40 standard grille - tips on fixing?

busmania

busmania

Well-known member
My car is a patina restoration so I dont need this to look perfect. Obviously I’m going to remove the top and bottom pieces and I’ll sand blast and paint. The middle chrome probably needs to be replaced with good used (anyone got one? Pm me?). But the actual grill part (slats) I’d like to fix. Is pot metal weldable? Or gluable? It’s pretty straight (will need a little love) so I’d like to reuse it. Several slats are broken off on the bottom. Any help?

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busmania said:
My car is a patina restoration so I dont need this to look perfect. Obviously I’m going to remove the top and bottom pieces and I’ll sand blast and paint. The middle chrome probably needs to be replaced with good used (anyone got one? Pm me?). But the actual grill part (slats) I’d like to fix. Is pot metal weldable? Or gluable? It’s pretty straight (will need a little love) so I’d like to reuse it. Several slats are broken off on the bottom. Any help?
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not fixable. I put an ad on the Hamb and found one local. They were reprod at one point, but no more. cost was around 600.


if youre not in a hurry, you will find one.
 
My 39 deluxe grille, which is very similar, was welded and repaired over 50 years ago after being caved in. One, possibly both top horizontal pieces were welded in a small town repair shop. I don't know the process he used but it looks good and held all these years. Even the lift handle to unlock the hood was welded.
 

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I did my 41 pickup grill which is almost identical . Rule number one, DON'T USE A HAMER. Slowly press and massage it back into shape. It takes time and a little finessing but it will go back. I used JB Weld and 1/8" all thread for splinting when needed. If your careful you can place the splints where they can't be or at least are hard to be seen. I mad a wood jig or mold if you will out of 2x4's and used my small bottle jack as a press to straighten the half that was stove in. After painting and installing it my friends still don't believe it's the same grill. It's still in my truck after many thousands of miles and other then a few rock chips looks like a nice reproduction grill. Tim
 
Just about any steel part can be welded with the right type of equipment even though steel parts such as this would more likely be reproductions. Plated parts would have to have plating removed before any weld repair could be done. The time involved would be way out there but it could likely be done. Finding repairable used stuff could save a lot of time but it also takes a lot of patience and diligence. Break a leg on finding a better part.

I've used the Muggy Weld for zinc die cast parts. A person has to make sure and watch for the color change on the flux. Zinc die cast turns fluid pretty quick when heated with a torch. Without that flux, a person will never know what the temp is before it's too late.

I use a torch that's smaller than the old aircraft torches like the Victor J-28 and the Harris model 15. The smaller the better for stuff like Muggy Weld zinc rod.
 
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Those vertical bars are die cast not formed sheet metal like a 39 Merc or Ford with stainless strips on them.
A VERY experienced welder could probably fix the broken bars TIG welding but no first time or novice welder. Bent bars as stated takes more patience.
I have a friend who worked in a plant that makes soda and beer cans as the head millwright, he would test prospective welders by asking them to weld two soda cans together at the bottom. If they would try and fail or say nobody can do that, he would sit down and demonstrate just that to show them with skill it can be done.
 
It can be saved by an experienced welder. Pot metal rod can be purchased at a welding supply company. How ever it would probably cost quite a bit for a welder to fix it. Very time consuming project.
 
I bought a 40 standard grille on here that needed some repairs I asked on here and a man in CA was recommended. I contacted him and sent him pictures and he gave me a rough idea on cost. I was lucky to score a new Drake standard grille for the brief time they were available. I sold the fixer. I have looked but have deleted the information.
 
I had two original grills. They were all cracked in the corners. I repaired mine with Muggy weld. Great stuff. It is much stronger than epoxy. The only problem I had was holding the parts in the correct position while soldering them.
 
ronn said:
not fixable. I put an ad on the Hamb and found one local. They were reprod at one point, but no more. cost was around 600.


if youre not in a hurry, you will find one.
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Thank you for the motivation. I’m about 35% to finished but it looks much better already. The muggy weld has a learning curve but I’m getting there. I straightened all of the bars and then after some trial and error, started to get some of the cracks muggy welded. Holding and keeping the parts in position along with not getting things so hot that other parts come apart are the two biggest challenges for sure. I found a good used (drake) center section. Anyway, I’ll post finished pictures when done.

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busmania said:
Thank you for the motivation. I’m about 35% to finished but it looks much better already. The muggy weld has a learning curve but I’m getting there. I straightened all of the bars and then after some trial and error, started to get some of the cracks muggy welded. Holding and keeping the parts in position along with not getting things so hot that other parts come apart are the two biggest challenges for sure. I found a good used (drake) center section. Anyway, I’ll post finished pictures when done.
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lol

you guys are glutton to punishment.

I generally take the easy way out. exit stage right.....
 
Haha. Ronn, I’m usually on the same page but figured while I looked for good used, I’d see if I could fix this one. Now, I did take the easy and expensive way out on the center part but it was missing pieces so I figured I couldnt really fix it. The biggest challenge is still ahead as the entire right side fat piece that bolts to the fenders is still not attached at all. It’s just held on by bolts in the side bracket in the photo.
 
It never hurts to try and repair original parts, especially hard to find ones. Good job and keep us updated.
 
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