Raptor Grille Mod - Pic Heavy

Like to give a shoutout to:

@Dozer - Vendor for FJ Lettering
@HomerTaco - Vendor for Raptor Mesh
@Tyler07 - answering all my late night emails about his build, super insightful. thank you all!


Before:

Thrown onto a 2010 DCLB

Didn't take any pictures of the cutting process but its pretty simple.. just cut it out.


used bondo fiberglass and JB weld to rebuild the sides that were cut out.
the grill fitting before cutting out the raptor mesh




the grill fitting after cutting out the raptor mesh. took about 2.5 cm off though i might have been able to gone to 2.55


You can see in this one a) my flip flop b) the the sides cut out, bondo'd up.

first couple coats of black matte paint (rustoleum matte black)

now for securing the grill i went two fold:
1. 4-40 screws with #6 washers
2. JB weld around the side. I bent the ends of the raptor mes to fit the front profile but beware; too many bends and it will snap and the profile curves


just the trianlges jb welded, made sure to keep them lined up with the front grill



8 different points to secure the grill to the plastic front , on the bottom portion I used JB weld all around the seems. "Two is one, one is none"


Metal FJ Lettering:
marked, drilled and tapped to 4-40


backside of all the lettering test fitted taps


I broke a couple of threads off the screws so the letter T literally has 5 different holes drilled and tapped with 2 of them containing broken screws. I also used JB weld on the threads so the only way these letters are falling off is if i take a hammer to it


letters laid out





finished product on a dirty girl



Overall fairly happy with the mod. First real big mod i have ever done a vehicle. took me about 4 full days and 2 half days to complete because i wanted it to be perfect, which its not haha

 

Looks good man!

 

Good details & it pays to be meticulous.

 

Such a beautiful sight. Good work man, hoping to get my own here soon. Has anyone tried putting a lightbar behind one of Homer's grilles?

 

not yet, personally i feel like it would take away from the lettering. maybe an led light strip to accent it? but what do i know, im not a decorator

 

Damn that's clean, very well done OP.

 

like i like my women

 

looks like factory very nice

 

Thanks man, took a while but glad I spent some time on it.

Thanks man! That was my intent haha. The paint did blister so I took it down and rebuilt the layers