New Grille to Color Match (Take a Look)

Been trying to pull off a color matched grille on my impulse red truck for some time. 2 have made it to the body shop to get painted and none have made it on the truck for any time. The issue is with the triangles on either side of the main grille. No amount of taping has produced clean enough lines and the paint always seems to leak trough and the grille does not look factory enough for me.

The point of this post:

Going for it again since there is no factory option for the color of my truck. I bought a grille off eBay and the thing came in two pieces! While I was excited for a bit because this will require no taping and if put together right should look real sharp and clean. How will I permanently secure the tabs....melt them?

Take a look...

 

Epoxy.

 

may-be a large solder iron tip? you would have control of not applying too much heat?

 

I bought a grille off eBay to do a Satoshi on it and when it came in two pieces I was like WTF! Turns out it's much easier to paint that way, just have to secure it afterwards. I just popped the taps through the slots and then melted them down with a sodering iron.

If you wanted extra protection I'm sure you could throw some JB Weld or something on there but when it melted them it seemed pretty solid. Just make sure you're applying enough pressure when attaching the two pieces so the entire tab is up through the slot and there's no play in it after you're done.

 

Does anyone have an old grill they could try to take apart? Mine is going in for painting next week and I'll take it apart first if its easy and goes back together without too much trouble.

 

Got a grill just like that from Certifit for about $33. Its in the process of being satoshi'd.

Its nice that its separate for painting.

 

could i get a link to the seller you bought the grille from?? i am about to purchase one as well and would prefer the 2 pieces separate!!

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...=LVI&its=I&otn=2&category=33645#ht_1829wt_941

 

x2 and maybe melt the tabs as insurance.

 

I am in the process of painting my extra grill, which is in one piece. I slid paper in between the painting part and the black part and the taped the paper together and then it is impossible for paint to get through to the inside.

I have some photos of the process and when I am done I will post them. It would have been much easier if it was in two pieces.

 

I noticed they had a location here in SD, were you able to pick it up?

 

yea, you can go pick it up. Its just really far south, off the 94 I think? I am not sure where you were located but it was only 20 minutes from La Jolla. Just call ahead of time to check availability. The only had one grill left when I was there.

 

Hey Noah, let us know how you make out with the paint job. I also have the Implulse red and was wanting to have the grille painted. My gut is to take it to a body shop and pay them to match it. Let me know how it turns out. Good luck! And thanks

 

I will take it to the body shop on Thursday. As I said in the beginning I am not new to the color match grille thing. The problem is the taping and paint has never been clean enough for me. I think I got it this time. Watch this post and I will take pics of the painted shell then the assembly....and hopefully a nice final pic of my truck with a factory looking color matched grille. Wish me luck!

 

^+1

Don't get the chrome one painted. Been down that road. The paint does not adhere correctly and flakes off.

 

Thanks for the heads up!

 

how are the certifit grills? and when it comes to color matching, has anyone used just regular duplicolor and used the guide they have for color matching?

 

Turned out great!!!

 

Looks great! Did you paint the inner grill black, or is that the primed color it was already painted?

Wondering if I could just take my chrome one off and replace with the black primed one.

 

Left the black parts alone.