One of the design elements I'm planning to use is a knockoff of the Project X 57 Chevy grille bar. When the guys on HotRod Garage removed it to make way for a stock bar, I got a closer look at how it was made and realized I'd never be able to duplicate it, since it was CNC'd from a single block of aluminum as I'd suspected. I don't possess the programming skills, machining capability or the bankroll to make it happen. So I'm taking the poor boy way out...
I decided to use the grille bar that came with the car as my starting point. The chrome on it was blistered and it would have to be replaced anyway. So the plan was to cut away the round turn signal portion of the bar and replace it with a couple of pieces of flat stock formed to follow the curve of the bar.
I've had some Muggy Weld zinc rod for a long time and never used it so I figured it would be perfect for working with the pot metal. My first attempt was with 1/8" thick 5052 and was a spectacular fail. Called the guys at MW for advice and they said my flux was way too old to work. So I ordered a new bottle and when it arrived, I tried again, but with no luck. So I switched gears to something I knew would work - ultra formable 260 brass. The zinc rod took to it as easily as it did the pot metal.
I cut out the lower half on one side of the parking light bulge and fit the .094 brass stock I'd formed into the opening. Soldered both sides then cut away the top half and repeated the process. Took it slowly in steps and used a wet washcloth clipped to the previously soldered areas to sink away the heat. The last thing I wanted was to have the whole mess get too hot and fall off.
Once all the seams were soldered inside and out, I used a small air grinder, a bastard file and a D/A with 80 grit to prep it for All Metal. The picture with the yellow tape shows the cut line for the final width. Now I just need to repeat on the other side.
