2012 Santoshi - Raptor Letters - Complete

Ok guys, so I've been itching to make a 2012 Santoshi grill with Raptor letters for quite some time. I weighed out all my options and even considered purchasing a grill craft and applying the (BAMF) Raptor letters to that. However, I couldn't justify buying a piece of mesh for $175.00 or more.

So I decided to purchase mesh from http://www.customcargrills.com/proddetail.asp?prod=1213_Toyota_Tacoma. The mesh is only $49.99 plus shipping. I had already ordered the letters from Jerry at BAMF and I decided to paint them with a grey Rustoleum to compliment my grey decals on my Black Sand Pearl Truck.


The Install:

In order to install the grill I basically followed the video in this link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqnCCM4agl4 Please note the video makes the install seem a lot easier than it is. While watching the video countless times I assumed the install couldn't possibly take me more than an hour to do. Well I was wrong. While the video only shows a short amount of time dedicated to the cutting of the inner grill, that is what actually takes the most time. Getting the inner part of the grill cut perfectly was the hardest part. I was very worried that I was going to cut too much! I had to go back and make final cuts 3-4 times.

Once the stock grill is cut, you insert the mesh just like the video states and apply the necessary adhesive. Then measure and stick your letters on the front and you are good to go.

I completed this install in two hours on a Thursday night. Then I allowed my adhesive to dry overnight and installed the grill on my truck the next morning. My grill is far from perfect. Had I waited to perform the installation over a weekend I would have been able to take my time and make my cuts more precise. With that being said, I think it turned out pretty darn good for a couple of hours and less than $200.00.

If you are thinking about doing this on your own:

1. Do it over the weekend.
2. Take your time!
3. Be very careful with the adhesive. You do not want any to seep through the front of the mesh. Ask me how I know!


If you have any questions shoot me a PM I'll do my best to help out.

Thanks for reading guys.

 

how did you bend the mesh for the sides. video mentions it but never shows it.

 

The mesh comes pre-bent from customcargrills.com. It will come that way when you order it.

 

Looks awesome

 

Looks good. I'd be on it if they had it for a pre 2012.

 

they do

 

Not a Grill Craft style.

 

not sure what you mean by that.

edit: you mean the bar looking one. nvm

 

How do you think the adhesive will hold up? I am just doing mine and was about to order some mesh and your thread popped up. I am still debating doing the deep satoshi mod though however this seems 10 times easier than the method I was going to do.

 

I'm not a fan of the "TOYOTA" Raptor but I am a fan of the grill. I like the mesh and I might consider doing this without the Toyota on it.

 

how did you end up attaching the Raptor style letters, bolts or glue ???

 

I think the adhesive will hold up pretty well. I mean it's been bitter cold here, snowy, rainy, since I've put the letters on and they seem pretty solid. I'd say the same for the bottom and sides of the grill as well. It's only been on for 2 weeks but so far.... so good.
I was thinking about doing the deep Santoshi mod, but figured I'd be pushing my skills to the limit being that I've never worked with bondo or fiberglass before. haha.

Thanks for the compliments. It's not perfect, but I'm happy with how it turned out. If you can work with your hands and have some patience it isn't that difficult.

 

The screws and clips come with your original grill. You just purchase the mesh from the link I posted above. I purchased the letters from Jerry @ BAMF on this site. And then you'll need some automotive adhesive or any type of strong outdoor adhesive.

The DIY video from the vendor of the mesh is in my first post.

Other tools I used to complete the task:

Dremel
Nippers
Socket set to remove grill

 

I used the same glue that I used for the sides of the grille. I've heard of members on here using 3m tape, but I thought the glue would hold up better. I'm not sure how you could go about bolting them on. I don't think anyone on here has done that yet, but I could be wrong.