[acx]

Well they came in finally. It was dog dirt easy to install them and I snapped a few pics. It was dark by the time I was done (setting sun) so I'll post better pics later.

First off they came in looking reasonably good. I was happy with them, and I was extatic I didn't ask for them painted (ask poor Rodney aka waldorf about that).

Now I went ghetto on the tools because this install was so easy. I needed to pop these bastard plastic retainers off and I used none other than a GOLF DIVOT REPAIR TOOL! :chuckle:

Once the plastic retainers are removed you need to cajole the grill off, it has several clips as noted here (you need to force it gently for the retainers and the removal..

Once the vent is removed you see this.. I had a $$$$&*$(*%$$% mopar sticker of some sort on each side..

NOw see that razor in the previous picture... I started by shaving as much of the sticker off as I could. Captain ghetto (me) finished it off by removing the residual with a gas soaked cloth :chuckle: and it worked perfectly!

Now I obliterated the original retainers and relied on the 2 faced tape. I spread it around the perimeter and dry fit a few times I weaseled some at the bottom for a better fit and it turned out well again. This was my pattern and it so far worked fine. I will look to get a couple new retainers tomorrow for the top.

Remove tape and place carefully. That was it.. A quick shot..

Now... am I happy with them? Pretty much. Would I consider them expensive? Well, yes.. but, the reality is I don't have dremels, glue guns grinders and time or inclination so I guess there is some value there.

It basically is my price for not wanting to be adventurous.

I called to see how much a new set of stock grills would be from the dealer and got quotes between 120 and 160 for normal ones.

So if yopu're handy you can probablt replicate something like this for anywhere from inexpensive to as much or more.

Overall I'm satisfied. Not blown away but they are what I thought they would be and I like the look over stock..

 

[dk1677]

Nice job! :smileup:

 

[Quiet Lunatic]

Nice look acx. So the silver at the back is just the fender showing through?

 

[KenCary]

Well they came in finally. It was dog dirt easy to install them and I snapped a few pics. It was dark by the time I was done (setting sun) so I'll post better pics later.

First off they came in looking reasonably good. I was happy with them, and I was extatic I didn't ask for them painted (ask poor Rodney aka waldorf about that).

Now I went ghetto on the tools because this install was so easy. I needed to pop these bastard plastic retainers off and I used none other than a GOLF DIVOT REPAIR TOOL! :chuckle:

Once the plastic retainers are removed you need to cajole the grill off, it has several clips as noted here (you need to force it gently for the retainers and the removal..

Once the vent is removed you see this.. I had a $$$$&*$(*%$$% mopar sticker of some sort on each side..

NOw see that razor in the previous picture... I started by shaving as much of the sticker off as I could. Captain ghetto (me) finished it off by removing the residual with a gas soaked cloth :chuckle: and it worked perfectly!

Now I obliterated the original retainers and relied on the 2 faced tape. I spread it around the perimeter and dry fit a few times I weaseled some at the bottom for a better fit and it turned out well again. This was my pattern and it so far worked fine. I will look to get a couple new retainers tomorrow for the top.

Remove tape and place carefully. That was it.. A quick shot..

Now... am I happy with them? Pretty much. Would I consider them expensive? Well, yes.. but, the reality is I don't have dremels, glue guns grinders and time or inclination so I guess there is some value there.

It basically is my price for not wanting to be adventurous.

I called to see how much a new set of stock grills would be from the dealer and got quotes between 120 and 160 for normal ones.

So if yopu're handy you can probablt replicate something like this for anywhere from inexpensive to as much or more.

Overall I'm satisfied. Not blown away but they are what I thought they would be and I like the look over stock..

Nice touch.

The material looks exactly like what I used in my "2 minute" Lower Grill mod-- do a search on that and you will see the thread

For $ 20.00 worth of material and a tin snipper, you can have a matching lower grill.

Now that I see the look, I may keep my lower grill this color for a while.


Ken

 

[acx]

Nice look acx. So the silver at the back is just the fender showing through?

Yes indeed. There are holes as you see but they are covered reasonably well by the grill.

Ken where did you get your material?

I have a brute force CAI as my next mini mod so maybe I'll get creative after that..

Exhaust will come soon likely too. Darn catbacks for the R/T seem to be in short supply though.. :shakehead:

 

[Waldorf]

Yes indeed. There are holes as you see but they are covered reasonably well by the grill.

Ken where did you get your material?

I have a brute force CAI as my next mini mod so maybe I'll get creative after that..

Exhaust will come soon likely too. Darn catbacks for the R/T seem to be in short supply though.. :shakehead:

glad you got your vents safely, I knew they would be following mine very shortly! I can't see your pic (my work network seems to filter out attachments) but will check them out for sure when I get home!

your description of your installation sounds like you buggered up the plastic clips that secure the top edge of the vents, is this correct? The centre part of the clip is suppose to be pulled up, then the bottom part can be easily levered out of the hole. To re-install them is the reverse. You install the bottom part through the vent into the hole and then force the centre part back in and it secures the whole sheebang!

I'm starting to get used to mine and the slight colour variance doesn't bother me as much as it did yesterday. I suppose tomorrow it will bother me less and so on, and so on! :chuckle:

I think I was kind of pissed because I paid a lot of $$$ for them and I expected perfection. :loser1:

Off topic for this thread, but I thought I found a performance shop in Hamilton that said they had a K&N CAI for the RT 4.0L, but when I go there yesterday, it was for the 3.7L!! I got my deposit back after they called K&N and they said they don't even have one yet for the 4.0L!

 

[adot45]

That is a real nice look acx, thanks for all the picture too.

 

[KenCary]

Yes indeed. There are holes as you see but they are covered reasonably well by the grill.

Ken where did you get your material?

I have a brute force CAI as my next mini mod so maybe I'll get creative after that..

Exhaust will come soon likely too. Darn catbacks for the R/T seem to be in short supply though.. :shakehead:

I purchased my mesh grill from Advanced auto parts about 3 years ago. I see that they still sell it, but it has a different package than when I purchased it. I had a scrap piece of it left and just wired it to my PS cooler.

I think it was $15-20 for a sheet that is about 8" X 30". My mesh is polished aluminum but the pattern is the same as your vents.

Ken

 

[acx]

glad you got your vents safely, I knew they would be following mine very shortly! I can't see your pic (my work network seems to filter out attachments) but will check them out for sure when I get home!

your description of your installation sounds like you buggered up the plastic clips that secure the top edge of the vents, is this correct? The centre part of the clip is suppose to be pulled up, then the bottom part can be easily levered out of the hole. To re-install them is the reverse. You install the bottom part through the vent into the hole and then force the centre part back in and it secures the whole sheebang!

I'm starting to get used to mine and the slight colour variance doesn't bother me as much as it did yesterday. I suppose tomorrow it will bother me less and so on, and so on! :chuckle:

I think I was kind of pissed because I paid a lot of $$$ for them and I expected perfection. :loser1:

Off topic for this thread, but I thought I found a performance shop in Hamilton that said they had a K&N CAI for the RT 4.0L, but when I go there yesterday, it was for the 3.7L!! I got my deposit back after they called K&N and they said they don't even have one yet for the 4.0L!

yeah the lack of parts for the 4.0 is somewhat cheezing me off, but also understandable. hopefully this is our year.


I've never had luck with those litle plastic retainers so I have moved to the destroy, buy new method. :chuckle:

glad your rage is subsiding regarding your vents.. :chuckle:

Ken, thanks for the info. adot, no worries, I'll try to post up a small write up on all my mini mods. :smileup:

 

[Waldorf]

yeah the lack of parts for the 4.0 is somewhat cheezing me off, but also understandable. hopefully this is our year.


I've never had luck with those litle plastic retainers so I have moved to the destroy, buy new method. :chuckle:

glad your rage is subsiding regarding your vents.. :chuckle:

Ken, thanks for the info. adot, no worries, I'll try to post up a small write up on all my mini mods. :smileup:

maybe I'll create a mini-HOW-TO on removing and reinstalling those pesky clips!

 

[acx]

maybe I'll create a mini-HOW-TO on removing and reinstalling those pesky clips!

I had them on my old srt4 and went off on them there too. It was like deja vu all over again..

 

[Guest]

I'm diggin the look........

 

[Waldorf]

acx,
I'm glad your arrived safely and you had no issues (other than those fugily little plastic retainer clips) and the stupid sticker behind the original vents. What the hell is that all about anyway? So, how much were yours then? I'm guessing about $280-290?

 

[trublu]

Nice look acx. So the silver at the back is just the fender showing through?

I agree, nice look!

Suggestion: rather than leave the area behind the RaceMesh silver, paint it a dark color or flat black. I did this on the intercooler behind my lower valance grille on a 350Z and it puts the emphasis on the grille and not what’s behind it. :smileup:

 

[acx]

I agree, nice look!

Suggestion: rather than leave the area behind the RaceMesh silver, paint it a dark color or flat black. I did this on the intercooler behind my lower valance grille on a 350Z and it puts the emphasis on the grille and not what’s behind it. :smileup:

yes I'm thinking about doing just that to be honest... After looking at it today I will now look for 2 black plastic panels.. :wiggle2:

 

[trublu]

yes I'm thinking about doing just that to be honest... After looking at it today I will now look for 2 black plastic panels.. :wiggle2:

Hmm, wouldn't that cause the piece to not sit flush against the body panel?

 

[Waldorf]

Hmm, wouldn't that cause the piece to not sit flush against the body panel?

nope, there is room behind the vents for a thin plastic panel, as ACX suggested. I'm going to try the same thing and see how it looks!

 

[acx]

nope, there is room behind the vents for a thin plastic panel, as ACX suggested. I'm going to try the same thing and see how it looks!

yes I think if I use my ghetto motorsports skill and template a small black panel to fit "inside" the mesh area - but physically 2 face tape it to the body panel it should be good to go. :chuckle:

 

[Waldorf]

yes I think if I use my ghetto motorsports skill and template a small black panel to fit "inside" the mesh area - but physically 2 face tape it to the body panel it should be good to go. :chuckle:

I think between us, we have this thing nailed!!

 

[trublu]

I think between us, we have this thing nailed!!

I would think a quick shot of flat black would be much simpler and do the trick. :thk: