Aftermarket Grills

by **widow's son** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 9:40 am

Where could someone find the grille mesh? I want to put mesh behind the bumper opening, probably in black.

by **dbanker** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 10:57 am

That looks good TITO. I bet the white detail will look great as well once you throw it on there. Though with having a mesh grill it's probably a bit easier to do the paint job then with the standard grill. I think I'll still give it a shot though...just tape it up very carefully. Or maybe I'll just try to get a used grill somewhere, like a junkyard or that ebay auction, and just try it on that.

by **Missay** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 12:23 pm

you know..i've been thinking bout experimenting w/ the extra grill that's scuffed from my accident (saved it from the body shop). any ideas on what i can do w/ it? the grill is fine, there's no damage to it, but the chrome is scuffed off a small area in the lower left corner.

by **Peter** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 12:26 pm

i suggest you sand off all the chrome, spray paint that sucker and sell it on ebay. make a few extra bux. and if you like it, you can do it to your current grill

by **Missay** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 12:36 pm

oo! i rainy day project. what color should i use and what type of paint?? what if i painted it AND added mesh?? humm..the possibilites are endless!

(hahah..i should make it a chick car or XraveXboiX "mr. sparkles the star cruiser" car by adding black sparkley paint on the grill

...you know..if it was little, hardly noticable, sparkles ..not tacky, gody, ugly ones..i bet that would actually look pretty cute...

it would definitely be a chick car!)

by **pecora55** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 12:53 pm

TITO what did you use to cut the inside of it out, ive wanted to mess with mine a bit and see what i can do with it....thanks...

Website · by **TITO** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 8:19 pm

I first just cut it out with tin snips, then I used a sharp blade to get alittle closer, then I used a file to get even closer, then rough sand paper, and finally with fine sandpaper to smooth it out. After that, you primer it with sandable primer. Use super fine grit sand paper again. Spray paint it to color desired, and then a clear coat.

by **pecora55** » Fri Jan 17, 2003 11:24 am

I meant the grill itself, how did u cut that out.........unless that is how u did it and im thinkin that u are talkin about the mesh, maybe im wrong.....

by **Peter** » Fri Jan 17, 2003 11:27 am

i think he's talking about the grill...

by **pecora55** » Fri Jan 17, 2003 1:54 pm

tin snips for a plastic grill....interesting........makes since i guess...have to give it a try sometime.....

by **NASTY** » Fri Jan 17, 2003 3:17 pm

nkx1 wrote:It's fairly easy to do, inexpensive, and imo, looks excellent. All you have to do is buy some guttergard mesh from Home Depot for $5.29, cut it out with tin snips, and secure it on top of the factory upper grill with black zip ties. The lower grill is even easier. You just insert the mesh and secure with clips, or drill 2 tiny holes and secure with zip ties.

umm for anyone whos done this (im looking to do the lower grill), by zip ties do you mean twist ties, or is it something different?

Website · by **TITO** » Fri Jan 17, 2003 5:34 pm

Yes, I used tin snips to initially cut out most of the plastic part. Once its out of the way, its alot easier to smooth out the plastic frame thats left. As for zip ties, I actually use clips that they use to install interior panels such as door panels that you can clip onto the very edge of the mesh and screw on to the inner edge of the plastic grill frame and its vertually non visable (its hard to explain it). On the lower grill these clips actually just clip onto the edge of the opening of the lower grill. Does anyone know what I'm refering to?

by **krook** » Fri Jan 17, 2003 7:48 pm

NASTY, i just used 2 tie straps to secure my grill. not twist ties, that's ghetto. i hid the tie straps behind my license plate. i cut the mesh bigger than the opening and just folded it back on top and bottom, no screws for interior clips for me.

Website · by **TITO** » Fri Jan 17, 2003 9:48 pm

Ah, but I don't have to hide anything behind an ugly license plate because I have no ugly license plate on the front of my beautiful Solara (I took it off, we can do that here). Just a nice clean finished look. I'll take some pics and posts them and you can see that the clips are not visible at all.

by **NASTY** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 1:33 pm

yeah, im plateless too (illegally)
and TITO, did you get these clips from the dealer?

Aftermarket Grills

Who is online