Fixing chrome grills

[N.T.Q]

Was wondering if any one knows were you could buy the bars I have a grill and one of the bars is bent and I would like to just fix one bar, can that be done?

[Rude Dude]

If your are looking for an answer you might want to post AD or TF, year and model.

[N.T.Q]

thought I had that in there 1953 Chevy 3100

[chev3600]

Haven't really seen these bars separately, except for ebay.
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[vht]

It would be nice if you could buy separate bars. Going to look at a chrome grille tomorrow, used, it'll be a miracle if it is all nice.

[gale]

How bad is the bend? I plan to straighten the center piece for my '54 and have all the pieces chromed. It's painted now but that makes no difference to the plater.

The grille on a '54 is put together with something similar to pop rivets. I'll go back together #8 stainless bolts and nuts.

I've never looked closely at a '53 grille but they are probably assembled somewhat the same.

[av8tr33337]

Im not 100% sure, but I think I saw on this forum that the cross bars are not the same length. They are all slightly different lengths, shorter at the top and longer as you go down. Somebody please jump in if I am mistaken. If that's the case then of course it's going to be tougher to find a good bar that is the same length. I have several bent on my 51 3100 so I plan on fixing and painting them as best I can and save up for a new chrome grill.

Good luck. Hope you find something that works for you.

[N.T.Q]

the top bar and the 3rd one down, will check ebay thanks if they were not $400 bucks I would not care.

[mr48chev]

The grill in my 48 was built from pieces from several grills that I acquired that each had one good bar or maybe two, then I had the whole set chromed when I got a good set.

Each bar only goes in one specific spot in that the 3rd bar will only go in the 3rd bar spot. All four bars on a stock grill have notches in them to designate which spot they go in and there are matching notches in the bars in the main grill that they fasten to. That helps id the bars when you pick one up by it's self at a swap meet or something.

[N.T.Q]

Each bar only goes in one specific spot in that the 3rd bar will only go in the 3rd bar spot. All four bars on a stock grill have notches in them to designate which spot they go in and there are matching notches in the bars in the main grill that they fasten to. That helps id the bars when you pick one up by it's self at a swap meet or something.[/QUOTE]

thanks for the info

[mr48chev]

I won't elaborate on the headaches I went though before I figured that one out in the middle of a wrecking yard out east of Waco, Texas a few miles and down past the little market we stopped at to buy beer, summer sausage, a chunk of cheese and a sleeve of Saltine crackers.

[mr48chev]

I ran out and took a shot of one of my old grills . If you look to the right of the center bar you can see 2 notches on the 2nd bar, 3 on the third and 4 on the 4th. This is on a 1-1/2 ton truck grill so they may be in a different spot on a 1/2 to 1 ton grill.


It's raining out now (first real rain all summer) so I'll wait until tomorrow to see if I can get a look at the grill in my truck. I need to unbolt it and take out anyhow so if I get time I'll do that and take a photo. After my son backed into my perfect grill after towing me home the night before several years ago it has a couple of bent bars in it.

[gale]

That looks to be rusted beyond repair.

[mr48chev]

When you see the other side it looks worse. I think it has one usable bar.

It came off this truck but they had pulled it out before pulling the engine out of the truck. This is the one the back half of my new cab came from. It had a fuel tank on the back most of it's life.

[N.T.Q]

I wish they would have pulled this grill out before pulling the motor that's how it got the way it is

[Atomsplitter]

I talked to a company at the Syracuse Nationals this pas July that sold just bumpers and they sold the individual bars but they were $160 EACH so I handed him back his price sheet and walked away, sorry. But at least you know there IS a company that sells what your looking for. Try checking out the Right Coast site and maybe request a list of vendors from the Syracuse show? Thats all I can do for you, good luck.

[gale]

The new chrome grille is $600 from LMC. You might catch them during a sale for less.

I bought a new 4 row radiator for my '54 from Jim Carter during one of their 15% off sales so $425 got considerably cheaper.

[mr48chev]

Tucker classic truck parts and I think several others have the chrome with cream background grill for 395 http://www.tuckersparts.com/Grill-FGA-4753.html

Still if you want to assemble one from pieces find one with a real good main body and background (for lack of better terms) and use what good bars you have and hunt bars down one at a time. If a bar isn't too bad you might be able to straighten it. If you plan to rechrome it, painted bars in good shape with no bondo are fine. I'm thinking the cost of having five bars chromed now is going to be more than buying a reproduction though.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by N.T.Q

I wish they would have pulled this grill out before pulling the motor that's how it got the way it is

Both trucks had the engines pulled the same way so it may be that they lifted the engine up with a chain hoist and pulled the truck out from under it. The top and back side of the orange cab is near perfect and that is why I bought both trucks. I'm thinking seriously about putting the cab off the other 1-1/2 ton on my old frame and putting my old 350/350 engine and trans in it to have something to sell to raise some money to work on mine with. No takers on the green 1-1/2 ton when I put it on Craigslist as is for 300 so I need to do something with it.