Measurement for honeycomb grill

[abelclasico]

Hello,
I am trying to find cheaper alternatives to fabricate a honeycomb grill and wanted to ask a favor.
Would any of you know owns one measure the cells for me, please? I would like to know how big/small (width/height) the cells are,
thanks in advance for any help,
cheers,
Abel

[abelclasico]

Anybody? Nobody?

[18Fiatsandcounting]

On my '71, the openings in the honeycomb structure are a little over 1" wide by a little less than 0.5" high. More accurately, it looks like 1 and 1/16" wide by 7/16" high, but that's just holding a tape measure up to my grill. I can try to get more accurate if you want.

-Bryan

[abelclasico]

Thanks Bryan, I appreciate your reply. With those measures I can try to find something closer to the original.
cheers,
Abel

[dinghyguy]

https://www.mcnichols.com/expanded-meta ... s-58001213

How about something like this?

cheers
dinghyguy

[abelclasico]

that looks interesting. I need 0.40" x 0.80" more or less but I cannot figure out if this would be the one I need.
I do not know which is what from these measurements:

Design Size - Short Way of Diamond (SWD) 0.480"
Design Size - Long Way of Diamond (LWD) 1.260"
Opening Size - Short Way of Opening (SWO) 0.269"
Opening Size - Long Way of Opening (LWO) 0.854"

Does anybody know?
cheers,
Abel

[davidbruce]

Hi Abel. Based on the dimensions Bryan gave you. I think one of the 1/2" sizes on the attached link is what you are after. Probably 12"#13. I think the other 2 may be a little flimsy. You want raised expanded, not flattened if you want the same 3 dimensional look as the pic. Although the shape isn't identical. If you scroll to the bottom of the link page it shows you how these are measured. Generally you have to buy these in 4' x 8' sheets. If you know anyone that works for a steel fabrication shop they may be able to help you. If not you may find approaching a local fabrication shop may have a crop they would sell you sometimes for cash for their beer fund. It helps to know what you are after. They are more likely to go have a look if you talk their language.
https://www.accuratescreen.ca/assets/sp ... Raised.pdf

Looks like these guys will sell smaller sizes.
https://www.metalsdepot.com/steel-produ ... nded-metal

Or stainless would be nice.
https://www.metalsdepot.com/stainless-s ... nded-metal

Good luck

[18Fiatsandcounting]

If you just need a new (used) grill, my friend JT in San Francisco is selling one on Ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/174861388786?h ... Sw6hVhAMr5

I've seen the grill in person, and he did a nice job with it. I can't speak to the price, but it seems reasonable given that this particular grill style is not super common (at least for one in good shape).

-Bryan

[abelclasico]

Hi Abel. Based on the dimensions Bryan gave you. I think one of the 1/2" sizes on the attached link is what you are after. Probably 12"#13. I think the other 2 may be a little flimsy. You want raised expanded, not flattened if you want the same 3 dimensional look as the pic. Although the shape isn't identical. If you scroll to the bottom of the link page it shows you how these are measured. Generally you have to buy these in 4' x 8' sheets. If you know anyone that works for a steel fabrication shop they may be able to help you. If not you may find approaching a local fabrication shop may have a crop they would sell you sometimes for cash for their beer fund. It helps to know what you are after. They are more likely to go have a look if you talk their language.
https://www.accuratescreen.ca/assets/sp ... Raised.pdf

Looks like these guys will sell smaller sizes.
https://www.metalsdepot.com/steel-produ ... nded-metal

Or stainless would be nice.
https://www.metalsdepot.com/stainless-s ... nded-metal

Good luck

Hi David,
thanks for the links. Earlier on my online search, I had found metalsdepot but I got the impression that they were geared more towards the industrial side (i.e selling in big quantities). I will contact them and see if they might sell small 20" x 40' pieces,
cheers,
Abel

[abelclasico]

If you just need a new (used) grill, my friend JT in San Francisco is selling one on Ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/174861388786?h ... Sw6hVhAMr5

I've seen the grill in person, and he did a nice job with it. I can't speak to the price, but it seems reasonable given that this particular grill style is not super common (at least for one in good shape).

-Bryan

Hi Bryan,
that grill looks quite nice...although a bit pricey for my budget. That's why I thought of trying to make my own, but I will keep your friend's in mind,
cheers,
Abel

[davidbruce]

Hi David,
thanks for the links. Earlier on my online search, I had found metalsdepot but I got the impression that they were geared more towards the industrial side (i.e selling in big quantities). I will contact them and see if they might sell small 20" x 40' pieces,
cheers,
Abel

Abel if you click on the select size box it gives you a price for a bunch of stock sizes as well as custom cut sizes. In retrospect i'm thinking 1/2-13 is too heavy. I think 1/2-16 would be more suitable.

[abelclasico]

Hello,
in the end, it was actually cheaper and easier to buy the original grill.

Now, there is a new question. How do you install it into a 78 model? I can get it inside the gap removing the chrome surround, but I cannot rotate the grill to face the front. Has anybody installed this kind of grill before? What kind of modifications are necessary?
cheers,
Abel

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Has anybody installed this kind of grill before? What kind of modifications are necessary?

Hi Abel, I can't tell you how this grill might fit in a '78, but I can tell you how it is attached in my '71. There are 4 mounting points, 2 on top and 2 on the bottom. The top has a metal bracket about 14" long or so, and it is attached to the grill in 2 places. That bracket is then attached with two screws to the crossmember right in front of the radiator.

On the bottom of the grill, there are two L-shaped brackets attached to each lower corner of the grill, and the flat section of these is attached into a tab on the body opening for the grill. This tab on the body points inwards (towards the radiator).

I'm not aware of any differences in this opening between '71 and '78, but I do recall having to work a while to maneuver the grill into position in that opening.

-Bryan

[abelclasico]

Hi Bryan,
thanks for the information. When I removed the original grill, the tabs came of the cross members but I will be reattaching them into the new grill.
The hardest part has been to figure out how to insert the grill into the aperture. I might need to do some surgery to the grill for that.
Thanks for the help,
Abel

[18Fiatsandcounting]

The hardest part has been to figure out how to insert the grill into the aperture.

This is tricky, and maybe it doesn't work in your case, but I have inserted the grill horizontally into the aperture with the short end going in first, and then right before you poke a hole in the radiator, slowly rotate to the vertical position and with the long side facing you, into position.

-Bryan