Making radiator area look more original with the help of Breeze

[Gumball]

UPDATED 6/24/16 - Today's TTT.... how to use a vendor part to make your old-school build look more like one of the original cars.

Original post follows.....


Here's my attempt to use the Breeze upper radiator shroud to make something that looks like an original AC-style radiator top mount pin. I rolled the edge of the shroud using a sheetmetal brake so that it could help cover the top of the radiator a bit more, then added a bent piece of scrap aluminum to look like the support bracket. For the pin, I just used a piece of rigid tubing that I turned down a bit on the lathe, then cross drilled it for a brass cotter pin. I powder coated everything except for the pin and the fender washer below the cotter pin to give just a bit of contrast.

Total cost on top of the Breeze part - less than $3 bucks.

Here's the rough-fit:

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/RadiatorSupport_zps58c48f95.jpg

And here's the finished product:

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20140114_1717321_zpsdb4595da.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20140114_1717321_zpsdb4595da.jpg.html)

I used 3/16" rivets to hold the "mounting tab" to the Breeze filler panel:

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20140114_1717521_zpsfdf997c9.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20140114_1717521_zpsfdf997c9.jpg.html)

[McObra]

Nice!

[chopthebass]

There's so many guys with great fabrication skills here! I am nervous about my build as I don't have this talent!

[WIS89]

Looks very nice Chris. If I can find a good picture of an original, I will post it as a comparison.

Good work, and thanks for the post!

Regards,

Steve

[Gumball]

Looks very nice Chris. If I can find a good picture of an original, I will post it as a comparison.

Good work, and thanks for the post!

Regards,

Steve

Here are a couple taken at the Shelby American Collection a few years ago:

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/Shelby%20American%20Museum/img_3563.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/Shelby%20American%20Museum/img_3563.jpg.html)

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/Shelby%20American%20Museum/img_3568.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/Shelby%20American%20Museum/img_3568.jpg.html)

[WIS89]

Chris-

Well my work here is through.........

I should have figured that you had a few pics handy. Some help I am, huh?

I like the mod, it looks very nice.

Regards,

Steve

[carlewms]

Chris,

Thanks for posting...and adding to my to do list. I just received the Breeze shroud so it was timely.

Carl

[DaleG]

Very nice. Another add to my GROWING list.

[aks801]

Very nice. Another add to my GROWING list.

Exactly! I'm having a hard time keeping track of the extra "touches" that I'm stealing, errrr, lifting from others.

[Gumball]

I've been bumping old how-to posts TTT on occasion for the past couple of months and here's another one to add to the pile. This is an example of how to take a nice part from one of the vendors here and, with a minor mod using some scrap, turn it into something that adds a nice period-correct touch to your car.

The original cars had a more upright radiator that was held in place at the top by a post and cotter pin arrangement. The Breeze radiator top cowl gets you close to that look, so with just a little more work, you can have another little touch that will make people wonder.... "is it real?"

One more pic showing how it looks in the finished engine bay.....

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20150901_195649037_HDR_zps68opfdfv.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20150901_195649037_HDR_zps68opfdfv.jpg.html)