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Finished my custom grille...what do you guys think??!

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Old 02-02-2008, 08:55 PM
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Finished my custom grille...what do you guys think??!

Just finished making my custom grille - I was tired of the chrome. The final finish was a bedliner material followed by a few clear coats. Really came out nice and VERY tough. The inserts I cut out of perforated aluminum sheet, scuffed with a DA sander, and then clearcoated. The pictures really don't do justice to the inserts.

I think the key was good prep. Adhesion promoter, prime and sand, prime and sand, primer sealer...THEN the color.

Do you guys like??
Old 02-02-2008, 09:01 PM
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I like it! How much it run ya for the materials?
Old 02-02-2008, 09:08 PM
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About $30 for a sheet of 1/16" thick aluminum (which is heavier than it sounds), about $25 in primer, clearcoat, and bedliner, $5 in stainless steel hardware. I also had to spend $80 for a new grille from Certifit.com due to a bad crack in the old chrome one from a rock. The dealer wanted $320. A flat black one from Certifit was $80. Brand new, with the stock inserts, too! (BTW, I have 2 complete sets of stock inserts if anyone needs some).

You probably wouldn't have to spend the $80 for the grille unless yours is damaged.

Fun, quick project, excellent result, I think.
Old 02-02-2008, 09:10 PM
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looks good. are you planning on having the arb front covered in line-x too?

brett
Old 02-02-2008, 09:11 PM
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where did you get the grill inserts?
Old 02-02-2008, 09:54 PM
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I give it an 8 in the looks department and the cost gets a 10. You can't beat 60 bucks for what you did there. Nice work
Old 02-02-2008, 10:19 PM
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Rusty - no, probably leave the bumper powerdercoated. The semi-gloss powdercoat actually matches the amount of gloss on the grill pretty well. The pics don't show it perfectly.

Texan - I made the inserts myself from scratch. It was a raw aluminum sheet - I figured out the pattern, cut it, sanded it with a DA for a nice brushed finish, and then clearcoated it.

Sandaholic - Thanks, man!
Old 02-02-2008, 10:21 PM
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I'm fabbing a plate steel skid plate at present. Nearly done with that...
Pics soon. If it comes out as easy as it's been so far, I'll post a template that anyone can use to have one cut at their local machine shop in about 30 mins.
Old 02-03-2008, 12:17 AM
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Looks Awesome!
Old 02-03-2008, 07:01 AM
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that looks awesome i was thinking about doing that to my chrome grill
Old 02-03-2008, 09:52 AM
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Looks great Majikmd. What did you have to give for the ARB
Old 02-03-2008, 11:20 AM
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Thanks! Glad you guys like.

Monkey - I got the ARB for right at 1400 delivered, and got them to throw in a nice tow strap. The best part was the warranty. For $100 I got a FREE LIFETIME replacement warranty. If the bumper EVER is dinged, bent, damaged, etc, they send me a new one free. AND, I can renew the warranty for $100 for each new bumper they ever send me. So, I can basically taco this one (which I don't think is possible) and keep getting a new one for $100. Can't beat that!
Old 02-03-2008, 03:08 PM
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That came out real nice! Well done.
Old 02-03-2008, 06:13 PM
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that looks great. Good job!
Old 02-03-2008, 07:53 PM
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Good work. Looks nice...and most importantly, different than everyone else's.


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