1st Gen grilles

Been lurking here for several weeks, after having recently picked up my '97 extended cab 2.7L Tacoma.

Excited to start with a few of the typical mods (rear leafs, maybe Bilsteins, switching out the black bumpers with chrome ones, etc).

I think mine was a base model, because grille and bumpers are black although it does have the chrome fender trim pieces.

Got a chrome grille at an auto recycler for cheap and just put it on yesterday. I'd like to know who the sadistic bastard is who designed that system with the clips. Holy moly! That was brutal. Those bottom clips are really tough. What I should have done was put new headlights in to ensure I don't have to bother with that ordeal for that much longer. Looks good, though.

Really enjoying my Taco! My first 4x4.

 

In order to change out the headlights you have to remove the grille. What kind of headlights are you looking to get?

 

PICS!!!!

 

welcome to tw

 

The clips are easy once you know this trick.

Take a small flat head screw driver(such as a t-stat screwdriver)

then look inside the grill mounting points..like peak down the grill and behind it (looking away from the radiator)..and you'll see a little tab..push it down...clip pops right out..


You'll never break a clip again doing it that way and the grill comes off in 2 minutes.