26 replies to this topic

[smiley]

Will anybody build a mold to get it in perfect oem shape, or does everybody just slap it on and hope for the best?

[Dave H]

Its one of my "to do" jobs. I plan to make a mould for the front and a tool for rear cutouts so that the mesh sits flush. Dave

[oblomov]

I've got tons of (radiator) mesh in stainless steel, probably enough for about ten front grilles, very close to OEM aperture size. I've also got a purpose made wooden template to form it on that I've been meaning to edge with steel but not yet done. The advantage of stainless is that after you've painted it (if you want, I didn't, polished instead) it doesn't corrode from the rear like aluminium, where you can't touch up without a clam off job. Also because it's very rigid it adds greatly to the rigidity of the front of the clam around the grille aperture. That said, the strength/rigidity means it takes a little more fettling when fitting it to the clam. I took a bird strike (pigeon) at speed right in the grille corner by my nearside headlight which shattered. The clam held which I doubt would have happened if it had been OEM aluminium/cheese. The grill only dented slightly and pulled back to shape once all the shredded pigeon bits had been removed.

Edited by oblomov, 11 January 2013 - 04:35 PM.

[D3YMO]

The link seems to now be dead...has anyone else sourced some identical OEM mesh?

[-Dab-of-Oppo-]

Both eBay links work fine for me. Sellers carbodydesign_eu and amdstyling11 I got some of the one from Poland and it's decent enough stuff.

[D3YMO]

Used the other computer and they work...seems the one i wanted is sold out though

[jonnyboy]

The guy that did the heater solution thing they sel identical mesh. Cant remember his username might be sfshoses or something like that