DIY: Custom Grille!

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

08-21-2015, 06:42 PM

StxArOne

Member

SL Member

Thread Starter

Join Date: Jul 2015

Posts: 51

DIY: Custom Grille!

( Removal Guide from Service Manual -> http://depositfiles.com/files/jncawa0xg 41 - Exterior.pdf -> From this list -> https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sci...-194187/page2/ )

First off, as you'll see it's not really a guide in the step by step sort of way. But more like a guide to give you an idea of what you can do.

I did take a lot of photos to make a guide on this, but then I realized it would be really hard, especially with my limited English vocabulary, really know how to word it properly.

So first off, I saw in other posts from searching the forum asking about removing the lower honeycomb on the front bumper cover. Some said you can't, others said you can but have to remove the front bumper cover.

You can do this without removing the front bumper cover. Just have to use something to pry the honeycomb grille, like a screw driver, in one of the bottom holes, bend back to the bottom goes in an upword direction (away from you) and it will pop out of it's clips that hold it in place.

Doing only that, will get you a result like this:

Which I think looks pretty cool. Especially at any other angle then this photo was taken. I wish I had more shots of it. But hopefully you can get an idea.

The metal grille you see up top, is what I'm going to show for the bottom, as not everyone will have this top one, and no matter if you dremel out the OEM one, or use an aftermarket one, or wherever you want to stick perforated steel, it's all the same way.

So first thing is to take measurements. You do this with a sheet of paper, large enough to cover the surface area. I just happen to have access to some large rolls. You'll also need a pencil to mark it all out.

With your front bumper off and set in your work space

You would then lay it face down. Lay the paper over it, and with the pencil, lightly brush the side of the pencil around the inside edge, so looking into the back of the front bumper cover, not the outside. This is going to give you a template of the interior opening size.

You then want to draw a half inch to maybe an inch, depending on your mounting surface (where your going to adhere the grill to the part), around the interior template. You should have two sets of lines.

Now cut out from the outside premeter line on your paper, you should have something like this

So the outside of the line is going to be where you make your bends and use to adhere to the body. Inside will be the actual front facing portion.

You then lay your paper across the mesh you wish to use for your grille. And outline it with a black marker, enough to where you can see how you need to cut it. You can then take your sheers, or tin snips and cut around the black line you had marked on the grille, giving you something like this

(Ignore the fact this is in two pieces, I just didn't have enough to go all the way across, and this stuff is expensive! I just stitched them together. You dont need to worry about this hopefully.)

Now cut out the remaining pencil line. Lay flat on the grille, and outline again with a black marker, just like before.

This time, the black line will not be cut out. You need to bend these according to what your attaching to. You need to take the tin snips and go around the outside, snipping in small stright lines from the outside, to the edge of the black line. Maybe 4 or 5 inches apart. Do the same for cornors. This will change depending on what your using, but even then you can make adjustments to get a spot on fit.

Using a vice and hammer you can hold on to each segment, and carefully make your bends. You will then have something like this:

(this image is for a different part -- but same example)

Now you want to test fit, make adjustments, test fit, make adjustments. The idea is to have it flush as possible, to it's flat against the flat edge of where your installing it, in this case the front bumper cover.

(this image is also from the upper not lower, same idea)

Then lift your front bumper cover up and set it normally to see how it looks, to know what you need to do next.

Once you have your fit done, you can now take it out, go and paint it! If you want it the way it is and like it, you can now adhere it in place.

You can use any adhesive that will hold it securely. Any 2 part body compound is pretty nice, you can also get JB Weld plastic weld which is a 2 part deal, just takes ages to cure.

So with the grill back on, go around the edges really securing it to the part.

Lay something nice and studry over the top to keep it in place and keep it from shifting as your adhesive settles into place. You can even use fans to help speed up the process.

Last edited by StxArOne; 08-29-2015 at 03:31 PM.

08-21-2015, 06:44 PM

StxArOne

Member

SL Member

Thread Starter

Join Date: Jul 2015

Posts: 51

(10 Image per post limit^)

Then put it back on and there you have it!

--------------------------------------------------------------------

At this point if you want to do a custom logo or badge, one way I found to do it, and depending on the size of the perforation in the material you use, you can test by pushing different sized machine screws to see what fits snugly.

When you find the right size screw, glue it to the center of the back of whatever it is you want to use for a badge. Drop a washer down and secure that to the screw. This just gives better hold on either side to connect to.

Once dry, test fit where you want it. Play around with different positions. Measure to get it centered where you have it. Or if you want it offset, that's cool too, whatever you think looks good, it's YOUR car to make that decision.

It then just mounts with a second washer on the rear, along with the nut that goes with the machine screw (small bolt)

You can do it on the top, or bottom, where there is a place to put it, you can do it just this way.

It's just a stick on

These are just the double sided tape hub cap center caps you can get online, in all different kinds. But you can use anything else that is flat. For wider ones like the long TRD badges, go with two screws! =)