Classic cars, vintage cars, automotive restoration
The complete custom set

Custom take on the classic 1932 Ford grille shell, hood, and side panels

In a previous blog you may have caught the write up about the custom aluminum 1932 radiator shell and Bonneville-style grille insert.  After building the radiator shell, we decided to build some custom panel work to compliment the classic style of the radiator shell.  We stayed with the original 1932 Ford parameters on the hood and sides but opted to create some custom scoops.  The scoops create three things:  rigidity in the panel, air flow, and uniqueness, as the panels you see below are all one of a kind.

To help create the scoop work in the panels, we made a hammer form jig.  Each panel was clamped to the jig, then the aluminum was ‘jig chased’ into the depth of the jig, after annealing it (a heat treatment to make the aluminum soft and workable).

The panels were then metal finished to complete.  On the side panels we designed and ran two options as you can see below.

Classic Car Customizing: 1932 Ford grille shell, hood, and side panels with air scoops
Lengthened Custom 1932 Ford hood and sides.  Two styles of side scoops shown.
Classic Car Customizing: 1932 Ford grille shell, hood, and side panels with air scoops
Handmade, custom, lengthened, hood side panels
Classic Car Customizing: 1932 Ford grille shell, hood, and side panels with air scoops
Custom, handmade, 1″ narrowed, aluminum grille shell with Bonneville grille insert
Classic Car Customizing: 1932 Ford grille shell, hood, and side panels with air scoops
Plan view of the handmade custom panels
Classic Car Customizing: 1932 Ford grille shell, hood, and side panels with air scoops
Hood scoops
Classic Car Customizing: 1932 Ford grille shell, hood, and side panels with air scoops
Hood and side panel
Classic Car Customizing: 1932 Ford grille shell, hood, and side panels with air scoops
The complete custom set

Check out our other Ford projects, and other classic, vintage, and antique cars from the categories on the right-hand side of the page.

Contact The Metal Surgeon for more information!  Look under the “About Me” page at the top.