Has anyone ever built their own "eye brow" grill?

[tailpipe]

Just curious as a stare here at a mess of a 66 eye brow grill (mostly outer area rust). I think its possible with a lot of attention to detail, but here is what I'm thinking. Get a brand new OEM/repop grill, cut out the "inner" (the grill its self), do the same to the eye brow and weld the eye brow grill to the new outer shell. Seems simple in theory, just wondering if anyone has done it. Obviously 66 specific, especially the Budd body stuff, is hard to come by or very expensive. If you've done this, or attempted and failed let me know. I would obviously like original, but at $400-700 for an authentic one I'd like to give another route a try. PM me or post for all!

 

[tk1218]

Don’t the repop grills cost 400?

 

[NewDog]

Other than the turn signals being different, is there anything else that differentiates the eyebrow grill from the later year ones?

If all that's different is the smaller turn signals, there was a thread on here somewhere with a step-by-step showing how to convert the later-style turn signals into the older eyebrow-style ones.

 

[tailpipe]

Turn signals are different, yes (small lenses). What I'm talking about is the early 65/66 Budd body "eye brows" which are not available in the after market, basically an extension of the upper and lower grill bars. The 66 guys know what I'm talking about. The deal here is I have a Budd body and want to keep it as such.

 

[thegreatjustino]

You'd basically just be grafting in the cut out part to the new grille. A ton of stitch welding and waiting between welds to avoid warping the metal, but completely doable.

 

[okie4570]

You can buy new 66-68 grills, and I'm sure someone out there is plenty talented enough to form the eyebrows I would think.

 

[tailpipe]

Yes. Terrible to think about, yet very doable. I'm just need someone to talk me out of it (the been there, tried that and it was a disaster guy). Half of tinkering with these Broncos is doing the unthinkable, pushing the limits of sanity, and challenging ourselves. I know "how it would be done", i was just wondering who's been crazy enough, bored enough, or cheap skate enough to try it. And of course how it turned out.

 

[tailpipe]

Thanks for that okie, I was thinking about that same thing/possibility. Someone with large enough press (dimensionally) and the "right" die could press them in. One, I'd have to find that guy and two, what would the cost be? High I would imagine. If there were still body tradesmen in the world it could be done, but it seems everyone is just in to insurance work and a quick base coat-clea4rcoat shoot job. But yes a possibility I will attempt to seek out.

 

[Gibby66]

Tailpipe, Someone just posted an eyebrow grill for sale yesterday....Looks like it is still there.

 

[724x4bronco]

I've been around Broncos for a while and have never heard the term Eye brow grill. Can someone please enlighten me? Possibly post some photos showing the differences?

 

[Slowleak]

I've been around Broncos for a while and have never heard the term Eye brow grill. Can someone please enlighten me? Possibly post some photos showing the differences?

Here’s a thread about it. Most grills are flat in the spots indicated by the arrows...

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230576

 

[tk1218]

Here’s 1 I have. Came on a 73 bronco I bought that they had put a 66 front end onto. Didn’t even notice it until a friend pointed it out

I have no early 66s to put it on, might put it on my 67