Custom grill? 30's coupe? Not a BBQ either.

Don't like the looks of the stock grill on the 37 Dodge coupe. I actually don't have a grill, so plan on making one.


I'm debating whether or not to leave the center vertical bar there or not. I might cut it out and make a single grill, instead of 2 smaller ones (1 on each side of the vertical bar)


Thoughts? Ideas? Pics?

It would certainly be easier to make and fit a one-piece grill versus 2 pieces but I wouldn't cut out the center section of your grill shell due to the structure and rigidity you would lose. I had a similar issue with my 37 pickup but I had the side pieces and not the center section (at least not a good center section). So, I made my own while I was straightening and salvaging the grill shell.

- EM

With the center of the hood being fixed, it kind of makes sense that the center divider is there. It kind of continues the lines from the hood down the grill. If it was a one piece hood, the single grill would look fine. Maybe you could play around on the computer with different designs and see what you like best.

What would be interesting is if you could make the center divider removable and build it so it fits on top of a one piece grill. Then you could change the look whenever you wanted to...just by removing or installing the center piece.

I had a 35 Dodge, on mine the center piece really wasn't needed for support, if anything it was adding something for the bottom of the grill surround to attach to. The grill surround, if in good condition, is self supporting. The center piece probably added support for the vertical bars for each 1/2 grill. All the early Mopar grills I've seen were basically folded sheet metal attached at the top and bottom, with a couple cross braces between the top and bottom pieces, nothing very robust at all. I suspect by 37 Mopar decided they wanted to give those individual vertical folded sheet metal bars additional center support.

If your goal is to make a custom grill, I wouldn't let the center piece be a distraction, as long as your grill design can withstand the air movement at speed and won't fold up in the middle. Gene

Yeah the center bar doesn't really seem to be needed for support. There is bracing between the rad support and the center hood section. If I do remove the center bar, the one piece grill will be bolted around the entire perimeter of the resulting larger hole.

Was planning on using 1/4" or even 3/8" solid round stock for the entire frame and a few cross bars, and maybe 1/8" round for the vertical bars.

Some photo shop renderings a member on another site so graciously came up with for me.

more

last

instead of solid stock, i would use tubing.
the reason being that size tubing would be lots easier to bend into the shape and style you decide on, and would be plenty strong for the purpose intended.
it would also be considerably lighter.

the second picture looks like the nose guard on a viking helmet.....

I did one similar to #4 on my 35 Dodge sedan (sorry, no pictures and the car is long gone). I used 1/8" round bar stock. Even with that light bar stock, it was pretty heavy. Not sure where you would find affordable tubing that small. There is a lot of material being used there, figure each of those upright bars are 2' - 2 1/2' long, then around the outside edge, it adds up pretty quickly.

I'm thinking a simple shiny outside perimeter, with 8-10 shiny cross bars evenly spaced apart might look OK. A couple darkened vertical bars for extra support would be OK too, they would blend in with the radiator and you wouldn't see them (I guess I'm assuming your radiator will be painted black.) Gene

The grill on my 37 Plymouth has the center section, but it is a bit smaller. Personally if the 37 Dodge was mine I would look for a stock grill or cut the center bar down to make it a bit more narrow.

Your center section is not a part of the body, is it? It's attached to the grill? Am I correct in saying that?

Gary

One more photo shop idea.

I really like that last one!

if i remember correctly, the center section bolts to the grille insert with a few bolts and a couple more at the top and bottom of the shell.
the 38 mounts the same way.

Yes, another way of putting it is the piece between the 2 sides of the hood is not part of the grill shell on the 38, it is bolted to the grill housing. The center piece in the grill should bolt to the bottom and the top of the surrounding grill piece. Gene

thanks for the clarification gene. my 38 has been gone since around the 1985ish time period.
i had a complete 37 clip [hood, fenders, lights, grille, etc] that was in way better condition than the original 38 tin, and i believe a guy can swap the complete clip, which i was planning to do.
but the car got sold before that happened.
anyway, i know you can't just swap individual pieces from year to year, as they are year specific.
sorry for the hijack.
back to your regularly scheduled program.

Maybe it's just me but #5 is a little too "Edselish" to me...

last one for me

I like the last one best. It's not as awkward as the first 3.

Instead of bars, i would get some expanded or perforated metal, cut it to fit, and have it chrome plated.