# Fitting rival car parts, half a century ago **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 18, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-rival-car-parts-half-a-century-ago/496794 "2009-05-18T00:27:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-rival-car-parts-half-a-century-ago/496794/1 "2009-05-18T00:27:54Z")
When I was a teen, someone told me that a certain part (grille or bumper?) from a certain old ('40s or '50s?) Plymouth would bolt directly onto the corresponding place on a Ford, and vice versa. That is, this part (I want to say the grille – though it could be the bumper) would look as if it belonged on the car with no fitting or drilling. I know that’s precious little information, but can anyone say if it’s true? ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-rival-car-parts-half-a-century-ago/496794/2 "2009-05-18T01:19:23Z")
I could be wrong, but I think that custom car guys found that a Pontiac grille fit well into a '49 Mercury. In any case, it was pretty common to use the grille teeth from another car to make a custom grille. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-rival-car-parts-half-a-century-ago/496794/3 "2009-05-18T01:30:44Z")
That sounds very close to what I remember. Thanks.