VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1939 grill

Today, I got back my 1939 grill from the chromer's. It looks good! I have some questions about mounting the grill on the car.
1. Was there or should there be any welting or material between the side of the grill and the fenders?
2. What kind of hardware should hold the two grill halves and center baffle together? I toke this apart 40 years ago and do not remember. Was it bolted, riveted?
3. The bottom of the grill halves are connected to the bottom center panel. I looks like this was screwed in place. Maybe #8 stainless screws?
Also, one question about the bumper and the guards . Should there be any material between the bumper and the guards?
Thanks for the help Mike

There was no welt between the grille and fenders.
The two halves are bolted together.
Yes, sheet metal screws on the bottom.
There was no spacers or cushions between the bumper guards and the bumper
All sheet metal behind the grille was a semi gloss black.
The top of ach grille bar is paint black on early cars. Early cars had the brown faced speedometer with cream pointer.
Late cars had a cream faces speedometer with red pointer (neddle). The grill was cream om the late cars rather then black.

Thanks Gene. I knew you would know. Still the new chrome is soo nicceee.. I was thinking of trying to protect it some. Maybe at least put some plastic washers under the fender washers on the grill sides. Thanks again Mike.

Today I have been playing around with the grill halves and center baffle. Lightly bolting the grill halves and center baffle together. I have not looked at this stuff for about 40 years and do not remember exactly how it goes together. My question is does the center baffle plate go between the grill halves. This kinda works but the bends in the baffle plate for the crank hole and clearance for the emblem do not fit exactly right. OR does do the grill halves fit together and the center baffle get bolted onto one side of the two halves? Thanks Mike

The baffle kind of floats behind the grille. I can not remember it being attached to the grille proper. Was like 45 years ago when I removed my grille.

Yup.... I know what you are saying. I removed the grill 40 some years ago to paint the fenders etal. But I never had enough money to do the chrome, so the grill was bolted in without the baffle. Now I do not remember exactly how it goes. So I'll just have to try different ways to see what works best. Thanks Mike

Well.... after horsing around for an hour or so, I found that the center baffle fits the best sandwiched between the grill halves. I had to nibble a little metal off the baffle around the clearance hole for the emblem and a little from around the crank hole, but it fits pretty good. At first I tried to do this with both halves and the baffle, but that was miserable. I found the best way to do this is on the bench with the grill halve upside down. The assembly is more stable and you have a better chance of actually seeing what is going on. Now I'll have to do some touch up painting and then install it. Mike

I took some pictures of mine this morning. The center baffle is riveted to the grill. You can see the baffle and the rivet heads (no grill mounting tabs)from the drivers side. the rivets then go through what I presume is the grill which is visible from the passenger side. I will need your email for the pictures.

Dave

With a better light I can see both grill halves are together and riveted to the passenger side of the baffle.