Custom grille

[TheSquareGuy]

I'm another one watching this!

To fit those lights you have pictured you are going to need 2" tube with a very light wall thickness, like .060". Those lights spec out at 1.8" tall. It can be done, and I think it could look really cool. I say if you like the look of a 2" center bar with your outer frame, for sure put the light inside of it.

Do you have access to a Bridgeport? That would be an amazing bonus to help you out.

That's what I've got, I checked online with a guy on the website and got measuments of the light and it'll with with the 2" square tubing I've got, I'm just gonna cut the whole back out and make flanges and mount it directly to that

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[TheSquareGuy]

I'll continue to update this thread as more comes along, but here's the deal. I didn't go with the square tubing across the middle (for now) as 1) I don't have the tubing I'd actually like I have 2" square just the wrong material. 2) I don't even have the lights I wanted to put into the square tubing yet.
Aside from that it fits damn good maybe a bit too good she's pretty tight actually broke my light bezel, no its not too big the bezel has lasted longer than I thought one of the upper mounts was barely held on by a miniscule amount of plastic.
Anyway, its like a damn glove I got the upper mounts welded in place still need to drill and possibly even tap them out if I'm smart lowers need to wait until I make a new mount for my trans cooler as it sits right on the lower mount tab.
Aside from that she's done only took a few hours every week day for an hour or two in class turned out pretty good only some light grinding and a shot of paint away from its temporary finish and if anything looks funky in the picture chances are its because there's nothing holding that whole piece in other than its own will
Overall I'm not too sure I'm happy with the outcome to be perfectly honest

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[75Monza]

I think it's a good frame start, have you thought about what you could do with the expanded pipe rolling it like this?

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I did that wave look on my backhoe grill, lol. Actually ended up looking better than just flat.

 

[TheSquareGuy]

I think it's a good frame start, have you thought about what you could do with the expanded pipe rolling it like this?

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I did that wave look on my backhoe grill, lol. Actually ended up looking better than just flat.

Its cool looking, not quite the look I'm going for plus I don't feel like cutting that expanded back out I'll just cut a section through the middle out and add the 2" tubing and see how I like it then
If I don't like that, well I've gotta figure something out

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[highdesertrange]

here's mine,

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highdesertranger

 

[TheSquareGuy]

here's mine,

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highdesertranger

Oh **** that's what I could do... Put my emblem back on!!! Still won't be enough but I miss my bowtie

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[theblindchicken]

@highdesertrange was that the emblem from the later trucks that bolted to the grilles?

 

[shiftpro]

As a fabricator who likes to build things that are strong, functional and LOOK good...
Well it's hard using materials designed for industrial use. I have made some grills in the past using expanded metal and I never really liked the outcome. Just too clunky and Joe Farmer looking... so I understand your plight.

If you do continue with your grill, will you paint it or powder coat? You know if you powder coat it will be a stinker to make changes down the road, like different light brackets for example. If you're going to paint, sandblast, then rust converter, then acid prime and paint... and it will still rust.
The quality of steel in expanded metal, as far as I know, is around that of re-bar. It's not bad by any means but it's mixed up various grades of steel. So this has a tendency to rust a lot easier than say... cold rolled steel.

 

[crazy4offroad]

I built this one out of rebar and expanded steel. Also made the headlight protectors. Wanted something that would stop a tree limb if you had to go through a downed tree if you had to. Not running it now, wanted to lighten up the front of the truck a little, just running the plastic stock one.

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[TheSquareGuy]

As a fabricator who likes to build things that are strong, functional and LOOK good...
Well it's hard using materials designed for industrial use. I have made some grills in the past using expanded metal and I never really liked the outcome. Just too clunky and Joe Farmer looking... so I understand your plight.

If you do continue with your grill, will you paint it or powder coat? You know if you powder coat it will be a stinker to make changes down the road, like different light brackets for example. If you're going to paint, sandblast, then rust converter, then acid prime and paint... and it will still rust.
The quality of steel in expanded metal, as far as I know, is around that of re-bar. It's not bad by any means but it's mixed up various grades of steel. So this has a tendency to rust a lot easier than say... cold rolled steel.

Some information I definitely didn't know, it'd be cool to see some of your work sounds badass. Yet yes long term powder coating it the silver of my bezels was the plan black paint is what it'll get for now

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[TheSquareGuy]

I built this one out of rebar and expanded steel. Also made the headlight protectors. Wanted something that would stop a tree limb if you had to go through a downed tree if you had to. Not running it now, wanted to lighten up the front of the truck a little, just running the plastic stock one.

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That's seriously badass, you've got a bit more of a rugged truck I've got more of a pavement princess pos thing going on and that wouldn't look too good lol, thanks for sharing I love the light guards

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[78C10BigTen]

here's mine,

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highdesertranger

I like the bumper!

 

[bucket]

There's different types of expanded steel. The type that's pressed flat is easier to prep for paint without it rusting. You can also get it as stainless.

I built this one out of rebar and expanded steel. Also made the headlight protectors. Wanted something that would stop a tree limb if you had to go through a downed tree if you had to. Not running it now, wanted to lighten up the front of the truck a little, just running the plastic stock one.

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Still my all-time favorite custom grille.

 

[highdesertrange]

yeah I made the bumper too. the bow tie came off a 67-72 truck, I don't remember the exact year. it was originally bolted to the hood. highdesertranger

 

[2burbfamily]

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