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I grew up 25 miles south west of atwood.   What a great show....We will have to trek out there next year.

We did manage to locate a grille for the Buick.  It was powder coated when we go it, the passenger side is full of pits and is rough, but the drivers side, which is the one We need is in great shape other than has some remnants of the original chrome left.


Anybody have an idea what it will take to get this chromed?

BTW....Aircraft stripper is the only thing that will take off powder coat...several applications and several wash off cycles with the red tip on the power washer

Call Dave at tel:763-427-3460. He's in Minnesota, & deals in that vintage Buick parts.  Let me know
how you come out, Larry.

I did call the Dave in Minnesota, he said he doesnt have any 1940's at the present. I did leave him my name and number for what thats worth.

I got an email from a john stigler in North Carolina, with pix of a very decent looking grill, however, some have raised questions whether or not Mr. Stigler is legitimate.  The search continues.

I did see the right hand grill on ebay.   I need the drivers side of course.

I have a friend who thinks he is capable of building a custom grill, and that would be ok, but its beyond my current skills set.

I will give that number a call.

I am very sad to say that I took out a deer last night with Beaula.

If anyone has a line on front end parts, particularily grills, I would appreciate

For anyone interested, I found that the outside insulation off romex 12-2  electric wire is a pretty good fit.  We drove the buick around a bit yesterday and the radio grill stay ed put.   I will still see about getting some proper clips ordered.

Yes. Thats correct about the "posts"...each side also has one additional post located about one third down from the top.  I can do the picture soon.

I did not build this car, we wanted a cruiser to take the grandkids with us, as the fifty jimmy is only good for two people.  Its a 350/350 combo, century front clip, ten bolt, vintage air, coil overs...pretty standard resto rod stuff.   But.....man that long ol hood and that bustle trunk.

pic of car

Pic of 40 buick dash

Yes...that speaker grill looks a lot more like the one in this 40 buick.   The clip pic you posted would work as long as the springy parts were to almost meet in the middle, as the metal "pegs" that fit into the rectangular holes in the dash are approx 3/16 thick and about 3/8 long oriented vertically.   So...the pegs would push into the dash and the clips would grab the  pegs from behind and hold the grill in place.

This car at one time had some sort of late model grill in it and the P.O. had a rod shop put a mostly stock dash back in...The gauge area has had some work done on it to take a set of aftermarket gauges.  The vintage air is sitting  behind the speaker grill and the vents, controls, and radio are in a custom made sheet metal extension of the dash....(box hanging underneath the dash all the way across.)

I'll see if I cant figure out how to put up a pix or two.

http://autobodyclips.com/Hardware-Clips-&-Fasteners/c82_7/p12713/12713/product_info.html

More like this one  

But I think we might be on the right track.

I appeciate your comments.  The 40 speaker grill is vertical, it doesnt have a "curve" at the top like a 39 to help hang the grill in the dash.  This grill has four rectangular "pegs"  about a 1/4 wide and 1/8 thick that fit into square holes in the dash.   I am imagining some sort of clip that these pegs must force apart as they are pushed into the holes in the dash.  However I have spent a long time online and havent found any evidence...

Just hanging the speaker grill in the dash doesnt work, it falls out.

I meant what holds the speaker grill in the dash.

Does anyone know what is supposed to hold this heavy cast chrome item in the grill of the 40 buick?  It was rattling so I diddled with it and it fell out and I cant find and clips or such in the dash or on the floor.