1934 Terraplane Hood Ornament

Essex33

I know this a longshot - does anyone have a '34 Terraplane hood ornament and base strip they would part with?  Thanks, Douglas (251) 463-8393

dholck

These were reproduced at one time and offered by the now defunct company K-GAP.  Somewhere out there the molds exist to make some more, I presume.  Anybody know where that stuff went?  I believe they were making only the bird, not the base.

ESSX28-1

Try  Mike Paul at  NZmike@essex-comshape.co.nz (drop the leading NZ- there to foil the bots). Mike reproduced the bird a few years ago & may still have some left.

54coupe

I may have one bird left. If I do, it will be in "as cast" condition, just like I got it from the foundry. I will try and look for it this weekend.

Essex33

Thanks much ESSX28 and 54coupe.   I will try Mike Paul and, if you were able to locate one, please call or text me at (251) 463-8393.  Thank much, Douglas

Essex33

Essex33 said:

Thanks much ESSX28 and 54coupe.   I will try Mike Paul and, if you (54 Coupe) were able to locate one, please call or text me at (251) 463-8393.  Also, were the inserts on these originally chromed?  Thank much, Douglas

MickeyB

What model '34 Terraplane is the pictured one for?  My '34 had a much simpler original ornament, didn't say "Terraplane" on it.

Essex33

I'm not sure Mickey. Pulled that pic off the web.  I saw one like it on a '34 Terraplane a couple years back and fell in love with it.  My '34 shell (above) has no hood ornament and the contour looks right. The double wings are a little more ornate than the single wing on my '35. 

 

dholck

That is a 34 Terraplane hood ornament.  I am not aware of a "simpler" original design for 34 Terraplanes - doesn't mean it isn't so, just not aware of it.

Inserts; well, they were not "just chromed" - the hexagon was painted as in the picture.  Mine was brownish as in the picture when I got it 49 years ago.  The consensus is that they were mostly/originally white, and the K-Gap reproductions had white hexes.  I could not find anybody around here who could do the painting, so I went to a sign shop and they did some scanning and made a vinyl overlay that fits in there.  The lettering is laser-cut out, etc.  You can get it in the off-white, a kind of bronze (as the picture) or whatever.  Also had these vinyl masks made for hubcaps.  I've had them for years and they look good as new.  It is better than painting for rechromed pieces, since the mask will have sharp lettering etc. that you can't get when letters get un-sharpened in the replating process.  The place has the drawings on file and I can tell you where to get them, if interested.

It is a lot of money and trouble, but it sure makes them look nice when the grill fins are plated.  Some platers seem to have trouble getting the chrome to plate evenly down at the bottom where the fins are so close together - solved it by just nickel plating.

MickeyB

Here's a poor picture of my original on the day I got the car, but you can clearly see it is not like the one above, much simpler.

philster

How many '34 Terraplane owners are aware that there are two different Terraplane lettering inserts in the mascot?  One has USA whereas the other does not.  Both are original mascots.  Could it be one was used for export models?

29sptphaeton

The same thing was done on 33 Terraplane emblems. I have one made in England and it says USA, and a couple made in the states that don’t say USA

Essex33

Philster, would you be willing to sell one of those?  I found a base.  Thanks, Douglas (251) 463-8393

dholck

Essex33; Congratulations!  The base is usually harder to find than the ornament, in my experience.
Mikey; interesting.  But, sorry, cannot "clearly see" anything about the hood ornament in that picture.  Is it maybe a single-winged bird from a Hudson?   
Rest assured, that hood ornament at the top is the correct ornament for a 1934 Terraplane.

MickeyB

Appreciate the input.  The one I had was more of a bird only.

54coupe

My last ones. Hood ornament and crank hole cover. These are “as cast “ in red brass. There is much to do, to be ready for plating… $200 for the set.