This was the largest stainless project I did for the truck. Lots of bending here and lots of different methods were used. I thought if I could get the main curve bent I could do the rest of it so I started there. I went to a local fab shop and ask if they could bend 1/4" X 2" stainless on edge for me in a curve. They said they had a $150.00 set up fee and labor would go from there. They also stated the didn't know if they could even do it so I opted to try it myself. I would modify a roll bender I had bought.
Album by Kevin Foust. Photos by Kevin Foust. 1 - 24 of 24 Total. 2196 Visits.
1 I had to come up with a way to trap the steel and not allow it to move sideways. I cut out some oak spacers and lined it with some poly. I then got a hardened round and had a friend, Ron R. cut the double flatted round for the drive shaft on this tool. I got another hardened round for the lower roller.
2 Here it is all bolted up with washers to space everything. I did a test run on son=me 1" flat stock and it worked! I then moved up to 2" and was able to do that. I bought it to the finish size curve and I'll use that for a pattern for the stainless ones.
3 Bought a 12' bar and slowly rolled it through a BUNCH of times and slowly but surely it came into size until I got what you see here.
4 This bender has a bottle jack that you slowly pump up and run through repeat that and it keeps bending it more.
5 I cut all the pieces long and here is the pattern laid out on top of them. I drilled all the needed holes in the mild pattern with a small drill. I then clamped to each one individually and drilled the same holes needed. Then bolted them all together and stair stepped the holes up in size till they were 1/64 away. I them reamed them to size.
6 Next was the outer headlight sections of the grill. Same 1/4" by 2" strap used here and I made a pattern out of mild to work the bends out. I used 2 different benders to do it as one has a Big curve in it. I'm doing the big curve here in stainless and you can see the layout marks on the protective tape. Flat is mirror polished here.
7 I polish out before bending because I've found it easier to do. Once bent, it hazes up where it was done and needs to be reworked in those areas. Here you can see the small bend is done and it's taking shape.
8 Here the smaller bend being done on the Compact bender.
9 These bender are great for stuff like this. Adjustable by changing rollers and positions.
10 After a LOT of grinding sanding and polishing I had all the pieces. Time to started welding and laying it out. The center bars I decided to drill and tap as opposed to welding in. Don Fetser did that for me as he had collets for his lathe that would save scratching. Many thanks to him for doing those for me.
11 I had to figure out a way to drill the holes in the curves to I could weld the rods flush on the ends like originals. I wanted them tight and evenly spaced so a jig was in order. I could a pattern from wood to match the curve and drilled the holes with a drill press. I got a hardened busing for a drill guide and inserted it in the hole. Now I have a rigid drill guide that will repeat.
12 Drilling the holes with a hand drill.
13 At this time I didn't have a TIG welder. I called up a family friend, Chuck Kerns, who has worked with stainless most of his life. He welded them up for me and I decided it was time for me to get one. He gave me some tips and I learned from him so many thanks goes out to him for helping me with this. You cab see the tight clearance holes here.
14 Practice with the TIG and welded the main body up myself.
15 The upright bars slide in from the top and rest on the bottom curve. Flush mount allen screws hold the in place. On the to the same flush mounts are used and the countersink catches the top curved piece. Shown is the bottom of the grill.
16 The top has holes that bolt to the nose's front sheet metal like the original.
17 Curves are welded on the bottom and lay tight to the uprights.
18 The headlight guards rods were ground with radii halfway through so they would lay into each other giving a cleaner look. You can't tell where the rods were welded into place once smoothed and polished.
19 I bolted the headlight guards on as opposed to welding them. I used the original mounting holes for this so no extras were needed.
20 Don't ask how long it took to sand out and polish all this stuff!
21 I'm using polished acorn nuts along with the polished bolts.
22 a big sigh of relief when everything fit and lined up. there were so many ways to mess this up and I got lucky as I didn't have to remake anything.
23 Ready to install and looking forward to that day.
