I need some input here. Should I put lights behind the factory custom 2.0 grill or should I try to find "anti-Grill" blank solid face plate and have it color matched yellow? Just looking for some fresh ideas.
Okay go...

 

I personally like the lights Idea

 

Thanks Eric!
I'm still checking in to both. But, red lights (Hot box it) or blue lights (Ice box it). With a name like Frosty you would think it would be an easy choice.

I saw your ride in the book down at Jazz It Up. I've been going to that guy for years! I think my xB is the 4th or 5th car I have had him do.

 

i think some light would look tight!!!

 

This might be a little trick, but stay with me here...

1.Get some clear acrylic
2.Get some brackets that will allow you to 'flush-mount' the acrylic without drilling into it. allow for space so that the 1/4" plastic will end up flush with the headlights
3.Mold the acrylic to the curve of the grille area, could prolly use the stock grille as a template, but the curve on the front (outer diameter) might not be *quite* perfect, but close, and the acrylic is flexible...
4.sand and polish the bottom edge meticulously
5.paint the BACK of the acrylic RS2 yellow - it would have curiously beautiful 'depth' during daylight. It's basically the same concept that makes the front cover of an ipod look so 'lickable'
6.run a thin 'rope light' along the bottom edge of the plastic, wire up, and install. Alternatively, you could use a series of LEDs...you'd want to test out the transmission of light thru the acrylic first.

The acrylic will generally pick up and diffuse light throughout the surface of the plastic. I know you've seen energizer battery displays at a supermarket that uses a piece of orange plexiglass. the flat surface picks up the florescent lighting above, and transmits it to the edges, and the damn stuff looks like it's lit. So, as long as the edges have more light input than the entire front surface, it should light up pretty well. You prolly wouldn't notice it at all during daylight, but at night...it could be pretty sweet.

And...I don't guarantee that this would work exactly the way it is in my mind right now- you just asked for 'a fresh idea', and if half-baked counts as fresh, well then - there you go.

 

[friendly advice]
oh, and don't forget - if you even consider any type of BLUE lighting, you're playing with fire. Don't ever consider running that on the street.
[/friendly advice]

 

CRUD... I have some blue acrylic just sitting around too. But you're right, I didn't think about what the cops might say about that. Maybe I'll use it to just test out some ideas and then I'll know how to work some thing more long-term.
Any other ideas?

 

yeah, hehe , I once asked a DCSO cop what he thought of 'lighting', and he told me it's all good as long as you stay away from blue. He gave me the example of the uber-stoopid wiper-spray bulbs, and told me they got one guy for 'impersonating an officer' just by running those.

 

okay, here's a WACKY idea:

there's alot of space between the grille and anything fuctional. You could create a sort of 'box' in that space, and put just about anything in there.

something like this, but in the grille:
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie....php?p=1237946

totally funky idea, but you could route airflow to small vents in the bottom, paint the entire interior yellow, and put yellow ping-pong ***** in there. they would just dance as the air pushed them up. some top-light would prolly look wild as hell going down the street.

but then again, you'd have the sound of 20 bouncing ping-pong ***** to contend with.

don't flame me...I'm not even sure if I was serious with this post, but it does get the 'ball rolling'

 

you know what would look really cool? a huge EQ display across the front - same concept as the 'display box' but you'd have yellow meter bars backlit with LEDs, red for when they really hit. sync it up to your stereo.

never seen THAT before...

 

You are killing me! I'm glad no one is here to see me We will have to get together and work out plans for front mount fish tank. I'm sure it will be ...something.

Hey, How about one of those LED signs that scroll typed messages...

 

hell yea!!!

<<<<<MOVE BISCUIT<<<<<<<

 

I've been looking for the matching lower two grills. Why can I find everything but what I'm looking for. WHY?!?!?

 

take a look at the street scene grilles , i think they are a match , call them to see if you can special order the black

 

yeah, black would be nice! I'd rock em!

 

I'm finding a lot of "Top grille only" with the Street Scene stuff. I like my top grill I want bottom ones that match the top one. I guess that's too much to ask for. Well that and world peace, ...and maybe some Ice-cream. Mmm, Rocky road... What are we talking about again?

 

Hmmm... I was just looking at the RS 3.0's and they have soild grille (with lines in it). I guess they beat me to it. What do you think about it?

 

sux.

 

man, I thought you were talking about the top piece the whole time!

 

CherryBox,
What's up? Haven't heard from you in a while? Hope to see you Sat. As far a lights in the grill, there are several ways to light one up and make it look good. You can always do chicken hauler style ( ha,ha). Drop me a line.