So last night I was working on my grill and noticed some gaps between the teeth and the main bar. I was wondering what any of you guys have done to fix this? I was trying to move them up and down but the bolts wouldn't allow it.

Also is there any tricks to banging out a ding on the these? I can't realy get a good swing on the insides. Thanks.

Clayton

 

We might be alot of things around here but we're not mind readers. Some more details would go along way to helping us help you....year? model?, etc

Bobby

 

If you can't get a hammer in, use an extension. I usually use a 1/2"-1" solid bar thats been rounded to do what I need on the end, long enough to get the dent and be able to hold onto. It takes a little more time than if you could just hit it normally, but you'll at least be able to hit it.

 

Hmm... you're right, that might be helpful Bobby.

It's a '51 - '52 style grill. The three teeth look slightly shifted up or down plus some of the edges don't pull tight when bolted onto the main piece. It's only about a 1/16" to 1/8" but I don't like it.

The dent I'm having trouble banging out is on the top towards the front. An extention, why didn't I think of that? I was thinking what I need to do is bang on the side of a bar to get them out. Now where's that bent ball joint remover? Thanks

Clayton

 

Clayton,

Yea, we all do it from time to time, we get to working on something and get so wound up in it that we forget that the rest of the world doesn't have a clue to what we're up to.

A Year and make in the thread title will go along way to getting your questions answered.

It sounds to me like one or more of the teeth have been "bumped" at some time in there life and chances are the mounting tabs are tweaked a bit. If you alread have to take the teeth off to try and bang out the dings then take a close look at the mounting tabs for signs of damage.

Old extensions, wooden dowels, baseball bats, various sizes of steel pipe with caps, round stock, square stock, etc, etc, etc. There are tons of things you can use to reach into tight spots to bang at a ding.

I went and looked at your gallery, nice truck!

Good luck with it
Bobby

 

if all else fails there is always the auto-orthodontist. dick r

 

Actually the teeth shoud come off the bar faily easily (unscrew) unless they have been spot welded in place. Also, I have built up a couple of these and I noticed that the top and bottom of the straight bar are not arched the same. I believe the bottom is a little more curved. You may want to check that the teeth are not on upside down.

Lastly, there usually is a gap about 1/16 to 1/8. If you want them to fit tight, I suggest you bend the mounting tabs back a little then hand file the edged of the teeth to fit exactly the shape of the long bar where they will sit. I found a dremmel and angle grinder can be very helpful as well - but be patient and go slow.

I have a 3 bullet, a 5 bullet and a 7 bullet 51/52 grilles. I hand fitted each tooth. And on the grilles with the extra teeth, I also cut and filed the bottoms off to sit within 1/32 of the lower valance so you can't tell there are not extra holes in that for the extra teeth.

I brazed the stainless steel mounting bolts into the headlight sockets, and wired the headlights in each with the same electrical plug. So if I want to change out a grille, I can simply undo the wing nuts on the back of the wind break, unplug the lights, and drop off the grille - then put on one of the others.

For your next question (you were going to ask later), I painted mine white instead of the stock off white/cream or Argent color, using the Rustoleum "Industrial strength" spray enamel because the other trim on the truck will be white as well. I got behind a gravel truck on the freeway one day and thought the grille paint would be toast. And while that sand blasting dinged my primer coat on the hood and fenders, it didn't hurt the painted grille.

Pictures - note, no gaps (well, maybe a dash on that center bullet bottom).

Have fun with your grille!

 

Julie, are those straight pipes (no mufflers) with that 460? bet that sounds loud!
it was a 460 you had in there right? or was it a 390?
Josh

 

Take the time to shape the end of a good sized bar to the shape of the undented area and a little larger than the dent. If you are having trouble finding suitable bar stock buy some large inexpensive cold chisels from an import tool dealer or haunt the local flea markets. There is usually someone selling old tools at the learger permanent flea markets. Round all the edges and sand smooth. Back up the dented area on the outside with a hard rubber dolly (A hockey puck works well if it's large enough) sitting on a solid surface (heavy anvil or concrete floor, I use a short length of large I-beam and/or railroad track). Don't work directly on a steel surface or you will stretch the metal. strike the end of the bar with a hand maul (small shorthandled sledgehammer) with a heavy tap using the weight of the hammer to deliver the blow. You are not trying to punch thru to the other side or create an outwards bulge, the reason for using the heavy hammer is to deliver a controlled solid tap that doesn't bounce. Check your progress after each tap and adjust your tap and the bar position as needed. Finish the outside by running over the area with a large flat file in all directions, moving the file in the same strokes as the surface contour. You will first hit the high spots with the file. If they are small in diameter with larger unfiled areas around them then they are likely higher than the proper surface. Use a steel dolly held solid against the inside and tap down the high spot with a body hammer. Work slowly, carefully, and gently. Light taps can move a lot of metal! Work in an overlapping circular pattern from the outside to the center if the high spot is larger than the hammer face. Stop as soon as you make a sharp ringing sound rather than a dull thud. Refile and recheck contour. If you are filing most of the surface except for some small areas you have found (some) low spots. Place a dolly against the outside and tap from the inside with the pick end of a body hammer or a smaller bar with a rounded blunt end. I have made small picking punches out of large carriage bolts (they can be found at a large box DIY store in sizes up to 1/2" x 12", pick up several diameters and lengths.) that I have ground and sanded the tops of the heads and end of the threads smooth with rounded edges. I have also made a couple of long reach punches by screwing the ends of two long bolts together with an all-thread coupling. I have smoothed off the head of one bolt to use against the metal and saved another to be the end I hammer on. I have made or modified bits and pieces to use as body tools, I have bought very few purpose made body tools.

 

Crooked Teeth ???

Bobby, what are they talking about ???

 

What? Huh?

Those are Patriot 3 1/2 inch side pipes with an interior muffler - legal even in California (for the moment).

I got them from J.C. Whitney and they were originally intended to be Lake Pipes with fake headers. The kit even comes with th e"headers that youbolt to the stock exhaust.

I got rid of that and had the headers and extension pipes made. I had the extension pipes chromes and the headers powder coated. I am extremely disappointed with the powder coating as it was silver and now it has dulled to dirty gray. My welder guy said that the next time I had work done in his shop he would take them off, squack at the powder coating guys, and get them redone.

The Patriot Pipes are 63 Inch length 3 1/2 inch diameter and P/N PTE-H1165

Patriot Exhaust H1165 - Patriot Side Exhaust - Overview - SummitRacing.com

They growl withthe 390 in there. Only problem is you have to be very careful getting out of the truck. Those suckers get HOT. If you touch it, by the time you feel it you have a nasty leg burn (motorcycle guys feel the pain). I've conditioned myself to get out a certain way so I miss them - it only takes once. (and I hate those ugly shields).

Here is a picture of the kit and the rest of the installation:

 

The teeth can't go on upside down, but if they unbolt ('51), they may be in the wrong spots since as Julie notes the bar is not flat.

 

Julie, are those your stock rims chromed with hubs in this pic?

 

Dawg,

LOL...ah yea.....but not everyone can be as fortunate as us and have trucks with the one true and beautiful grill....LOL

Bobby

 

Thanks guys! This will be a ton of help.

I was definetly putting the pieces in the right way, I doubled checked where the parking light bulge was many times. The grill does have some damage to the center where the top brace has since given up and left. I imagine the whole assembly got a little tweeked when that happened.

I do like the white grill action and thought about going that way but I already bought some cream for the trim on the '41 and figured I could save a couple bucks using that. I eventually want to chrome the grill later on and thus why I want the fit to be perfect.

Your truck looks sweet Julie. The 390 and engine bay are very clean. I like the grill too. I'm going to slap some side pipes on this machine too so you've helped me more than one way.

Hockey pucks? What's that?

Clayton