love this grill..how did they do this?

[mrkidd]

Looking to do this.mod..are these custom made or ordered...?
Thanks for your help

[47 Fasttoys]

That started as a stock '54/55 grill,remove the center bar and modify the lower bar to add a formed lower chin. I have seen 3 or 4 done like this and if done right it looks very custom. I'm sure it's a lot of work but if your gonna build, a lot of work means a lot of fun.
Rob

[PurdueSD]

I asked him a couple years back how he made the lower chin valence. He is on the HAMB (gecko54), but unfortunately sold the truck a couple years back. He said that he started with a piece of angle, trimming it down to match the contour of the lower grill, then formed the rest.

[mrkidd]

Ok so alot if fab work..because on a stock grill if removing center section there is a big gap. So im guessing sheet metal and time and beer ...im going to try this since I have. Two grills

[Highsider]

Looks cool.

[thunderjet]

Same thing, took the center bar out of the grille and added some bracing behind

[msaintg]

I looked for that same piece for my truck, but could not find it. I built my own with just sheet metal. Turned out pretty good considering I just did it in the vice.

[mr48chev]

Removing the center bar really cleans the 54/early 55 grill up on those trucks.

[mrkidd]

But when u just remove the center bar the the middle cross sections dont connect..unless theres another 54 grill out there that does connect..im confused

[chev3600]

You have to create your own center section after removing the nose. Typically from parts of another grill. It looks cool, give it a shot.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by mrkidd

But when u just remove the center bar the the middle cross sections dont connect..unless theres another 54 grill out there that does connect..im confused

That is an educational experience for me as I learned to drive in a 54 pickup and until this Morning always thought that the grill bar was one piece all across with the center bar bolted over it. That would indeed take some work and fabricating a filler panel or cutting filler pieces from each side of a scrap grill and fitting them in the middle. Worth the effort on a custom truck though.

I looked on a couple of the truck trinket sites and the center piece is designed for the two outer halves to bolt to so a guy would have to figure out how to support the center of the grill too. Probably cutting down a dinged up center bar would be the simple way to support it.

[mrkidd]

I started taking it apart ill take pics of the process..I think I have an idea of how to do this..I wish one of the guys who did this mod would chime in and fell me in on the process..but hey sometimes you have to make your own road .I just to hate to ruin 2 grills tring to make one..

[low54panel]

I have about 4 or 5 extra grilles that are have different pieces messed up but I believe have the center bars in good condition if you need some pieces to figurd it out, I would like to do the same with my grille for my panel truck.

[mrkidd]

Thanks low54panel might have to take u up on that...how much.for your center bar section...? Shipped to 93309 Bakersfield ca

[low54panel]

Im out of town for the week I will look at the grilles I have when I get back

[mrkidd]

Ok that works.I cam send you picks of what part should work

[thunderjet]

This is how I did the modification. Had to make some filler pieces for the center bar. Time consuming but I think the uncluttered look is better

[whitedog76]

I kinda like it. Considering the nose-piece is always beat up on these trucks, that's a cool alternative.

[mrkidd]

Thunderjet your the man..thanks for the pics working on the grill right now....

[mr48chev]

Nice work Thunderjet. That shows some real metal work.

[_Ogre]

it doesn't look that hard to do but definitely cleans up the grill
painted would be the way to go after welding in the center section
i like the 54-55.1 grills

[mr48chev]

Chrome sure would look nice Ogre but that may be a budget breaker on that size of grill.

[Old Crow]

Those re-pop '54 grilles in chrome are in the $800-900 range. Glad the one on my panel is straight and the pickup I'm doing came with enough good parts to make one out of two.
I do like that nose delete look, though.