64 Commander Grille Conversion

[scott.rodgers]

A very simple process - just have to remember to cut a new tab for the inner bezel screw:


Detail of 4 headlight grille


2 headlight grille marked for cutting. Note area for tab. I used an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel.


Most of the cutting is complete


Speed nuts added to tab. Note that existing tab needed a new hole drilled.


Almost finished. The bezel fits perfectly. I do need to go back and carefully cut some tabs in the bottom to hold the bezel better. The 2 headlight unit only has 2, the 4 headlight one has 4 - see first picture.

Scott Rodgers
Los Angeles
SDC Member since 1989
'60 Lark HT
'63 Wagonaire

[JGK 940]

Geez - who knew? I'd always thought the Challenger/Commander bezel was a tab-and-screw-in insert, just like the upper-line version for quads/duals/whatever. Wonder how much of what they saved on installing only two, 7" headlights in the junior lines wound up lost in tooling up for a completely separate grille. In fact, why didn't they just make the grille opening wider, while they were at it? Those ribbed fillers have always looked like somebody's last-minute patch-up job, to me; JMHO. The Ongoing Revelation of Mysteries from South Bend...

Keoni Dibelka / HiloFoto
In Hawai'i; on Hawai'i; on the Windward Side
If da salt air never chew 'em up bumbye da lava will...

[StudeRich]

I always thought that cutting and bending those lower two tabs would definitely be the hardest part, the rest is a piece of cake! let us know how you do on that task, when you figure it out.


StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

[scott.rodgers]

I'm going to cut the other tabs with a mini-cutoff wheel and a Dremel drill. The aluminum in that grille is harder than you'd think - bending the 2 new tabs might be difficult.

Scott Rodgers
Los Angeles
SDC Member since 1989
'60 Lark HT
'63 Wagonaire

[scott.rodgers]

One more pic - here's the grille with both sides done:



Scott Rodgers
Los Angeles
SDC Member since 1989
'60 Lark HT
'63 Wagonaire

[Bordeaux Daytona]

Looks good.
I was wondering about the black paint Studebaker used on the vertical grille bars.
Has anyone ever tried to remove it? I think the grille might be anodized so I don't know if it will come off easy without ruining the anodizing.
I don't think the four headlight grilles had the vertical bars painted like on the daytonas and cruisers.
I have one of these grilles and was going to convert it too but I wasn't sure about how to modify it.
Thanks for posting this!
John

[scott.rodgers]

I need to remove the overspray on my grille - there's quite a bit. Will paint remover damage the anodizing?

Scott Rodgers
Los Angeles
SDC Member since 1989
'60 Lark HT
'63 Wagonaire