DC Making new 68-69 Grilles!

[KnockKnock]

I just can't see myself spending over a grand on a grill. I can maybe see myself trying to make one out of beer-cans by making a sand-mold off someone that has.

http://www.foundry101.com/

^^^ Check out the "Molding Video." I'm sure it's more complicated than it looks, but if that guy can do it, then why not any one of us? That guy's reproduced Merc emblems and a custom grill for a '30-something hot-rod, so those rare & 1-year-only trim pieces could turn into a little money-maker once you've got the tools and one good cast.

[mrollings53]

I make parts for Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers. You could machine a grill out of a solid plate, but it would warp something terrible. Plus the cost of the material is going to be several thousand dollars per part. A 4x18x72 inch plate is about $4700 from ThyssenKrupp's consumer website. Compare that to a sheet of .050" 2024 for about $200 per part. Things just get more expensive from there before you even have a finished part ready for any finish process.

A domestic 6061 extruded 4X18X72" bar would be $750-$1000 from any competitive supplier.

I wouldn't make it from 4" material.

You're right the extruded bar is much cheaper, but your still looking at a grand in just the cost of the stock. And, you'd need at least a 6" thick bar to machine a grille. The grilles aren't flat and peak in the center.

If I ever won the lottery; I thought about taking the extra grille I pulled from the junkyard, and reverse engineering it. Using laser measuring and recreating the dies. Since I'd be filthy rich anyways; I could sell the grilles at cost, and just eat the cost of the tooling.

[F100builder]

Did I miss something? I see that the '70-'72 shells are only $550...where is the $1500 coming from? I saw that the '68-'69 was coming soon too in a recent catalog. Perhaps they won't be too much more than a '70-'72 shell??? I sure hope someone does a '67 someday too!

[Senorpablo]

Hopefully they're straighter than the wavy headlight doors they sell complete with jagged edges.

[chicof100]

I was in contact with Dennis Carpenter. The following is an email I sent to them and then their response.
Attn. Dennis Carpenter
It has come to my attention that Dennis Carpenter is going to be reproducing the 1967 1968 and the 1969 Aluminum Grilles Is this true?
If it is true, When will they be available?
What would the cost be?
And where would these be made?
I've spoke directly with Pat Ford At the F100 Western Nationals regarding these grilles. At that time no plans were being made for the remanufacturing of these grilles.
Please help set me straight.

Sincerely,

Here is their response.

WE ARE IN THE DEVELOPMENT STAGE FOR MAKING THE DIES FOR '68/69 GRILLES, NOT '67. WHEN COMPLETE, THE MANUFACTURING WILL TAKE PLACE WITH OUR ASSOCIATED COMPANIES IN CHINA. WE DO NOT EXPECT THESE TO BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE UNTIL APPROXIMATELY APRIL 2014. IT IS TOO FAR OUT FOR A PRICE TO BE SET BUT A REASONABLE EXPECTATION WOULD BE IN THE $500-600 RANGE.




Dennis Carpenter Ford Reproductions
Carpenter Industries, Inc.

The $1500.00 price I had mentioned before, came from two people highly respected in the Ford community. These individuals actually went to Dennis Carpenter With their trucks, to ask the very question. The response was from the main office so I have maintained that thought for a price. If the price is lower that would be great. But I would not count on it being lower for a while.

[68 Ford Stepside]

Other than the manufacturing cost factor, why can't these be made in the good old U.S.A.? I would be willing to pay $100.00 more for a grill made here.Screw China.

[chicof100]

Other than the manufacturing cost factor, why can't these be made in the good old U.S.A.? I would be willing to pay $100.00 more for a grill made here.Screw China.

Exactly!!! I know they will have problems like they do with the 66 grilles. The 66 grilles are made in China. They are advertised as made in the U.S.A. but they are not. When I tell people they are made in China they say that D.C. has clearly stated they are made here. Wrong! And the 66 grilles are definitely made in China. For a part to be made in China all it has to have on it is a sticker saying made in Chine, that sticker is removed once it is in the hands of D.C. Then sold as made in U.S.A. Deceit? I think so.

[averagef250]

Other than the manufacturing cost factor, why can't these be made in the good old U.S.A.? I would be willing to pay $100.00 more for a grill made here.Screw China.

The manufacturing cost is the factor.

It wouldn't be a $100 difference. It would be more like a $5000 difference to make in the USA.

If you had 10,000 68-69 Ford truck owners ready to pay for new grills they could probably be made here in US made stamping dies for a few grand a piece. You probably have 20 guys a year that will buy that grill.

Don't be mad at China, be mad at DC. I would imagine the initial run will be around 100 PCS. If they're selling for $600 their per part cost is probably around $150-$200.

DC didn't shop the world for manufacturers and say "Build us a perfect, high quality grill shell for 68-69 Ford trucks and tell us how much it will cost" They found a China stamping shop and said "We need 68-69 grill shells and won't pay more than $150 each with an initial order of 100 units" or some such thing.

Then it's up to the China die shop, stamping company and anodizer to reverse engineer a 68-69 grill and deliver the cheapest part possible that you can hang on the front of your old truck.

[Red Mercury]

Other than the manufacturing cost factor, why can't these be made in the good old U.S.A.? I would be willing to pay $100.00 more for a grill made here.Screw China.

The manufacturing cost is the factor.

It wouldn't be a $100 difference. It would be more like a $5000 difference to make in the USA.

If you had 10,000 68-69 Ford truck owners ready to pay for new grills they could probably be made here in US made stamping dies for a few grand a piece. You probably have 20 guys a year that will buy that grill.

Don't be mad at China, be mad at DC. I would imagine the initial run will be around 100 PCS. If they're selling for $600 their per part cost is probably around $150-$200.

DC didn't shop the world for manufacturers and say "Build us a perfect, high quality grill shell for 68-69 Ford trucks and tell us how much it will cost" They found a China stamping shop and said "We need 68-69 grill shells and won't pay more than $150 each with an initial order of 100 units" or some such thing.

Then it's up to the China die shop, stamping company and anodizer to reverse engineer a 68-69 grill and deliver the cheapest part possible that you can hang on the front of your old truck.

I agree with your take on how this happens. We all live in a world where we want stuff at the lowest price possible. We're not going to get US quality manufacturing with China prices on this sort of thing. Many items are made offshore these days, it's all about business and keeping production costs low for maximum profit.

[Whateverman]

I really liked the grills on these two trucks I took photos of not too long ago. Wish the owners had been around so I could have found out where the grills came from. The truck with the chromed grill was located in Augusta, Georgia.

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67 grilles, the top ones been polished up and he didnt black out the vertical bars ..looks nice