My DIY Grill

[ih8vtec13]

Ok so I got bored and decided to do a grill mod, the same one many of you have done cutting away the wings, bondo and mesh. Here is my story.

To start with I cut out all of the midle of the grill, sanded and rough patches.

http://i10.tinypic.com/2i8ukh1.jpg

Next I taped up the crome and did the Bondo thing and sanded, followed by some more Bondo and more sanding.

http://i12.tinypic.com/4g638g7.jpg (http://i12.tinypic.com/4g638g7.jpg)

While the bondo was curing I decided to prime a peice of gutter guard that I cut to fit the opening. Then some flat black on it.

http://i9.tinypic.com/43o635v.jpg

http://i9.tinypic.com/40nhws0.jpg

After fininshing the sanding I primed the grill and then painted it with Rustolium Night black metalic paint



http://i14.tinypic.com/2mchswm.jpg

Finally her it is ready to install and back in the car.

http://i14.tinypic.com/302nwih.jpg

http://i11.tinypic.com/2liwqzc.jpg

http://i7.tinypic.com/35irwbc.jpg

http://i9.tinypic.com/2vki3rs.jpg

Over all I think it was a good attempt and it looks good from a distance, but I will probably end up doing the bondo over again or getting a grill aftermarket. Not totaly thrilled with my Bondo skills.

[Dookie]

Looks dope mang!! Good job and nice pics. Next DIY - Headlight clearing, nothing looks better than chrome on black.



BTW - are those crocs?:D

[ih8vtec13]

I am gonna get my lights cleared soon, I know the guy from LightWerks so I am gonna get him to do those. I am not happy with my Bondo job and I want to put in my JDM L7 (yes the real one from Subaru) when I get it all the way I want it, but it looks pretty good for a first attempt any body work.

BTW yes they are Crocs, my cousin got a pair in Isreal and I had to go out and get a pair after I stole his for a while, even though the kid has a size 13-14 and i have a 10.5 :lol:

[Dookie]

From the pics, the bondo & paint looks good.

Clearing your lights is easy, unless your going to do something trick out by Lightwerks.

[jedimaster]

Looking really good dude!

[Drift Monkey]

Looks much better without the Chrysler wings...:lol:

[ih8vtec13]

My mom hates it lol she says it looks like I am trying to cover up an accident :lol:

I thinkk the crome really need to go it does look kind of cheap. Next wekend is a resand and reBondo and repaint body color.

[jedimaster]

http://i14.tinypic.com/2mchswm.jpg

Nice booties :lol:

[Drift Monkey]

My mom hates it lol she says it looks like I am trying to cover up an accident :lol:

I thinkk the crome really need to go it does look kind of cheap. Next wekend is a resand and reBondo and repaint body color.
Just paint the whole thing the spray paint color like I did. Goes with the black inside the headlight housing anyway...

[ih8vtec13]

The spray body color will look better I think, and If I am gonna sand it down again anyway I may was well go for it. I am also gonna Bondo the gap betwnne the plastic and chrome so it is flush and put my JDM L7 badge back on. I did the half-assed job now its time to do it right, and I will post a new walkthrough of the new steps when I do it.

BTW to Jedi's comment on my shoes, go buy a pair for around the house, you will end up wearing them all the time, they are so comfortable. I hate shoes and socks so much and barley wear them when I bont have to and I will actually wear my Crocs or my Uggs constantly, cause bothe are really comfey and weither one is suposed to be worn with socks. Don't cheep out and get the imations at Walmart, get real Crocs, they are so much better.

[TSi+WRX]

:) There's a reason why countless surgeons and OR nurses wear those things day-in, day-out. :)

[coxx]

looks good but I agree on the chrome. Repaint it black

[Drift Monkey]

Body color ftl.

[coxx]

Body color ftl..

DM FTL

[jedimaster]

I'm with you on the shoes, but they still look hilarious :rofl:

[Drift Monkey]

.

DM FTL
DM FTW. Off color grill FTW!

[ih8vtec13]

Ok update, I have sanded and repainteda bit, usualy getting a little primer on and sanding it off to do more Bondo cause I was not totaly happy with it and now I am totaly done with the painting. Right now it is drying so till I can handle it then expect pics. The chrome is gone and it is all the orignal plastic color and It will look sweet. Pics in an hour or so.

[ih8vtec13]

Ok pic time, this time I have close ups of the Bondoed areas.

http://i5.tinypic.com/3zw2hk1.jpg

http://i5.tinypic.com/2h743yt.jpg

http://i14.tinypic.com/2ihrtib.jpg

http://i7.tinypic.com/4dq1qbo.jpg

I am finally happy wit it and I just need to mesh it and install it.

[jedimaster]

Nice job- came out better than mine.

[ih8vtec13]

Thanks man that was easily the most frustrating thing I have ever done and I have built RC kit cars and they required you to build the shocks and transmisions. There is actually a thin layer of bondo over the whole bottom part of the grill cause I over sanded with 40 grit paper and gouged it out pretty nicely. I think what made the differance is that I sanded the bondo with 80 grit to get it most of the way there then a final sand of 180 grit then maybe a touch of 220 grit. I freaked last night when I dripped the primer a little but today I hit that with some 220 and 400 grit paper
and I think that solved it. Looking forward to showing it at the meet.

[Dookie]

Nice clean job. I'd like to see how it would look on the car. I still have the chrome on mine, but then again, I also have a silver car.

[Dookie]

Any new pics of grill on car?

[ih8vtec13]

Not yet, waiting to get the badge on and maybe some Super Tones installed. There will deffinatly be some new ones comming after the meet on the 22nd.

[Dookie]

Kwel, just wanted to see how the full color would look on the car w/out the chrome.

[ih8vtec13]

Oh it looks great, lovin it. Should have done it from the start like that. I am probably gonna give it a light sand and a few more coast in the near future.

[Drift Monkey]

Oh it looks great, lovin it. Should have done it from the start like that. I am probably gonna give it a light sand and a few more coast in the near future.
Told you n00b. I told you that from the start....and you wanted to paint it body color...BORING...

Looks much better this way - looks like mine! :cool: Good craftsmanship!

[NALegacy]

Oh it looks great, lovin it. Should have done it from the start like that. I am probably gonna give it a light sand and a few more coast in the near future.

Chrome is BAD! There should be no chrome in the world of Subarus:lol:

[Dookie]

Last night I started sanding down the chrome. Primed it and painted metalic black to match the rest of the grille. Everything was looking great until I started peeling the tape off. Part of the tape flipped over onto the painted surface messed up a quater size area. :mad: Now I have to wait 24 hrs to redo the flippin thing.:tdown: F'n son of a beotch!!!!!1

[kagenmateer]

I was wondering if you honestly thought the first one looked nice...second round is well done!