'40 Stabilizer "Cut Outs"?

[Fred A]

'40 radiator, grille to cross member shield has "cut outs" to clear the stabilizer. Repop shields show these "cut outs" as pressed semi circles. They look like trouble to me. I can just see me prying them out, damaging the shield. Do I need to cut the little tabs before prying, or is it a complete cut out? What to do? Thanks: Fred A

[19Fordy]

Below shows one side of my OEM 40 Ford coupe radiator grille pan. It has a round opening on each side. I brazed a piece of 1/16 welding rod across the opening so as to lessen vibration. This is an early production 40 that appears to have been made with the circular openings as stamped as in first photo. There are no little "nubs" suggesting knockouts.

I doubt if Henry Ford would have had folks on the assembly line removing "knock outs."

Perhaps later production pans came with "knockouts". In any case the stabilizer bar does nor interfere with the grille pan and will not hit the grille pan if the knockouts are NOT removed.

Here's a few more examples.
https://www.google.com/search?q=1940...CG4LLSqP9UvdhM

[Terry,OH]

No need to remove if you have clearance for the bar.

[Fred A]

When I assume... The shield does not need the removal. Thanks for the warnings. Perhaps the originals were different. Fred A

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Fred A

When I assume... The shield does not need the removal. Thanks for the warnings. Perhaps the originals were different. Fred A

The authentic shields had the same "cut out" as the reproductions. If you have a stabilizer bar, the proper thing to do is remove the "cut outs". Easy to do with a little patience and a pair of pliers.

[Terry,OH]

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I believe the cut out was for the early stabilizer. They have taller mounting brackets that move the bar down lower. See the photo in post #2 above with the later shorter mounting bracket.

[19Fordy]

Thanks Terry. I didn't know there was a "later shorter bracket". I recall now that my 40 was in a front end collsion and the original axle was replaced with a junk yard unit that didn't have a "sway bar" or perch bolts for a "sway bar."

[Terry,OH]

OUCH: All of the 85HP, 1940 cars had a stabilizer bar. The early design bars were noisy and if complained to the dealer they would try various fixes. Eventually Ford redesigned the stabilizer and if still under warranty period would replace the early bar with the later design. Many of the vehicles with the early bar became noisy after the warranty period and either the owner or their mechanic removed the bar leaving just the early perch pins. Nearly all of the parts of the early stabilizer became obsolete. None of the early parts fit the later bar.

[deuce_roadster]

Hey Kube, did I read somewhere that all or some V8 (standard) cars lacked the front stabilizer? IF so that could explain why the "knock outs" existed.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

Hey Kube, did I read somewhere that all or some V8 (standard) cars lacked the front stabilizer? IF so that could explain why the "knock outs" existed.

I have found this thread rather interesting.
TerryOH, who had posted previously, has taught me much through the years and as such, I always value his opinion and research.
He and I, I believe, have come to agree to disagree on the stabilizer being installed on all "standard" models with the 85HP engine. I have had too many very unmolested "standard" models with the 85HP engine and NO stabilizer bar.

This "knockout" thing... that really made me back up and think. So much so, that I'd crawled under a few cars earlier today. Two are equipped with the early design bar, three have the later bar. NONE have those "knockouts" removed.
Another observation? The knockouts do not align with the early design bar. they do however, align with the later design bar.