Rusty Driver
Posts: 195
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:22 pm
Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express
Pic #32 - I decided to keep the oval opening at the lower section of the grille. It would have been easier to eliminate it, but I felt it was somewhat iconic and made the International brand stand out. I first made a rectangular cardstock template the size of the plate/oval and used this as my pattern to make a steel copy using left over 14 Ga. steel. I cut the 14 Ga. steel plate with my die grinder and cut-off wheel and then rough-cut out the center oval with my cutting torch. Finished/shaped the oval with my die grinder and a carbide cutter. I then positioned it on the grille shell over the original and clamped it down.
The 3 lower ribs attach their centers to the plate/oval and I fitted these to the grille shell first and then to the plate. Then I pop riveted each rib to the shell to secure them and proceeded to oxy-acetylene weld the other ends of the ribs to the plate. Torch welding was just easier for me to do in this instance than using the mig welder. Once the 6-ribs were welded on, I ground the welds smooth and had to do a little more grinding on the open oval. At this point I had not yet fit/install the new ribs on the right side above these.
Pic #33 - I removed the pop rivets and removed the welded up ribs/plate as a unit and set it to the side. Here is what it looked like as 1 piece assembly.
Pic #34 - The left side ribs were pop riveted to the center bar running vertical and the next step was to torch welded all the ribs to the center bar. After welding I ground the welds smooth.
Then I worked on the right side ribs as I had done on the left side by installing my center bar (cut down shelf bracket), and then pop rivetting each rib at the bottom to the shell using my spacer block and aligning the rib at center opposite the left side rib so they were even and matched.
After all the ribs were attached I repeated my torch welding and welded each rib at the center to the bar and ground down the welds.
I reinstalled/fitted my lower 6 rib/plate assembly to the base of the center bar and welded the plate to the vertical center bar. Again, ground my welds down. Then I added a weld to join the 2 center bars together so they were aligned with one another and would no longer move about.
Then I flipped the grille over and drilled holes from the backside using the original grill holes in the ribs used for the clips that hold the stainless trim to the ribs. I made the holes small as compared to the oval slots in the original ribs. Not quite sure what means of trim attachment I plan to use - stock clips or other. Also ground off the excess fiberglass mat at the edges of the lower section.
Flipped the grille back over again and drilled to size the 7 holes that had been covered up at the lower area when I added the aluminum strip for a little more support to the thin steel.
The photo shows the finished rib assembly set on top of the old grille ribs which will eventually be cut loose.
Pic #35 & #36 - Removing all the pop rivets allowed the rib assembly to be lifted off in 1 piece. I set the unit facing down so I could grind/bevel the ends of each rib on its backside where it attaches to the grille. I did not want to weld the ribs to the shell for fear the heat would easily burn through the already thin metal. My plan was to use my favorite JB Weld to secure the rib ends to the shell. The pop rivets would hold the pieces tightly together as they cured.
Pic #37 - Time to core the grille shell of its old rusty ribs. Using my die grinder and cut-off wheel I zipped off the old ribs. I cut through one of the trim mounting holes and left enough original rib material to apply the JB Weld onto and refasten the new ribs with pop rivets to hold everything together.
I had to sandblast the upper most and lower most stamped rib that was part of the grille shell. I also did all the short cut down ribs with the sandblaster to make sure they were clean and ready to go since I had already blasted them and had been putting my grimy hands on them.
Pic #38 & #39 - Sandblasting done, I was ready to slap on my JB Weld to the upper and lower stamped ribs of the shell and the small cut-off ribs I had left on each side. With the JB Weld applied, I lowered my new rib assembly on top of the shell aligning the new ribs on top of the old cut-off ribs. Then I went around and pop riveted the ribs back in place as the excess JB Weld squeezed out. I had a gap at the lower stamped shell rib which was due in part to the lower panel being hit and bent. I filled the small gap in with JB Weld to give the new rib a little extra support/backing. You can see some of the old ribs at the lower left on the floor in photo 38.
Pic #40 - I let the JB dry for the week. Then decided I wanted to sink the pop rivets using a counter sunk style rivet so they would be flush with the ribs and not cause any interference issues with the stainless trim that goes on top of the ribs. I ordered a 100 pack of 1/8" dia. blind rivets with a countersunk head diameter of .188" and a .250" grip/length from Hanson Rivet. They have a 120 degree taper, so I ordered a Drill America 1/4"-120 degree, 6 flute high speed steel, chatterless countersink. Both on Amazon and inexpensive.
I drilled out all the rib pop rivets, countersunk the holes using a low speed on the hand drill,, and added a dab of JB Weld to each rivet to seal out any moisture from getting under the head, and secured the rivets in place. Then I countersunk all the holes that ran down the middle of the ribs where I had welded them to the center bar. It was not about needing rivets, but filling in the open holes. So they too got the countersunk rivet & JB treatment. The excess JB will be blasted off or sanded smooth to finish them. The shorter shell ribs seen next to the new ribs are pitted, but still solid enough that they did not need to be replaced or worked.
With the new ribs installed the grille will be going to the dustless blaster I used for the rear doors to get the metal cleaned front and back and then an epoxy primer applied. When it returns I still have a little body work to do on the shell to get it in shape and ready for a coat of Rustoleum primer.