mbstude Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Hi guys. I need to completely disassemble a '37 Coupe Express grille for restoration. The stainless edge pieces are crimped onto the fins, and the fins have folded tabs on each end to hold them in place. Removing the fins is simple enough and I have the tools to remove and repair the stainless. However.. I can't figure out how to split the left and right halves. It looks like the 2 pieces that make up the "back bone" are spot welded together. Is that the case? How do I get this thing apart? Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37S2de Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 Hi guys. I need to completely disassemble a '37 Coupe Express grille for restoration. The stainless edge pieces are crimped onto the fins, and the fins have folded tabs on each end to hold them in place. Removing the fins is simple enough and I have the tools to remove and repair the stainless. However.. I can't figure out how to split the left and right halves. It looks like the 2 pieces that make up the "back bone" are spot welded together. Is that the case? How do I get this thing apart? Thanks in advance!Hi Matthew. I have done exactly what you want to do. The grille is indeed spot welded in the center bar. There are two different styles for attaching the louvers to the grille. From your description, it sounds like you are fortunate that you have the "folded tab" type rather than what I would call the "wavy crimped" type. I unfolded all the tabs and removed the outer grille bars, and then removed the louvers from the center bar by basically just grabbing and pulling and the tabs straightened out. Then the spot welds must be drilled out to separate the two halves of the center bar so that when everything is restored you can get to the inside to refold the tabs to the center bar before you bolt that back together (I was unable to figure out how to get spot welder prongs in that small space.) I took lots of pictures of how I did it and would be happy to share any that I have. I made a jig to hold the louvers in alignment while I fitted the grille bars to either side. Just let me know what you'd like to see. From experience, it is easier to remove the stainless strips from the louvers while they are still attached to the grille than after they are separate. It's just more stable as you slide a thin blade along the back side to bend the strip a little at a time to get to the point where the front side lip will release. Tom Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbstude Posted May 9, 2015 Author Share Posted May 9, 2015 (edited) Tom... THANK YOU!! Your description is more than enough and I couldn't be more appreciative. I knew I couldn't have been the first to try to do this. If you want to share some pictures, my email is still mbstude@gmail.com . I'd be happy to learn a trick or two from your experience. I got out of the trim repair/polishing business a couple of years ago, but the owner of this Coupe Express came to me in desperation. Apparently, nobody else he contacted was willing to do anything with the grille. And since I do love a challenge...It'll come apart this weekend and I'll start media blasting everything to see what I'm up against. Should be fun. Edited May 9, 2015 by mbstude (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37S2de Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 I guess I should amend my first comment on this thread. I got so carried away with how I was able to restore my first '37 grille by taking it all apart that I forgot to caution that it is a PITA and that if you do not have louvers that are mangled or can't be straightened or all rusty, it's better to leave the basic grille together. The grille pictured is the one that will go on my current project. I removed all the stainless strips and restored them separately. Then I bead blasted and painted the grille. Once the grille was all smooth and the rust removed from the groove in the front of each louver where the stainless strip goes, it was possible to slide each strip into place from the outside edgeI'll e-mail pictures of the grille I took completely apart. I can't access some of my earlier picture files when I try to attach them to the forums. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbstude Posted May 9, 2015 Author Share Posted May 9, 2015 (edited) Thanks Tom. This one isn't nice enough to leave in one piece. Lots of rust and bent pieces. I could use a couple of fins and stainless pieces if you have any extras laying around. I'll fix what is here if I have to, I just don't like welding up holes on metal that thin. A little over two hours, and I have the grille apart. The center spine had a couple dozen spot welds that drilled out pretty easy. I'll media blast each piece and then start fixing all of the damage. Thank you again! I'll post some pictures as I go along. Edited May 9, 2015 by mbstude (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdon Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Tom, email me the same pictures. I have a spare grill (that I want to keep) and want the experience of working it. Thanks. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbstude Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 (edited) I thought I might update this. I've only been able to spend some occasional weekend time on this project, but finally there's a little progress being made. This is one half of the grille parts after being media blasted and primed. A few of the fins are going to be replaced (thanks again Tom!) but I primed everything anyway. I should have the other half of the parts matching these by next weekend.. Then it's time for paint, and I have to straighten and polish the 70-ish stainless strips, then put it back together. Still a ways to go! My new '53 Commander hardtop will be paid off and delivered in about a month, and I'm hoping to have the grille done before then. Edited June 21, 2015 by mbstude (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbstude Posted August 16, 2015 Author Share Posted August 16, 2015 (edited) Finally was able to take all of the parts to the painter's. Keep in mind that the color is what the owner sent, as he wanted it body color. The painter gave it all back to me this week and I spent all day on it today.. Routine: Straighten stainless, install/crimp stainless onto fins, then sand and buff stainless. Trying to sand/buff the stainless before it was mounted... Well, it would be like trying to polish tin foil. This plan of attack worked out pretty well. The first half is done. Tomorrow I'll do the other half. Two words: Never Again. I decided to use an old pair of wire cutters to "twist" the tabs, locking them in place. Edited August 16, 2015 by mbstude (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Studemax Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Doing great, Matt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbstude Posted August 16, 2015 Author Share Posted August 16, 2015 I still have to get a bunch of little bolts/nuts to hold the "spine" together, but you the idea. ...30+ hours in labor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37S2de Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I had to laugh at the "never again" comment. If I wasn't working on my own stuff that's what I should have said after the first one. That looks like excellent work, Matt. I really don't think I have one completely perfect louver or stainless strip on either one of the grilles I have restored. Tom Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbstude Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share Posted August 17, 2015 Thank you, Tom! I was hoping you'd see the finished pictures. This one was so rough, beat up, and rusted that there wasn't any way to make it "perfect". As "busy" as the grille is and as small as the parts are, I think it's all very forgiving once assembled. But either way, I still think it turned out pretty nice. I have some extra fins and stainless strips that I didn't use from the parts you sent, so if you need any of them back or happen across someone else who needs them, let me know. 30 hours of labor from start to finish... The next one will either be my own (if I ever own a '37), or for someone willing to mortgage their house. Did you get your President finished in time for St. Louis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37S2de Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Hi Matt. I'm OK with extra strips and louvers, so no need to send anything this way. My car was finished Saturday and is loaded and ready to go to St Louis Tuesday (tomorrow) morning. I'm hoping pictures will attach to this forum. I'm still having problems with the SDC forum and pictures. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbstude Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) Absolutely beautiful, Tom.. You did a nice job (and quick!) on the restoration. BTW, it's nice to see one of these without whitewalls. Looks great! Edited August 18, 2015 by mbstude (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1928fb Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Hi Tom, a great job on a neat car. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37 dictator kurt Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Anybody know who it was that restored a grille for themselves and then one for somebody else and had pictures of the board with all the slits in it to hold the fins ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studerex Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 1 hour ago, 37 dictator kurt said: Anybody know who it was that restored a grille for themselves and then one for somebody else and had pictures of the board with all the slits in it to hold the fins ? Tom Lewis and Matt Burnette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbstude Posted January 15 Author Share Posted January 15 On 1/1/2024 at 7:03 PM, 37 dictator kurt said: Anybody know who it was that restored a grille for themselves and then one for somebody else and had pictures of the board with all the slits in it to hold the fins ? Do you mean me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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