D-24 grills, anyone do anything custom? will a plymouth grill fit?

[Guest Tavis Miller]

Just wondering if anyone has changed a grill on a d-24. Will a plymouth grill fit in its place? I ask because I think the grill is the ugliest part on my d-24. I love the way the car flows. fat fendered, nice lines on the car, but then you have this big square grill. I can't seem to find the picture, but one time I found a picture of a d-24 with Desoto "teeth" in it. I can't remember if it looked good or not.

[Norm's Coupe]

If you are talking early 50's DeSoto grill, that will cost you big time unless you buy a parts car cheap and get it there. The street rodders like those and will pay big time for them.

As for the P15 grill fitting, you could make any grill fit. Of course it would not be a direct fit. To begin with you would need the metal grill plate that goes behind it to attach the stainless grill pieces to. You could fabricate that though.

Another nice looking grill is the 50 - about 52 Olds grill. That would look nice in there too.

Also, check some of the old hot rod magazines. You'll find a lot of old customs that have just a plain "Bar" type grill. These were made for after market for some cars. However, you can make them for any car real easy. Just use some 1/2" bar steel, cut it to the style and length you want. Then pick up some trim from some other car for around the edges. Have the steel bars you cut chrome plated and put them in the car. You would also need some steel strips across the opening to bolt the bars to.

So.........you have many options, all of which will require fabrication and adaption. If you have the skills, go for it and use you imagination to get the grill you want and like.

[rcadieux]

Hi Tavis - not sure if you want a D-24 grill that's in good shape I saw one on e-bay today.

Regards, Rob

[Plymouthy Adams]

Just goes to show you how people's taste in cars differ..I like the massive grill in the D24....has a real classic look about it. I have one major drawbacks on the D24...the fenders flowing in to the door area..

[Allan Faust]

Just goes to show you how people's taste in cars differ..I like the massive grill in the D24....has a real classic look about it. I have one major drawbacks on the D24...the fenders flowing in to the door area..

I love anything that has the fenders flowing into the doors.... my D36, mercs, buick sedanettes, lincolns, etc.... Thats one big point for me.....

Allan

[Plymouthy Adams]

I hope I have not stepped on D24 owner's toes..not ugly cars..I just like the fenders stopping at the cowl is all..

[Norm's Coupe]

I hope I have not stepped on D24 owner's toes..not ugly cars..I just like the fenders stopping at the cowl is all..

Tim,

I agree with you. Not so much because I don't care for the looks. But, if you have to do body work in the area of where that fender flows into the door, it's much harder to do than if the fender didn't flow in there.

[Allan Faust]

I hope I have not stepped on D24 owner's toes..not ugly cars..I just like the fenders stopping at the cowl is all..

Didn't step on my toes.... my D26 has them flowin into the doors.... I was more responding to the "to each his own" statement....

And Norm, yes, body work is more difficult in those areas... but what the heck.... once its done, its worth it....

Allan

[Ed Griffin]

The grille and the flowing fenders are the highlights to the cars for me. Hard to beat stainless grilles when compared to metal or potmetal but if the looks dont suit you there's nothing wrong with wanting to change. At first I was'nt a fan of the P15 style fenders but they can grow on you. I'm suprised no one has yet to try and add running boards to their P-15 since the fenders are setup where you could as the fender flow into the door type you cant. Something I've yet to see but maybe once is removing the front bumper on a D-24 and coming up with a custom bottom half to the front that looks like it was meant to be. Roll pan on the back can be made to look good but the front seems to be a challenge. To each his own !

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed..the D24 that went to Finland I think had a later model bumper affixed. The bumper looked to be Volare/Aspen but could not tell for sure. IT did have at one time the rubber accent pieces that popped into the holes of the bumper. As for the P15 and running boards, there in 41.....the gentle roll is what replaced them in 42...not sure how it would look with both items on...I like the sharp bottom edge of removed running boards myself if customizing. The D24 fenders are not so much that the car is ugly as I said earlier..it just takes so much side body into one area...massive...kinda like when the redesigned Dodge truck came out.......love it or hate it ...was not much middle ground with consumers.

How be the Chebbie truck coming along?? Seats in yet?

[Norm's Coupe]

I like the straight side panels too when it comes to doing body work. Makes it a lot simpler. When I was doing my 70 Impala in the early 90's that was a real challenge. The front fenders had like a bubble design around the wheels. That bubble extended into the door. If you just wanted to put a patch panel in the fender or door, you had to get that bubble edge just right. Not an easy task.

I'm with Tim on the running boards. If I did have a car with them, I would remove them. No offense to those with them, just a personal opinion. However, even if you do like them, you'll have to admit they are good dirt collectors.

[Ed Griffin]

Ed..the D24 that went to Finland I think had a later model bumper affixed. The bumper looked to be Volare/Aspen but could not tell for sure. IT did have at one time the rubber accent pieces that popped into the holes of the bumper. As for the P15 and running boards, there in 41.....the gentle roll is what replaced them in 42...not sure how it would look with both items on...I like the sharp bottom edge of removed running boards myself if customizing. The D24 fenders are not so much that the car is ugly as I said earlier..it just takes so much side body into one area...massive...kinda like when the redesigned Dodge truck came out.......love it or hate it ...was not much middle ground with consumers.

How be the Chebbie truck coming along?? Seats in yet?

Tim, just sent you a PM on the seats. I saw the D24 that went to Finland. Have to be honest, I thought it looked out of place. Looked like the bumper off my 76 GMC Sprint, huge, square ended, just not my cup of tea for that car. I wouldnt try to swap a bumper with the original personally but I like them without bumpers. That's as long as you can make a bottom pan look like it was made for the car. Kinda hard to do with a flat front end like the D-24. Not impossible though. As you said the sides do look massive but thats what I like about it. It's all just a matter of each persons taste. Thats like the Dodge truck design you mentioned. Not trying to step on anyone's toes but I've never liked Dodge's truck design until the last one came out. Same with 50's Ford trucks, just never been a fan of them. What I didnt like about either was simply the grille or yet the front.

With that in mind I can respect the reason for someone wanting to change out their grille if they dont like it.

Norm, dirt can be washed off, not a problem. As for the amount of work needed and adjustmets to line everything up thats just a matter of how much your willing to put in it and how good you are at it.

[Young Ed]

Here's a p15 with no front bumper. Not sure I care for the look.

[BobT-47P15]

I wonder if the 1946--48 Olds grille would work on a D24.

Looked on the Carnut web site.....all Dodges shown there had their original grilles even though they were rods. This guy went to a bit of trouble on his.

[Norm's Coupe]

I wonder if the 1946--48 Olds grille would work on a D24.

Looked on the Carnut web site.....all Dodges shown there had their original grilles even though they were rods. This guy went to a bit of trouble on his.

Bob,

Take a good look at that Olds grill. You can make that grill fit just about any old car. You just have to cut it down in the right spots. For example I know that grill looks really neat in a 46 Ford Convertible. The Dodge and Plymouth have about the same size opening as the 46 Fords do.

The guy in the blue and white shirt looking at my coupe owns a "Perfect" 46 Ford Convertible. He's a friend of mine and had his convertible at the same show that day. However, he did not just bolt it into his 46 Ford. He had to cut it off in a couple of different areas, then weld it back together, then install it in his convertible. You would think the car came that way the job is so good on it. So........you could put the Olds grill into a D24 if you wanted to and had the skill to do it. If it didn't look good this guy would not have put it in his convertible. He is very picky on that car, right down to the wheels and frame. If he gets so much as a hair line scratch on the underside of that car than no one would ever see, he's repainting that area right away. Does he drive the car around other than shows, you bet. However, you'll never see a dirty spot, nick or scratch on it anywhere. The convertible is red with a white top.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed..the stock nose piece of the 1941 Dodge D19 needs ablsoluetey no work to dress if you remove the bumpers..it is that slick a set up...I for one am not going to chance running without a bumper...The rear is also set up for a simple to make rollpan..

as you can see the damage..that was from it being pushed around by hand only with the bumper off prior to my taking ownership...

[Fireball]

I saw the D24 that went to Finland. Have to be honest, I thought it looked out of place. Looked like the bumper off my 76 GMC Sprint, huge, square ended, just not my cup of tea for that car. I wouldnt try to swap a bumper with the original personally but I like them without bumpers. That's as long as you can make a bottom pan look like it was made for the car. .

I totally agree, and that's why that bumber was off my car 15 minutes after it arrived. I'm still on a plannin phase what to do with my front. Grille will stay, but the a plain rolled pan, or pan + some tiny bumber, or maybe a totally different bumber without any pan does the trick. We'll see.

The rear pan will stay, with ford taillights and no bumber as it is.

[Ed Griffin]

Tim, comparing the 41 to a 46-48 stock nose is like comparing apples with oranges. No doubt that the 41 came with the look that no change is needed with or without a bumper. The 41 is not flat straight across and it already comes with a factory roll to the bottom. Nothing needs changing, it looks trick as it is. Remove the bumper on a D24 or P15 and what do you have below the bumper line, nothing. All I'm saying is that I've yet to see a really good home made bottom front pan that worked with the flow of the front cap on a 46 to 48. If you'll notice most that are made look like they came off a mid 70's Firebird (Smokey and the Bandit). Good example, look at the red P15 that Ed posted. If you look at the blue? D24 that Bob posted you'll notice the guy did at least try to rollback the center under the car instead of outwards which is more of what should be the goal as the way your 41 came stock. But, thats more of a challenge only because of the flat front and short bottom. I think if you started just a little further up than the stock bottom line and began to roll it back then it would go more with the roll just above the headlights. I dont know for sure just exactly what would do the trick but I do know what I like and dont like when I see it. Just had'nt seen it yet

Fireball, dont take any of this personal. It's all just a matter of likes and dislikes. You'll do with your car as all of us will, what you want. Thats all it matters when it comes down to it. Ed

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed..I have had two D24's at the house..a sedan and a business coupe..did not keep either long...the business coupe I bought mainly for the dash..traded out with the 41 dash which I don't care for and upgraded to the D24's which I think is one of, if not the sharpest factory dash setups going. Chrome left to right top to bottom..slick....

The sedan I purchased for the interior...as the lower body was in very bad shape. they both went to the same person so that the best of two would go into one..and yes..the bottom of the bumper and it's affixed gravel pan is the killer for just removing the bumper and dressing up. Very much like the 51/52Plymouths I own..gravel pan is on the 41 also but stands of from the body and is butterlfy shaped itself..off or on stil looks good..even looks good with original bumper without pan...some cars are a challenge..the D24 is one of them.

[BobT-47P15]

Now, this guy built in something that replaces the bumper.

Or---- no grille trim and matching bumper from a 49 Plym.

Like Tim said, remove the bumper and whatta ya got??? Sudden dropoff.

Or----remove guards, keep bumper, go for the desert look.

Whoa.....here's a whole 'nother cup of tea.......

Link to a pic of the rear end....http://carnut.com/show/02/lou/nat072.jpg

I think this is a Nash grille. Have seen this car in person.

So.....there are some front end treatments for your consideration and comments.

[Plymouthy Adams]

give me the desert water bag baby with stock lights...them frenchie things are pure-t-ulgy The green machine and the grille is very different..not a deep french on the lights...clean install however that nose is just too large and plain..area would be better served with a hood ornament (minimum a bullnose) and the Plymouth letters relly need to be there...and just what is that on the rocker????? guess I am a bumper whore...

[Norm's Coupe]

Don't care for the blue and white one. Chopped top to begin with. Then if you are going to have a chopped top, he should lose those spot lights. They just don't go with that chopped top at all. Other than that the car looks ok.

The blue convertible is done nicely.

The tan and white one looks good too. However with the way it's painted and shaved they should have gone all the way. The hood emblem throws it off.

The jury is still out on the primer one, it's not done. However, they should lose that ugly looking feed sack on the front. I know, I know, that's a water bag for desert travel, etc. However, it's still ugly and looks like someone is feeding their horse or cow. That belongs in a landfill someplace IMHO.

All I can say about the red and yellow one with the flames is, it's a nice looking paint job. Again, don't like chopped tops. Filling the rear window is ok though. And again, look at those spot lights. Looks like they are almost on the roof. Should lose those. Not wild about the grill or the way they changed the hood either.

The green one is nicely done except for the grill and chopped top. Like Tim mentioned, it's just too big.

Disclaimer: All of the above is just my opinion. Just like you do with movie critics, take it with a grain of salt. To each his own.

[Don Coatney]

Chopped top

they should lose that ugly looking feed sack on the front. I know' date=' I know, that's a water bag for desert travel, etc. However, it's still ugly and looks like someone is feeding their horse or cow. That belongs in a landfill someplace IMHO.

.[/quote']

Norm;

Looks like you and I are in aggreement on the chopped top issue as I do not like them. That in itself is somewhat unbelieveable:cool:

However I do not understand how you can critize something that actually works. You hang worthless fuzzy dice in your car that have no purpose known to makkind. Than you call a marvel that actually works a feed bag:mad:

This working water bag is not filled with grits or sweet tea. Just straight water that evaporates and actually cools the radiator. I think you need to revise your thoughts:eek:

Do you have something against cows and horses? :confused:

[BobT-47P15]

You guys need to get into some of the more useful items offered for these cars when newer. Like this cup holder.......to hold your genuine aluminum tumbler (part of a 4 pc set)

Or this magnetic dashboard tray.....and compass.

Or.....the genuine "Plymouth" script vanity mirror; Kleenex dispenser; hula girl and rabbit's foot.

[Don Coatney]

You guys need to get into some of the more useful items offered for these cars when newer. Like this cup holder.......to hold your genuine aluminum tumbler (part of a 4 pc set)

OK Bob;

Why does anyone call something designed to hold water a tumbler:D

I drank koolaid from one as a kid but never understood the tumbler thing,