Paint before bolt over grille (Installed)

[Jim D]

I picked up my CW billet grille and have decided to black out the stock grille, as this seems to be the concenses from a earlier post. Just thought I would post a pic. of the difference in the black out. The pic. shows the top part of the grille painted with flat black rustolem and the bottom still in the stock way. Hope this helps people to decide what to do before installing their bolt over grille. Jim

 

[lordvader]

That is what I will be doing when I remove the entire grill assembly to paint the power bar.

 

[aetatis]

Awesome! It looks good! Post pics when done.

Aetatis.

 

[Cisco04]

Awesome! It looks good! Post pics when done.

Aetatis.

That looks really good...that black will hide the stock grille well! Like Aetatis said, post pics when your done!

Cisco04

 

[Jim D]

This is the outcome from painting the stock grille flat black before installing the CW billet grille, you have to really get up close and look to see the original grille.
Jim

A lot of reflection from the Sunburst Orange Metalic.

 

[txyank1]

This is the outcome from painting the stock grille flat black before installing the CW billet grille, you have to really get up close and look to see the original grille.
Jim
A lot of reflection from the Sunburst Orange Metalic.

Looks good. That would be my approach too.

 

[02-Z66]

it does make a difference. probably would have made my billet grille look better when it installed on the '02 before i sold it.

 

[m02redl]

i have a grille coming next month. please tell me if you scuffed or prepped before painting or just sprayed it.
thanks in advance

 

[dunes_av]

hmmm might remove my billet grill and do this sometime this week as soon as I finish current mods


Grey

 

[Jim D]

Wildfire;
No I didn't scuff up at all, and actully painted with rustolem flat black, with a 1 inch paint brush, only used masking tape where it was close to other parts, it takes a little time but the job doesn't have to be perfectly smooth as you don't really want to see it. If you have ever painted with rustolem flat paint you know that it adhears very well and hard to get off when it dries. I have seen pictures of other billet grilles installed over unpainted grilles and you can really see the under grill. Jim

 

[m02redl]

that helps alot. i thought you had sprayed it. i agree it needs to be blacked out.
ps- it looks great thanks- mark

 

[mkchll]

So Chev04AV you used Rustoleum canned paint with a brush right. Not the spray paint?

 

[Jim D]

Mkchll; That is a Roger.

 

[Beaverton]

A most excellent tip!

 

[Cisco04]

The finished product l ks great

Cisco04

 

[SpottyJ]

Couple of questions:

1) Can the factory wire looking plastic grille be easily replaced? I ordered a billet grill and would like to paint the factory grille black to make it more discrete. But, at some point I may want to go back to a stock look.

2) What does a factory replacemet grille cost? Part number?

3) For members who have a "zip tie" mount billet grille - When you have removed your grille, was there wear marks/abrasion on the factory grille, painted areas surrunding grille or on the chrome bar down the middle? In short, does the billet grille cause rub marks?

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Jim D]

SpottyJ;
#1. The stock plastic mesh grille is held in by plastic welds holding it to the power bar and the lower part. you would have to use a dremel tool to cut away the welds., and you would have to melt it back in with a solder iron when you wanted to put it back.

#2. Don't know the cost, but on the cladded version you may have to buy the whole grille?

#3. I have a WBH model and the CW billet grille doesn't touch anything but the mesh grille that you are covering up, you may have to find out any more from members that have the cladded model, hope this helps a little. I don't intend to change mine back to the original grille.

Jim

 

[SpottyJ]

Chev04AV

Wow, thanks for the great reply.

Any cladded Avy owners care to comment...?