Appearance: How to Make a Custom Top Grill

[2K5SS/SC?]

1. Take stock grill out. Two pop tabs on driver side and few across the top and on the passenger side. There are two square socketed plastic screws on the inside of the grill that can only be accessed from the backside of the bumper. 2. Dremel out center slates carefully (see pic below for idea) 3. Sand smooth 4. Use spot filler Bondo if necessary, a little goes a long way and resand smooth 5. Use plastic primer or good etching primer 6. Check for imperfections and fix if necessary 7. Get Duplicolor spray paint that matches your color code. Mine was Ultrasilver. 8. Mask off the areas you don't want painted 9. Spray several good coats of paint without runs! (4-5 coats) 10. Spray a lot of coats of Duplicolor clear without running (5-10) 11. Custom cut APC mesh to fit top opening and bottom ensuring clearance around the places that hold it to the bumper. You can attach it using epoxy carefully, which is probably a better idea than the way I attached my mesh. 12. Paint mesh if desired, (BBQ black here) 12. Carefully reinstall grill and enjoy! This is the cut, masked, first coat painted, and ready for clear picture. It's the only one I have during the process. Here is the perfectly matching results Good Luck!

[Vendian]

DAMN.... looks good. I might have to try this out, I don't like the SS S/C grill.

[Shermen]

got any more pictures? but great write up. gonna have to do this.(but more pictures would help. im a monkey see monkey do kinda guy.)

[CTCOBALTSSS]

Good write up! Looks very very nice and clean. Sweet job on that grille!

[player_1]

awesome job, gives me an idea for mine

[2K5SS/SC?]

Sorry there are no more pictures during the process. The girlfriend had the camera and went somewhere during the few hours a day for a week process. Yes a week, I am very meticulious with my work when it comes to my car.

[PenguinPIE]

how do you attach the mesh to the grill?

i need replies quick coz i need to finish it by saturday

and also is it possible to cut the center bar on the grill and smooth it? ( i have the chrome version so i dont have the cross bar from the bumper)

[alleycat58]

When FastSS06 did ours, he used marine glue.

[xspyder85x]

might need to try this one

[ted5986]

hey thanks so much for the idea. i just did this mod on sunday and i love it. i have an arrival blue LS and painted the outer part black and the grill i left silver

[heyitsmikey1987]

Originally Posted by 2K5SS/SC?

1. Take stock grill out. Two pop tabs on driver side and few across the top and on the passenger side. There are two square socketed plastic screws on the inside of the grill that can only be accessed from the backside of the bumper.
2. Dremel out center slates carefully (see pic below for idea)
3. Sand smooth
4. Use spot filler Bondo if necessary, a little goes a long way and resand smooth
5. Use plastic primer or good etching primer
6. Check for imperfections and fix if necessary
7. Get Duplicolor spray paint that matches your color code. Mine was Ultrasilver.
8. Mask off the areas you don't want painted
9. Spray several good coats of paint without runs! (4-5 coats)
10. Spray a lot of coats of Duplicolor clear without running (5-10)
11. Custom cut APC mesh to fit top opening and bottom ensuring clearance around the
places that hold it to the bumper. You can attach it using epoxy carefully, which is
probably a better idea than the way I attached my mesh.
12. Paint mesh if desired, (BBQ black here)
12. Carefully reinstall grill and enjoy!


This is the cut, masked, first coat painted, and ready for clear picture. It's the only one I have during the process.


Here is the perfectly matching results

Good Luck!

very nice!!!

[N8s07SS]

I keep seeing these posts of custom upper grilles, but I don't understand why everyone is dremeling off the fins of the stock grill and reuse it. Couldn't you just take out the stock grille and then place the mesh in the new opening? That's what I planned on doing, so if there is a reason that won't work, I'd like to know. I'd rather keep the stock piece intact if possible.

[DTM2188]

If you just take out the upper grill and put mesh in there, there will be about a dozen plastic clips that hold in the stock grill that will be exposed. Also the stock grill has plastic leading all the way under the hood at the top of it, you would have a big hole there and trying to attach the mesh so that it stays in place would be difficult as well. I'm sure its still possible to do that way, but I have yet to see someone try to do it the way that you want to. Best of luck if you choose to go that route and be sure to post some pics of the finished product.

[plyboy-illest]

looks good..

[Brandon97Z]

Nice idea love the way it looks. Gonna have to do this myself.

[iLLmaTic3s]

wouldnt be easier just to take the bumper off...well for me and some guys we've done it too many times over here..so that mite just be easier. to acces and carefully re install

[Delta2.2]

wow thats tight. i dont think i could do that. ur directions are great but i know nothing about bondo and stuff. prolly gonna have someone help me on this. nice look.

[calmb4dastorm]

Alll I have to say is that paciants(sp) is the key. If you have none find someone who does. I have to ask this much tho....... How did you get the mesh to stay? I know you used glue but I'm little boggled. Also, how did you cut the mesh? This is mine held in with some zip ties.

Although it looks better now but I got no pictures to show.

[DTM2188]

I used some quick drying Epoxy as my "glue". Then, once I applied it, I got a heat gun to help speed up the drying process. Worked very well. As for cutting, my mesh isn't metal or chicken wire, its actually black gutter guard that can be cut with scissors .

[calmb4dastorm]

ok. Ill have to give it a try. thanks

[AnthonyHalloran]

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar008.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar005.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar002.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar007.jpg

Im tryin the bowtie black tonight to see if i like it...people seem to think it will look better

[Codyak Supercharged]

Originally Posted by AnthonyHalloran

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar008.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar005.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar002.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar007.jpg

Im tryin the bowtie black tonight to see if i like it...people seem to think it will look better

red on red your better off dead.

i got black ones

[calmb4dastorm]

AnthonyHalloran >>> I like yo gril. It works well with the red. I think that you should leave the bowtie red. Keep it stealthy.

[AnthonyHalloran]

finally..i knew someone else would think it was clean ..im keepin it

[SSSC]

Originally Posted by AnthonyHalloran

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar008.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar005.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar002.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...antscar007.jpg

Im tryin the bowtie black tonight to see if i like it...people seem to think it will look better

I like the grill, where did you get the mesh from? Did you paint it black, or did you buy it that way?