MadaboutKitcars

Some on the forum have asked if I’m going to fit a bonnet grille to my car or a roof vent to the Koupes. I have finally got around to making one. This thread is how I made the grille.

I know some have fitted some gauze only to theirs but the original Ferrari had a ‘frame’ around the grille mesh and it’s this I hope to replicate. They were a very ‘homemade’ looking affair on the originals so a perfect frame is not what I’m interested in here. Here is a close-up of what we are interested in. (photo courtesy of Andy ‘ Ericholm&#8217

Starting with a length of thin U channel steel from my local metal works, I measured the length I needed and cut. I then made 3 V-shaped cuts where the bends needed to be. The angle grinder disc I used was too thick in hindsight, a junior hacksaw or thinner blade would have given a better bend.

I then cut out a section of gauze I had already and pushed it into the slot. The bottom of the U channel was then cut to length and pushed onto the gauze. I then marked where I wanted the dummy bolts to be. They were drilled on the pillar drill.

The bolts were added. These where slot heads like the original. The nuts were added and then the excess thread cut off.

A small amount of filler was added to the corner after filing down. These were then sanded prior to spraying. I could have welded the corners but it would have made it difficult to get the gauze in afterwards. I used a tin of Hammerite smooth silver and painted both sides with 3 coats. The gauze was then painted with satin black paint with an artist’s brush.

I then removed my inner bonnet and turned it upside down. Sikaflex PU Adhesive was added to all the areas where the frame touched the bonnet and allowed to harden overnight.

The finished photo. Once it’s been through rain and road dirt it will look better...not so shiny. I learnt two things from this to improve the next one. 1. Make thinner cuts 2. Perhaps not cut out the grille hole and actually use the bolts to go through the fibreglass (as the vent is more for show than function). I would try and follow the curves of the bonnet more on the next one..it's a learning curve (forgive the pun).

There's someone in there trying to get out?

Looks a lot neater, though slightly smaller screw heads maybe?

Its all in the detail !

Good work Rich all those little ideas really make a difference.
K

Looks like an excellent version1 Richard. Having never seen the original it looks the part !

Would aluminium for the frame be easier to work with next time and lighter on the bonnet underside - not that it is that heavy in the first place.

.... I am so addicted to this site .....

Yes its one of my children...seconds indeed.

Smaller screws will be in the next one, I had very small or much bigger.

This is a genuine grille and one of the better ones I've seen. It's in the Ferrari Museum in Italy. You see why I was not too anal about getting it perfect!

Thanks for doing this. Good effort.
I like how the screws are all lined up on the original. I wonder if they used channel section though?