Pick & Pull SCORE!!!

[Blue666]

I just finished a tough week at work & decided I needed some junkyard therapy. I stopped by a Pick & Pull to look for a high hump front section. I found a couple of decent ones but they were welded in & I did not bring the drill.

Wandered around some more, found a master/slave cylinder combo for another project. Over the tops of some sedans, I saw the cab of a 66 truck. Walked around front & found an aluminum grill.

It's a little bent & a little dented but for $20 for the grill & $14 for the bezels, I won't complain too much

[Budman56]

With a hammer and a little patience you can beat it back to new...LOL Really I have done it but its a lot of work.. great find.

[BR3W CITY]

with a good set of body hammers that actually is a doable project. Time consuming if you want to do it RIGHT and have no filler. You can snip the braces on the back to give you more room to work the hammers and dollies in there, and then it only takes a couple quick stitch welds to close it back up.

[vin63]

Nice score! I would also recommend a couple different sizes and offsets of hand seamers. I find that I use my hand seamers just as much as my sheetmetal hammers when restoring longer panels and bent trim pieces.

[oem4me]

I think straightening trim takes patience, craftsmanship, and a certain kind of inner discipline not everyone has. I personally enjoy that process and have had some very satisfying success with lightly damaged trim.
If you derive enjoyment by correcting flaws, that grill is going to provide you pleasure for many years to come.
I know those grills are worth their weight in gold if you find a straight one, but I'd say that one is probably worth it's weight in aluminum. Have fun!

[chevyrestoguy]

Straightening an aluminum is grille is a test of patience. Go slow, and don't take big swings at it. The problem with the aluminum grilles is that when they dent it stretches the metal, and it doesn't like to go back into shape.

If/when you hammer and dolly, don't use anything with a sharp edge, including the hammer. If you do, you'll put "donkey tracks" all over the grille that you'll never get out. Pieces of wood work well in this case. Take a look at each dent closely and determine what direction the hit came from. With this knowledge, you can "reverse" the dent by working your way from the edge to the center. This method helps prevent further stretching of the metal. You may have to use pliers to bend the edges back into shape. Remember: almost all pliers have teeth, so make sure you tape the jaws to prevent plier marks.

Take it slow, be patient. Don't hesitate to walk away from it for a while as you're working it. When you get frustrated, that's when it can get ruined.

You won't be able to make it perfect, but you can it looking a lot better than it does right now.

[Blue666]

I have a couple of soft rubber hammers & will be careful as I tap out the dents. I was not sure what a hand seamer was but now that I know, they look to be a great tool for this project.

I'll hit you guys up for some tips as I proceed. My cab needs some other items before it's ready for the grill. A little each week....