31 radiator shell questions

John LaVoy

John LaVoy

Well-known member
While I'm waiting on delivery of the new reproduction radiator shell I'm investigating the two shells I have. This has raised a couple of questions. One it appears on both shells the radiator emblem was spot welded in place rather than just pushed into the shell as it was on the 28-29s I have worked on. Is this the case or do I have two shells that happened to be welded? Second one shell has the top and bottoms removable with tabs holding the pieces in place, the other shell has only the top removable the lower piece being one piece with the shell, when did the change happen?
 
My shell has only the top piece that is removable. I tried to find this answer as well. My Ford emblem presses on as my 30 did.
 
I thought the change happened at the start of the new 1931 Model. My 31 has the top removable and is a Slant Window Town Sedan with the flat firewall, meaning it's about March or April of 31. I never heard of someone spot welding the emblem to the shell.
 
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I never heard of a emblem spot welded. [but there is always a first] As far as the bottom and top being able to be removed i am told that is on LATER 1931's...
 
I have 2, 31 shells and they are both pressed in. The top insert has tabs, not my bottom ones.

Memory betrayed me, bottom has tabs too! :)
 
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My Nov 30 Victoria had the emblem spot welded to the shell. I did not notice the three tiny welds and ruined the emblem trying to knock it out with a wooden dowel as had always worked on my 28 and 29 resto's.
 
Thanks, it is really interesting how things were done at the factory. I would guess it varied from location to location.
 
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