Thread: getting cold, anyone ever make a grille cover/screen for a 1930s Ford?

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my '39 does not like cold (lower than 60°) mornings, and even after a 45 minute /35 mile commute in stop and go traffic I can't get her up to a good operating temp.

She's hoovers around 160° when moving, when I stop it will get to 190° then quickly back down to 160° once moving again.


I believe this is a result of the open vents on the side hood aprons, and maybe the large open front grille.

I've searched high and low for a grille screen or cover to reduce the cold air flow but can't find anything for a 1937-1939.

anyone have any ideas? I'm likely to have to make on myself, but if someone has some ideas they would like to share, please do.

thermostat ?

Slide a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator. Block off about half. A couple zip ties to keep it in place.

Originally Posted by shine

thermostat ?

what about it? I have a 195° t-stat. unless the car is idling in never gets above 190° if I let it sit and idle it will bounce between 195° and 210° depending on the outside temp, the electric fans will come on and off and keep it consistent in that range.

but at highway speeds there is a lot of air flow through the engines.. even with the outside temps are in the high 90° the electric fans rarely come on at highway speed. I can recall once last summer when it was > 105° outside.


the issue is with this large grille and the side hood venting, there is so much cold air flowing over the motor it can't get up to temp: I've covered the side vents with some clear vinyl and it worked, but I am looking for something more temporary that can be removed in summer, like the big covers semi's use on their grilles in winter.

1938 ford.jpg

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

Slide a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator. Block off about half. A couple zip ties to keep it in place.

that's an idea, but I am really looking for something that is a bit cleaner...

something like a '32-'34 bug screen, that can be removed when needed. just to cut down the cold air flow..

doesn't appear anyone makes a bug screen for anything later than a '34.

I can make my own, just not sure how to attach it.

they were made at one time for this car:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38-Ford-Mod....c100903.m5276



and for '32 - '34 cars they still make them, just can't find anything for a '38/'39

i would think about replacing the thermostat . possible it is hung open . is water circulating cold ?

Originally Posted by shine

i would think about replacing the thermostat . possible it is hung open . is water circulating cold ?

t-stat is brand new, was replaced on 10-11-18.. it was a 165° I replaced with a 195° because I thought that was the issue. it's not, it is the cold airflow over the motor.

I leave for work at 4am, this morning it was in the high 40°, above 65° outside temps I don't see the issue for the most part water temp gets to about 180°, but in the 40°-60° range water never gets above 160°ish. Head temps are even lower, I have temp gauge on both the water pump and the heads. as I had a ongoing overheat issue for several months. I have fixed that issue and the car now operates perfectly as long as the outside temps are above 65°.


Now with colder temps I have an under heat issue.


As I stated, I blocked off the side vents and upper grille area with some clear vinyl I had, same stuff used as "clear bra" on modern cars, doing so allowed less air flow and the water temp got to normal operating temps.

I would have argued that a water cooled engine couldn't be so affected by air cooling - I would have been wrong. What was the solution for the overtemp problem?

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

I would have argued that a water cooled engine couldn't be so affected by air cooling - I would have been wrong. What was the solution for the overtemp problem?

There were multiple problems. Fan was pulling 60 amps on startup but the builder used a cheap 30 amp made in China relay, so the relay would just buzz and never make a connection, The fan switch sensor was grounding out against the alternator because he used a straight connector instead of a 90 and bent it ‘to fit’ which essentially broke it and the wire was bouncing against the alternator and grounding out.

He apparently couldn’t figure either of these 2 things out so he installed a second fan in front of the radiator and put it on a manual switch, so when both fans came on they were counter acting each other, he put in the lowest rated t-stat he could find but the auto fan switch was rated at on at 215 degrees off at 195.

Removed the unneeded fan

Replaced 165 t-stat with a 180 last year and put a 195 in last month. Car seems to operate best around 200 degrees and it get better gas mileage there than at ~180ish.

Replaced the relay with a high quality 70 amp fan relay

Replaced the fan switch sensor with the proper one and used the proper water tight 90 degree connector

Cost me all of about $165 in parts and half an afternoon to fix the over heat issue he had been fighting for 6 years. Car hasn’t over heated on me now in 16 months

You don't put your temp guage in your water pump----------

And it needs to be in place where the coolant is leaving the engine---------this wouldn't be in the cylinder head either--------

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

You don't put your temp guage in your water pump----------

And it needs to be in place where the coolant is leaving the engine---------this wouldn't be in the cylinder head either--------

It’s on the intake manifold next to the hose connection where it belongs.



Second one is on the right side head so I can monitor the head temps not the water temp

"......my '39 does not like cold (lower than 60°) mornings, and even after a 45 minute /35 mile commute in stop and go traffic I can't get her up to a good operating temp......"


I had a car like that once, it ran great in the summer but drivability in cold weather was horrible and got worse the colder the outside temperature got. Driving in stop and go traffic was miserable. The engine was set up with aluminum heads (that had no provisions for a heat crossover) an aluminum intake and an air cleaner set up to pull air from behind the grill instead of the warmer air in the engine compartment.

Turns out the real issue I was fighting wasn't the operating temperature of the engine coolant but rather the temperature of the air coming into the induction system. The lack of heat in the induction system wasn't allowing the fuel to vaporize enough to get good combustion especially at lower RPM. It became even more noticeable when all we could get for fuel was E10.

Your comment about covering the side vents making a difference makes me wonder if that's not the same issue you're running into. If that's the case covering part of the grill may not actually help all that much. It may raise the under hood temperature slightly but with open side vents that heat may not stay in the engine compartment long enough for the intake to actually see it.

The cure/band-aid that I finally ended up using on mine was the addition of an MSD 6a box. It was a night and day difference. The box really cleared up the idle and low RPM drivability issues and with complete combustion the engine even ran a bit warmer.


Oh, and please let us know what you figure out on it.


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any upholstery shop can sew up a bug screen for you and cut down the open area with vinyl . it will cut down flow considerably and may help. maybe lean the tune some .

Lund used to make winter cold fronts for a lot of vehicles. It was basically a thick nylon or plastic flat sheet about 3/16" thick that had holes all over it. You could do this and put it behind your grill and side vents. You might be able to add some longer bolts that hold your grill on and then just slip these covers over those bolts , then attach your nuts.

I deal with his problem with diesels every winter. The diesels have such large radiators and the cooling systems move so much coolant that it is hard to warm them up and maintain heat in the cooling system when it gets cold. Granted, it usually isn't an issue until you get to 30* and colder but it is an issue.

The cardboard trick is a good way to do it. The cardboard may be ugly but if the temps rise outside, it isn't very hard to take the cardboard out and set it behind the seat so you don't over heat the engine.
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