Thread: '37 Oze build

Tweet

I decided to work on the grille some more, to try to improve the fit. The spacing between the 2nd and 3rd fins was obviously too narrow. Making it wider, to match the others would both look better and reduce the gap between the top fin and the hood. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. As soon as I cut through the mounting flange, the top two fins moved inward, indicating the builder had pulled the top fin into a wider position, before welding. The top fin is about 1-3/4" wide and requires a substantial force to spread the ends wider. I corrected the fin spacing on one side with no problem, but getting the other side moved out to it's original width proved impossible. After one botched attempt to use vise grips to force the fin into position, I finally gave up and cut the top fin nearly all the way through, so it could easily be bent to the desired width. I spent the better part of two days getting the grille welded back together. Along the way, I discovered a second broken weld and fixed that too.

I found that cutting the mounting flange (1/8" thick by 1" wide bar stock) and bridging a 1/4" wide gap was not easy. Both sides required a small filler strip, to bridge a 1/4 inch gap.

After all that work, the grille still doesn't have the desired angle on the top fin. It needs to be a little lower at the very tip.







URL=http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/dashepherd298/media/IMG_3437_zps6dda27c3.jpg.html][/URL]