DeLuxe Cowling Trim

[VictorBravo]

On my aircraft's nose-bowl, there are cast aluminum cowl grills that I believe are the "deluxe" upgrade, BUT I do not have the matching parts that go on the nose bowl and the upper cowling as are shown in the photo on the top left side of this webpage.

I'm sure that originals are fairly hard to find, but does anyone have a source for reproductions of these parts?

[Ragwing nut]

Re: DeLuxe Cowling Trim

There is no reproduction pieces for De Luxe trim. Years ago someone made some cast grill pieces but they were very poor quality.

Mike

[3Dreaming]

Re: DeLuxe Cowling Trim

There were 2 kinds of cast pre war grills. The deluxe had the wrap around type like in the picture. The others were like the post war stamped grills with no wrap around. Sometimes you will see a deluxe grill that has had the wrap arounds and the center bar cut out of them. Tom

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: DeLuxe Cowling Trim

I have ONE set of Tom Bakers old side trim pieces (on loan) and have actually been working on duplicating them (OK, you guys found out which "not required for flight" project I am actual working on. That's why the pretzel balls and knobs and handles are never done). So far NO SUCCESS. I have tried making them from thin metal with Epoxy backing (looked pretty good but I wouldn't trust it not to fly off in the slip stream), heavier Aluminum (won't hold a polish and BRUTAL to make) Stainless (looks like it was beaten out on a tree trunk with an irregular rock, but strong as the dickens. Nice for digging small holes in the yard). GRP (looks OK if you wanted one that was painted, basically like what is in the picture except the photo makes them look better than they are. A LOT better).
They ARE really hard to find and if I could find a set to buy I would. They just aren't available. I DID talk to an antique car expert in a Kansas City museum who SWORE they were used on a pre-war car. He thought it was a Studebaker. I can't imagine Taylor had them made up just for a short run of airplanes.
Now the cast parts I can. They were sand cast and you guys shouldn't beat yourselves up on the quality of those you made. I bought a set and other than needing a lot of hand finishing they were NICE castings!
Hank

[Ragwing nut]

Re: DeLuxe Cowling Trim

Tom, I did not know there was a set that did not wrap around and have never seen any. Interesting.

Hank, the side trim is an automotive moulding but I have yet to figure out exactly which car it was used on.

I have have some extra De Luxe pieces from several De Luxe's we have parted out. I did manage to finally put a full set together for the '42 De Luxe I am finishing now.

Mike

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: DeLuxe Cowling Trim

Any extra side pieces you have I would like to buy (complete sets or not). I am just painting a silver stripe where the trim goes till I find some. Looks OK from 100' but even if I have to fill in one piece at a time that's better than not having ANY. I plan to take Toms parts back to the guy in Kansas City and see if he can find which car they came from.
Hank