Standard grill cut, meshed & sprayed black
First up, lets start with a couple of 'before' photos, the first one is with standard headlights, and the second one is with the headlights tinted in Lamin-x film. (See the headlights page for details on that modification.)
The purpose of modifying the grill was to clean up the front end as much as possible to suit the look of the smooth front bumper and to colour-match the grill to the recently tinted headlights.
I bought a spare grill so that I wasn't driving around with a messy car while it was in progress.
Next few steps were to strip it down by removing the indicators, Nissan badge, and air director.
With the use of a jigsaw and dremel I gradually trimmed the grill away until I was left with the rectangle frame.
I then test-fitted the indicator lamps to check that I had cut the right amount of plastic out.
The mesh I used was diamond mesh 100cm x 30cm, purchased from an ebay seller IIRC.
Cut to size with a pair of clippers and test-fit into the grill with the indicators too.
To tidy up the raw edge I bought a strip of U channel in which I cut mitred angles with a craft knife to fit to the grill without gaps.
The grill surround was now ready to paint so I also masked up the indicator lamps to paint 2/3rd of them - this still allowed for plenty of light to shine through the top third.
After the usual process of gradual wet and dry sanding and building up layers of primer.
And the top coats and lacquer.
I then applied lamin-x film to the indicator lamps so that the remaining part of the lens blended into the grill too.
Back onto the grill, it was time to fix the mesh to the frame.
QuikSteel - nice and easy to use, just like blu-tac but sticks most things and drys hard in minutes.
Before.
After. (Needed to make sure none was visible from the front of the grill once fitted!)
Indicator lamps refitted.
Air director refitted.
Ready to fit to car.
All done. (See the headlamps guide for info on how to remove / refit the grill.)
Photo with indicators on.
The only change I've made since these photos is the addition of an old number plate sprayed matt black fitted behind the grill to hide the strange video tape-looking plastic that connects the front bumper to the chassis behind the grill.
The purpose of modifying the grill was to clean up the front end as much as possible to suit the look of the smooth front bumper and to colour-match the grill to the recently tinted headlights.
I bought a spare grill so that I wasn't driving around with a messy car while it was in progress.
Next few steps were to strip it down by removing the indicators, Nissan badge, and air director.
With the use of a jigsaw and dremel I gradually trimmed the grill away until I was left with the rectangle frame.
I then test-fitted the indicator lamps to check that I had cut the right amount of plastic out.
The mesh I used was diamond mesh 100cm x 30cm, purchased from an ebay seller IIRC.
Cut to size with a pair of clippers and test-fit into the grill with the indicators too.
To tidy up the raw edge I bought a strip of U channel in which I cut mitred angles with a craft knife to fit to the grill without gaps.
The grill surround was now ready to paint so I also masked up the indicator lamps to paint 2/3rd of them - this still allowed for plenty of light to shine through the top third.
After the usual process of gradual wet and dry sanding and building up layers of primer.
And the top coats and lacquer.
I then applied lamin-x film to the indicator lamps so that the remaining part of the lens blended into the grill too.
Back onto the grill, it was time to fix the mesh to the frame.
QuikSteel - nice and easy to use, just like blu-tac but sticks most things and drys hard in minutes.
Before.
After. (Needed to make sure none was visible from the front of the grill once fitted!)
Indicator lamps refitted.
Air director refitted.
Ready to fit to car.
All done. (See the headlamps guide for info on how to remove / refit the grill.)
Photo with indicators on.
The only change I've made since these photos is the addition of an old number plate sprayed matt black fitted behind the grill to hide the strange video tape-looking plastic that connects the front bumper to the chassis behind the grill.