steel due to the chrome "shortage" of the Korean war.

2) No idea, good luck with that one. Many parts supplies offer repop chrome grilles for alot less than you can repair and rechrome an original damaged grille.

3) Oh sorry, no #3. My advice: If you want chrome, buy repop. Or, you can fix what you have and paint the grille. I repaired my badly damaged grille and repainted. Turned out awesome in my opinion, but was a TON of work. Good luck.

THey make hardware kits for assembling grilles.... I think they are something like 160-170 pieces!

I have wrestled with trying to make a Chinese $600 chrome grille fit in my 51 panel.....
First off, the top bar is at least 1/2 inch TOO LONG! and the ends are pointed and
tried to dig themselves into the Chinese re-pop fenders.

You can make it all work, but you'll spend a bunch of time and use up a few of those tapered variable drill bits to make all the holes bigger so you
can actually make the )(*(&^% fit.

I had no choice since the original grill and fenders were destroyed. If your grille is workable ....... use it!

mike

Thanks for the heads up. I'm going to attempt to polish the heck out of what I have before abandoning the idea.

I actually have 2 grilles. I thought I might be able to make one good one out of the 2 I have, but they aren't symetrical, and parts have to be exchanged one for one.

I agree wholeheartedly with DavidF and Mike,I've just been through the same thing.
If yours is salvageable do your best to save it.
Mine had an 'Elvis lip' when I got it as the lower 3 bars were bent.
Due to lack of ready $$$ I had a go at mine.
Here's how it turned out. Grill.

I'm helping a friend with a 1950 and he ordered a reproduction grill. The driver side of the grill looked great, but the passenger side was a mess. None of the bars lined up.

Sent it back and waiting for another to come in.

If it is the same way, we will send it back and attempt to repair the original.

Your repaired grill looks pretty good! I picked up a repro and it looks real good. I'm a ways from trying to fit it. I've been kicking around repairing the original one though.