Back when cars still had them, radiator shells were the single most distinctive point of visual interest a car had. Because of this, manufacturers typically put more than a little thought into making them as appealing to the eye as possible. Although pretty much extinct now for about eight whole decades, vestigial evidence remains in the unique grille shapes many makes use as part of their corporate design language—think BMW’s twin kidneys, Alfa’s shield, and Aston’s, er, thing.
Modern intake areas might be more efficient in about a hundred separate ways, but they certainly don’t look all that great when removed from their donor machines—not like a beautifully crafted shell, many of which are made of several intricate castings, the delicate welding and blending work involved in their construction readily apparent on closer inspection.
They look great as garage art, or slightly less so grafted onto VW Beetles–the choice is yours, but we want nothing to do with the latter, thanks.
Below are a few we found on eBay. Click the following links for more details: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
