Factory Grille Modification

[SinfulSpeed]

Living in the Philippines, I have limited access to large truck parts. I've been wanting to change the look of my grille for years. I've tried different inserts, even made my own from expanded aluminum.

I finally got some free time to play around with it and here's what I ended up doing. I removed the plastic louvers, painted most of the chrome with bedliner paint, and placed a hexagon shape perforated metal sheet behind it. The sheet metal is secured by 8 huge zipties.

I went with the "retainer" as this would give me more options to change its look in the future. Maybe black it all out or paint the middle bar to match my wheels.

 

[iamdub]

Do you have chrome elsewhere on the truck? I think that grille insert would pop and look much better if the chrome bar on the grille was blacked out.

 

[SinfulSpeed]

Do you have chrome elsewhere on the truck? I think that grille insert would pop and look much better if the chrome bar on the grille was blacked out.

No other chrome at the moment. I might just paint it gunmetal to match my wheels. Maybe when all my cuts heal.

 

[J Mac]

That looks great man! Matching the wheel color sounds like it would look good. Awesome work!

 

[BlackedOutHoe]

How much of a PITA was it to remove the plastic louvers? Any tricks to doing so efficiently?

 

[BlackedOutHoe]

How much of a PITA was it to remove the plastic louvers? Any tricks to doing so efficiently?

 

[05Single]

How much of a PITA was it to remove the plastic louvers? Any tricks to doing so efficiently?

Looks good . Which plastic louvers?

and what part of Philippines ?

 

[915_Tahoe]

Looks good . Which plastic louvers?

and what part of Philippines ?

I think he is talking about the factory grill insert.

 

[SinfulSpeed]

That looks great man! Matching the wheel color sounds like it would look good. Awesome work!

Thank you, sir.

 

[SinfulSpeed]

How much of a PITA was it to remove the plastic louvers? Any tricks to doing so efficiently?

I used a soldering iron to melt the plastic tabs. The factory insert came out pretty easily.