Saving a 66 eyebrow grill

[casadejohnson]

My 66 is missing its iconic eyebrow grill, replaced many years ago with a later grill. As luck would have it, I have an eyebrow grill in the parts stash but it is far from perfect. The drivers side is pretty smashed up. I dug the grill out this evening and set it down next to the 68 project bronco which also needs some grill repair on the opposite side. seeing the two grills side by side got the wheels turning. If I can do a little welding and grinding, I think I can make one good grill out of the two and save the eyebrows in the process. If I can do that, I can then use the grill that is currently on the 66 on the 68 and the 66 will have an eyebrow grill again! This plan also trims $450 +/- off of the parts list to get the 68 up and running before the boy turns 16. As soon as the grill photos download from my phone, I'll get them posted up. I'm no expert on bodywork but I have reasonable amateur skills in that department. Without going into detail about my ideas on how best to do this, I'm interested in how you guys would approach this or if you think it can be done at all.

[casadejohnson]

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[casadejohnson]

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[mickphatmac]

I'm no welder and I'm no body guy, but the passengers side looks like a slam dunk. I would make a vertical cut exactly 1/2 way through the middle of the headlamp all the way through the grill from top to bottom and graft that on to the passenger side.

I would then cut the lone eyebrow from the drivers side top off the yellow one. I would stay away from the flat eyebrow surface and cut about 1" up the angled top and side and headlamp surfaces, in a triangle. Those 3 slanted but flat surfaces will be easy to weld into and grind down.


Unfortunately I think that you are SOL with the lower drivers corner. It looks to be far too mangled to repair and do it justice. I'm going to bet that someone at CB.com could send you that lower corner for a reasonable price though. You could even ask for either the lower driver's side corner or the upper passengers corner to increase your odds of getting one. Flip and rotate top and you have your bottom.

[casadejohnson]

That's very similar to what I was thinking. As bad as it looks the lower eyebrow is actually intact. I think the only way to save it though would be to cut it out and tack welded in from behind on to the new grill


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[Gunnibronco]

Mickphatmac has a solid plan with grafting the whole right side on. The left side is going to be a tough one. You can probably save the upper eyebrow doing what Mick suggested. The metal is thick and if you take it slow, shouldn't warp too badly. But there will be some bondo needed to smooth things over. Also consider using panel bonding adhesive instead of welding, it might keep a smaller patch from warping.

Or-

If you could possibly locate a good driver side from a grill damaged on the passenger side, you could just graft the donor to the 66 grill and be done. Don Allison has an eyebrow grill that is fairly beat up. Unfortunately, the driver side is as bad as yours. I don't know if the passenger side could be cut & flipped over & spliced in. It would be more work than using what you've got. If you want I can email you the pics Don sent me, but I can't seem to get them out of the email & posted here.

[casadejohnson]

Mickphatmac has a solid plan with grafting the whole right side on. The left side is going to be a tough one. You can probably save the upper eyebrow doing what Mick suggested. The metal is thick and if you take it slow, shouldn't warp too badly. But there will be some bondo needed to smooth things over. Also consider using panel bonding adhesive instead of welding, it might keep a smaller patch from warping.

Or-

If you could possibly locate a good driver side from a grill damaged on the passenger side, you could just graft the donor to the 66 grill and be done. Don Allison has an eyebrow grill that is fairly beat up. Unfortunately, the driver side is as bad as yours. I don't know if the passenger side could be cut & flipped over & spliced in. It would be more work than using what you've got. If you want I can email you the pics Don sent me, but I can't seem to get them out of the email & posted here.

I put a wanted ad out on Classic Broncos to see if anyone has another 66 grill with a savable driver side. Fingers crossed

[Gunnibronco]

Good luck.

I think I just missed a set of NICE 66 hubcaps for $400 on Facebook. I was second to message the seller. I'm kind of sick to my stomach.

[Justin]

That's the Bronco version of being dope sick...

Sorry, social worker humor.

[ZOSO]

Good luck.

I think I just missed a set of NICE 66 hubcaps for $400 on Facebook. I was second to message the seller. I'm kind of sick to my stomach.

I saw them when first posted but couldn't tag you.

[mickphatmac]

That's the Bronco version of being dope sick...

Sorry, social worker humor.

Someone please get him 10 mg/mL Methadone STAT...He's DOPE SICK!!!

[Gunnibronco]

Rob,

Thanks for trying. I wasn't around my computer, and I saw them when I logged into FB, so it probably wouldn't have changed anything. Still waiting to hear back, but I'll be surprised if the first guy doesn't buy them.

[casadejohnson]

I'm mildly Facebook retarded so please direct me to where we find 66 hubcaps on Facebook. I think I would be scared shitless to actually run set of 66 caps on mine unless I could hire a couple Navy Seals to ride around in the back and keep the thieves at bay!

[Gunnibronco]

It was in "Early Bronco Drivers" group.

I agree, its too easy for someone to steal them.

Or, can you imagine hitting a pot hole, and watching one pop off and roll into traffic.

[sykanr0ng]

I'm mildly Facebook retarded so please direct me to where we find 66 hubcaps on Facebook. I think I would be scared shitless to actually run set of 66 caps on mine unless I could hire a couple Navy Seals to ride around in the back and keep the thieves at bay!

In Greedy (Greeley) CO?

As soon as a tweaker found out that they're worth something they'd be gone.

[casadejohnson]

I'm mildly Facebook retarded so please direct me to where we find 66 hubcaps on Facebook. I think I would be scared shitless to actually run set of 66 caps on mine unless I could hire a couple Navy Seals to ride around in the back and keep the thieves at bay!

In Greedy (Greeley) CO?

As soon as a tweaker found out that they're worth something they'd be gone.

Yep, west end if reservoir Rd.

Unfortunately, I work in the hood so you have to be carful what you leave out in the open


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