96 GMC rat build

[Torchie]

Sarge.
Yes flat stock would work for the lip of the hood extension.
Now as far as your headlights go to me your drawing looks like a horizontal bar grill in front of the lights. Is that correct? If so that could be easily made out of round stock.
But since you are askng for ideas here goes.
To my eye the Desoto teeth just aren't making it. I know you have them and want to use them.......
I like the canted quads. i would come up with some way to move them forward and trim them out.
Then i would do on the hood and the bottom pan what you did to the fender so that you have a rectangular opening with a rolled edge all the way around it.
To hide the radiator use the stamped sheet metal that I refered to and in front of it I would use a 54 Chevy grill or a 54 Corvette grill if you want to spend the big bucks
That would give you a true floating bar grill.
Just my 2 cents as usual.
I'm sure that what ever you come up with it will be cool.
Torchie.

 

[sgtpontiac]

I know they dont look good sitting there now...

Sarge.
Yes flat stock would work for the lip of the hood extension.
Now as far as your headlights go to me your drawing looks like a horizontal bar grill in front of the lights. Is that correct? If so that could be easily made out of round stock.
But since you are askng for ideas here goes.
To my eye the Desoto teeth just aren't making it. I know you have them and want to use them.......
I like the canted quads. i would come up with some way to move them forward and trim them out.
Then i would do on the hood and the bottom pan what you did to the fender so that you have a rectangular opening with a rolled edge all the way around it.
To hide the radiator use the stamped sheet metal that I refered to and in front of it I would use a 54 Chevy grill or a 54 Corvette grill if you want to spend the big bucks
That would give you a true floating bar grill.
Just my 2 cents as usual.
I'm sure that what ever you come up with it will be cool.
Torchie.

but I think once I get them trimmed down and sitting more centered it will change the look a ton...yes the horizontal light covers aka phantom grill work is correct...I think the idea of doing the hood from end to end with the swope down in the middle may be the ticket...I didn't pencil it enough of the horizontal bars to get the effect I want....I did see an article recently on a guy with a 53 chevy that used early vw bumper overriders to make a toothed type grill...looked kind of cool and was a whole lot cheaper than a early corvette....I wanted big and rather mechanical looking so that's why i got the desoto one....only paid 100 for it so not "locked" into anything yet...just not sure the smaller corvette or this VW thing would look good if I can't fully encapsule it like with the 53/54 chevy type body work...think it will look small and if I do a full enclosure then I should have stuck with the hookie factory plastic grill and cut out the center or used some billet crap I don't want...but I'll try to get it drawn a bit better by someone who can draw and see what we get then....I appreicate all your thoughts and ideas....I invite any/everyone to chime in...good bad or ugly.......

 

[Torchie]

I completely understand not wanting to surround the entire opening Sarge.
The swooping hood extension works for me and as some one else said (Samfear, I think) it could be a good place for the GMC logo. I would go with a vintage one like the in the pic.
For the head light covers you could use flat stock as well and set the horizontal bars at an angle. Kind of like louvers, although I dont know how that would affect your headlight at night.
And just for reference I would use a 54 Chevy car grill instead of the vette due to the cost factor. They are about 40" iches long as I remember and if you go with parking lights at each end you gain some more length.
To me this is one of the best parts of building these vehicles. Coming up with something different that looks good.
Keep at it. Your gaining on it.
Torchie.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Thanks Torchie..

I will keep moving as fast as I can......I dig the old GMC emblem...might be perfect for that swopped down area...got an art student from the local High school doing a drawing or two....he digs cars so maybe he'll have something I can use....anyway...we will see...my babysitting gig in the mornings is putting a damper...or diaper if you will....on my time...LOL...

 

[Torchie]

You are welcome Sarge.

That emblem is same as the one that was on my 50 GMC panel daily driver.
I had 2 extras that I threw in the parts box when I sold it. Should have kept at least one of them. Oh well.
Family always comes first Sarge. Even at the expense of garage time.
Torchie.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Ok....embarrased to even say.....

I've been trying to do some of the little things.....so i've been smoothing welds on the doors, a and b pillars and back of the roof area...leaving back of cab unprimed until I decide if I'm going to fill it and go with the smaller back glass idea.....going to leave the inside welds exposed and maybe just prime them...work on the grill has ceased and have to rethink it...not happy with the plan.....wish I could say there is more but I can't right now.....few hours here and there......too much drama elsewhere right now....

 

[Old Iron]

Dang Torchie, too bad you let them go, I need one of those chrome emblems and the two side emblems for my 48 [dr
Sarge, sounds like doing the little things may just be saving your sanity

 

[Sam_Fear]

Forward progress is progress.

 

[I-R-POPS]

Hang in there Sarge, lifes drama can beat you down if you're not careful.
Make sure to do something to find the balance between the insanity and the
things that are important to you.

 

[Neverdone]

Progress is progress......

 

[jfg455]

No worries Sgt. Hey you can do like I did and not even touch mine for 6 months! [S

 

[sgtpontiac]

Lord, nearly a year since I posted.....

Ok...on Saturday morning I went out to the barn and snatched off the covers on the "Thing"....
I was standing in front of it when I had an epiphany..I looked at the fender extensions and grill I had mocked up and realized it was "butt ugly".... Pull it all out....so I grabbed some thin wall tubing I had lying around and began to mock up another grill..see first pic.....as i was working on it I realized that someone, not sure if it was jfg455 or not, asked me about using an earlier year grill...should have listened as the desoto grill was "butt ugly"...
So I got into the zone and got busy....phantom grill here I come...more pics to follow shortly...

 

[sgtpontiac]

Ok....a bit more with Pic's

Ok....so I mocked up the tubing, split the upper and lower tubes for be able to slide the grill material into place...made the mounting tabs, used 1/4" steel brake line for the center supports and ends and mocked in a few scrap pieces of perforated sheet.....first pic is the basic shape with a the few scraps of metal in place....the next shot is of the completed grill in place...not prepped or painted...
I thought i'd wait to paint until I got the reviews of my peers....also, I can delete the GMC but I thought it looked good....Your thoughts....[S

 

[Sam_Fear]

Nailed it!

Maybe you could use the Desoto grill pieces as bumperettes? (Probably not)

 

[sgtpontiac]

Thanks Sam....

Nailed it!

Maybe you could use the Desoto grill pieces as bumperettes? (Probably not)

I think I'll be offering those desoto grill pieces to whoever is interested....lol...cause it sure sucked after the fact....all you have to do is look at the concept....

 

[AZRodDave]

I think I'll be offering those desoto grill pieces to whoever is interested....lol...cause it sure sucked after the fact....all you have to do is look at the concept....

It was certainly an interesting idea, and you tried it, so you found out if it was a good idea and removed the "what-if" factor that might have bugged you in the future. Gotta look on the bright side!

I think the bumperette idea might work. I want to do that to cover up the front of the frame on the Hodge Podge, since I don't plan on a bumper, but probably need something for "legality" or somesuch nonsense.

 

[sgtpontiac]

I don't know how I ever thought that was good...lol

guess I was already in that...."I'm sick of looking at it" and would settle for anything to get it done mode LOL....

 

[AZRodDave]

guess I was already in that...."I'm sick of looking at it" and would settle for anything to get it done mode LOL....

Haha! No harm in trying. Just think of all the free entertainment we got out of it. [P

 

[Neverdone]

Just going to say it.....

I liked what you were doing.

But what you have planned now is pretty cool to.

 

[Snake Farm]

Diggin' the new grille Sarge! Keep the GMC too.