74-Roadster

I'm going to open up the grill on my Vette and I will need to fabricate a one piece grill. I'm considering the following ideas listed in order of preference:

1. Making a tubular steel grill so I can either have it powder coated or chromed.

2. Or go with some type of a metal screen like some of the new cars have today and paint it semi-gloss black. This appears to be the easiest solution, but probably not the best looking.

3. Have someone make a billet aluminum grill for me. Welding aluminum looks too involved to start with.

Can ya'll give me some tips on making a tubular grill? Where should I go to get a look at the various metal stock profiles and sizes available? Can I bend each bar/rod in the middle, or should two pieces be cut with a bevel, butt welded and then grinded smooth? What type of welding process should I use? Will a MIG weld be strong enough?

And finally, is a metal cutoff wheel the best method for cutting? Like I've said in previous posts, I'm a paint and body guy and metal fabrication is very new to me but I figure now's as good a time as any to start learning. :D

Thanks for any help and suggestions! :cheers:

mrvette

About 3 years ago I had a friend TIG up a one piece aluminum grill out of hardware store 3/4x1/8 aluminum bar....about 20 bux worth....took me about 3 trips over to his place in the evenings.....and about 6 hrs work on his part...
we swap favors....I help fix his GTO, he helps me on welding....

He's a Navy Cert welder,.....

GENE

74-Roadster

That sounds about right, one of the shops I talked to said 5-6 hours of work. But they also said $100/hr. :( So I figure it's time to consider buying a MIG welder and start learning.

Come on all of you diy welders, I need suggestions.

74-Roadster

ttt

ZD75blue

Might try the stock style grill painted a chrome color... one of the guys on here has a blue 72 i think.. big high rise hood... anyway you could go with something real similar to stock, just maybe square tubes real thin 1/4 inchers maybe, then sytle it after the stock one... overlaps going sideways another few bars up and down, but behind the sideways ones... and a bent tube as the frame so to speak... tossing ideas

73 Teach's Pet

Until I found a "mint" 73 center grill for the low price of $75, I was going to fabricate my own center grill out of aluminum flat stock. It cuts easy, sands and finishes easy, doesn't weigh much, can be polished or painted, and never rusts. I have a pack of those aluminum braze rods that you see the guys sell at swap meets and demonstrate them using them with a propane Burns o matic type torch. I never got around to actually doing it, but once you have the rods, the other equipment and supplies are readily availabe. I was going to mock up the grill using coat hangers to get the bars bent at the correct angles first, then use them as the pattern peices so the unit would turn out right.
Hope the insights help
Be cool!
"TEACH"