new guy , don't no much about early ford trucks ; will a 56 ford grill fit a 51 f/1 ? can they be cut to fit if needed ? I haven't seen one just thought somebody may have done it. They are a good looking grill . I'm new here can't find what I need to , thought I would just ask and maybe get some help.

 

Well shoot, with a good cutting torch, a nice big hammer, an indistrial size drill, you can make just about anything fit on these trucks.

The headlight buckets are completely different and the depth is a concern. Also how you mount the newer grill as the bolt holes will probably not align on the wind screens. Also the parking lamps are different sizes and shapes so they will not fit readily. So other than being a little too wide, not deep enough, not fitting with the parking lamps, and having three big holes in the lower valance to fill from the 51s teeth. I would say it could probably be done - if you were real motivated and a very talented welder/body guy.

 

I can do the work,been practicing since 1957 . would like to see one before cutting up a good grill. I guess I could get a old beater grill to make the first cuts on . I thought there may be somebody out there that had tried it and could save me some time. Is everybody here hung up on originality? I will admit I am a street rodder. I can"t get much help on this site maybe I should send the f/51 though the crusher and go back to my 34 chevy street rod . Every first time a newbe that has a question about some simple original thing . gets all kinds of help along with, hello , welcome ,come back. I'm a freshman user with 31 post and not one person has said , hello , welcome or any thing close to it . All I get is sarcasm, not help from people that assume they no it all just because I ask for help . I have more years building cars and trucks experiance than some of you have been on this earth. Maybe I can get some darksider help? I am getting the message .

 

Wow, and I sit, amazed.

In your first post, you didn't mention anything about having ANY experience at all. You ask a newb question, in my opinion, and yes, I am a builder, I am not going to go to a forum and ask a basic question, that's right, I said basic. If you are SOOOOO good, then make it fit and we'll see you at the shows.

Julie told you the differences in the designs, nothing sarcastic, until your sarcasm. And I don't know too many car builders, especially with 40 years of experience that don't know just about every make out there, or have somewhat of an idea. Especially, the big 3, (Ford, Chevy, and Mopar)

Before you go send that Ford to the crusher, give it to a fellow darksider.

If you were asked by a newb on a forum, can a 37 grille fit a 34 grille. How many of your fellow brethen would ask..... WHY? and in all your wisdom, you would be the one to say, well, no, the 37 has a slant on the upper corners leaning back, while the 34 is a straight shot down. Oh wait, maybe I just gave you the answer.

 

The last part I did ask for a darksider. I don't expect any help from true blue ford people. I think I will just pull the small block chevy out and get a 52 chevy truck for it. They are a much better truck anyway. I got the 51 ford along with a 48 and 49 cabs for $200.00 I can get that back from the crusher guy and not be out anything but my wasted time at this site . ford tuff with chevy stuff.

 

The last part I did ask for a darksider. I don't expect any help from true blue ford people. I think I will just pull the small block chevy out and get a 52 chevy truck for it. They are a much better truck anyway. I got the 51 ford along with a 48 and 49 cabs for $200.00 I can get that back from the crusher guy and not be out anything but my wasted time at this site . ford tuff with chevy stuff.

 

Just like being at the shop. The ford/chevy banter. We have 2 ford guys, 3 chevy guys, and one crazy mopar guy. Never understood them. Just got done installing a set of headers and replacing plugs and wires on a 383 road runner. My forearms are still screaming.

So what your saying is, you have 3 cabs sitting there. Hmm, where are you located. Could be handy for a chop.

And we keep the cars we build gender specific, no cookie cutter chevy's in our pony's.

 

Fat flatty ; I Can't say for sure what will happen with the cabs now, what state are you located in ? this is all a hobby for me , I am retired and just need something to do with my time. I planed on installing one on a ranger frame just because most of the visitors on here say not to do it . Thats the way I do things I like a dare . I would never drive it if it never looked or handled right . I am not a rat rod builder, I don't like to see those things show up at the car shows . I like fords and chevys , own both . Did put a 352 ford in a 52chevy pickup back in 1965 , never worked out well . I like the old engins, I have three 292 Y/blocks , one 289 , one 460 ,one chevy 292 six and one 235 six. I don't no if I will live long enough to use them all up. L.O.L Now you know something about me . I hope it was not to boring. I should have ask if anybody had a picture of a 51 with a 56 grill then I could figure out the rest .

 

Fat flatty ; I Can't say for sure what will happen with the cabs now, what state are you located in ? this is all a hobby for me , I am retired and just need something to do with my time. I planed on installing one on a ranger frame just because most of the visitors on here say not to do it . Thats the way I do things I like a dare . I would never drive it if it never looked or handled right . I am not a rat rod builder, I don't like to see those things show up at the car shows . I like fords and chevys , own both . Did put a 352 ford in a 52chevy pickup back in 1965 , never worked out well . I like the old engins, I have three 292 Y/blocks , one 289 , one 460 ,one chevy 292 six and one 235 six. I don't no if I will live long enough to use them all up. L.O.L Now you know something about me . I hope it was not to boring. I should have ask if anybody had a picture of a 51 with a 56 grill then I could figure out the rest .

 

Afraid I haven't seen it done before, best luck will be getting some photoshop help with it. Anything can be made to fit, but this mod will probably take a lot of work, not just on the grille, but it sounds like a sweet idea to me. (lol all my ideas are in the "way too much work" catagory, wouldn't have it any other way, lol)

 

Thanks , stephen67 ; I was thinking about the photo shop idea . I just thought if somebody had done it or had a picture it would be helpfull. Maybe it has been tried with bad results .

 

Hi Jim,

I had to laugh a little at your post up in #3. We just had a LONG thread about how people seem to all want to do Darkside Stuff and no one post about stock items any more. Well, we can't seem to win for loosin' I guess.

About feeling like you have been getting the cold shoulder, I'm sorry that has been your experience. I have to tell you that there are a few new people who have mentioned that, but I haven't seen any real6 rudiness - that wasn't blatent and deliberate ( and I can tend to be very pointed at times). Maybe it's just your perception of peoples writing styles. You also tend to be a little "direct."

But for the most part, folks here seem to go out of their way to be helpful and make new people feel welcome. Maybe your initial post was about a subject everyone got interested in and you just sounded like an old hand not a newbie - not sure. One thing I am sure of is that we definately have a number of "Personalities" here. And we are mostly like a big mirror - the picture coming out is just the same as the picture going in.

On your grille idea, it may have been done, but I think that after what I described, it might have been obvious that it is more trouble than it's worth, and anyone else who may have thought about it probably recognized that and didn't do it. Maybe not.

You might try this site for a little more darksider stuff if you decide you don't like it here:

Information

 

Thanks Julie : First I want to say,"I'm sorry for sounding rude" I never meant to be and I am very direct there is no gray area for me, it's black or white. If you saw my face you would have seen a smile. thats the trouble with the printed word it's hard to express yourself.I should have just ask for a picture and saved all of the hard feelings. I see now the grill would not be worth the cost . I did feel ignored but I guess I can handle that. I had just came from another fourum, not all ford subjects, they were so rude and called me nasty names there because of my age, I was expecting that here. I won't be going back there . I will stay here and just look and listen until sombody tells me to leave like they did on the other one. Just to give you more information about myselff. First I am not a young man, but I am able to still build cars.I am not a professional builder, I am a retired building contractor with a hobby I have loved and had since about 1957 or 58 . I do all my own work eccept upholstery. my work could never compete with high dollar shops . My cars are used as everday transportation. I think thats all the boring stuff for today .Again I apologize, you have a good day now . JIM

 

jim,
Welcome to FTE. Glad you decided to hang around. Sounds like you have a lot of experience in the car/truck hobbies, and a lot of ideas concerning style. Looking forward to having another darksider around. If you do the grill, take pictures, I would like to see what you come up with, sounds cool. Good luck with the truck.
brian...

 

Thanks Brian ; I like your last line about growing old and growing up , done the first hope I don't do the last .I'm not sure what will happen with the truck. You being a darksider I believe I can, without getting screamed at , admit my 34 chevy street rod is my pride and joy.