Write-Up: Custom Chrome Grill

Alright, finally got done making my new chromed out grill. You guys failed to mention the time it takes for a perfectionist to do. It may take some of you all an hour - it took me five hours because I wanted to line everything up and cut everything at the right angles so it looked as close to factory as possible. I'm very satisfied with the way it looks now, it looks even better than I thought it would!

Spoiler:

As I was staring at that R logo for a few hours I got to thinking of some other neat mods. What do you all think about this: What if I put a bright LED or something behind the R and maybe cut a piece of plastic to fit behind it? I was also thinking about maybe using a light so that in essence, the R would light up in the middle (Similar to early 90's Mercury Sables and some of the Pontiacs). I'm not sure how I'd ever get a piece of plastic inside there but I guess I could find a way. If I put an LED I'd almost like it to be mutlicolor like changing from blue to green to red, etc.

I was also thinking of this: Take some chrome tape and wrap it around the shaft of the R so it's all chrome in the grill. In a way I think it'd be too much but in another way I think it could look real good. I especially think that would look great on a car without the chrome grill like mine because it'd make that whole emblem stand out.

Just a few ideas I came up with. Those little edge pieces on the grill were a major PITA! I think out of that 15 ft roll of chrome stripping I used 9-10 ft of it because I had to keep recutting pieces that didn't end up right. I didn't actually put the strips all the way top to bottom, I made them touch at the bottom and then left a tiny gap at the top on every one of them. I kinda felt like the strips around the R looked funny - what do you guys think?

This is fun, I can get used to doing this kind of mod! I think it makes the Riv look very and classy! Reminds me much more of a Park Ave. grill now (Which I think look great).

got any pics, and congrats on the new grille

palermocorey90 wrote:

got any pics, and congrats on the new grille

click on the spoiler thingy......

98riviera98 wrote:

palermocorey90 wrote:

got any pics, and congrats on the new grille

click on the spoiler thingy......

thanks for that, my bad

Shintsu,

It looks great.

What I did to save some time, was this little trick - if I cut a piece too short or long, I'd use it for another fin instead of the one I was working on. So I saved time cutting over and over.

I also angled the pieces like you did. It wasn't PERFECT, mind you, but even I've never been able to tell where it wasn't since I did it last fall.

Either way, I'm glad you like the way it came out. I think it adds a little extra "pop" to our front end, and honestly it makes it look more luxurious.

Buapo wrote:

Shintsu,

It looks great.

What I did to save some time, was this little trick - if I cut a piece too short or long, I'd use it for another fin instead of the one I was working on. So I saved time cutting over and over.

I also angled the pieces like you did. It wasn't PERFECT, mind you, but even I've never been able to tell where it wasn't since I did it last fall.

Either way, I'm glad you like the way it came out. I think it adds a little extra "pop" to our front end, and honestly it makes it look more luxurious.

Thanks! Btw, that is what I did. Even doing that it still took me a long time! I agree, it looks very classy this way. Can't wait until I have to go somewhere now!

Wow, that looks perfect! Those strips are about as vertically straight as you'll get them, from what I see. This looks perfect, really! Excellent work, and we can tell that you spent some good time and effort on this.

I really like the idea of the R. My idea was to drill out a small hole, enough to put a white LED in, on that piece of black plastic that forms somewhat of a + behind it. I don't know about wiring it into the car, but you could just hook a 9V up to it and stick it somewhere under the hood with a little bracket or whatever, enough to keep the battery from slipping out. Then just manually open the hood, turn the switch on, and let the light shine through. I may do this, come to think of it...

Buapo wrote:

Plus it lasts through the winter!

Been a while now (over a year I believe) since I put it on and not one has fallen off.

Very nice. Looks like you took your time and did a great job!

I always wanted to put some sort of light behind the grill...

The light in the "R" would be really awesome, I think.

For some reason, I've always wanted to put a "chaser" light behind the grill, like Trans Am from Knight Rider. Cheesy, I know.

One thing about this grill - for about a month after I did it, I kept doing a double take on my own car!

Logic would dictate that the constant heating up and cooling of these strips would make them fall off, but nope!

Maybe in a couple years, though. I guess we'll see...

Thanks Aaron!

Buapo wrote:

I always wanted to put some sort of light behind the grill...

The light in the "R" would be really awesome, I think.

For some reason, I've always wanted to put a "chaser" light behind the grill, like Trans Am from Knight Rider. Cheesy, I know.

One thing about this grill - for about a month after I did it, I kept doing a double take on my own car!

I've been doing that too! When I found all my centercaps (Before I lost the one this latest time) and I went with a grissle brush and some polish and cleaned each one of my rims they shined very brightly! If I even walked in the living room where you can see the cars I had to look every time just to see those amazingly shiny rims. They looked even more reflective than a mirror!

AA wrote:

Very nice. Looks like you took your time and did a great job!

Not too sure about this idea though?

Shintsu wrote:

I was also thinking of this: Take some chrome tape and wrap it around the shaft of the R so it's all chrome in the grill. In a way I think it'd be too much but in another way I think it could look real good. I especially think that would look great on a car without the chrome grill like mine because it'd make that whole emblem stand out.

I agree with too much.

The grill looks great!

Well, I saw a big roll of chrome tape at the store for $5. I'm thinking about buying it and just trying it. Not like I can't find anything to put it on or that it's too expensive.

[quote="Mr.Riviera"]i finally got around to chroming out my grill and doing the door sills like Andy(if it wasnt andysdorm then i'm sorry). i used 1/8" on the grill and 1/4" on the sills. i think it looks really good and it didnt cost much at all! thanks for the idea everyone!
yes i know the paint is bubbling on the hood, but its been like that for 5yrs now :/


damn that chrome striping on the sills is on point. im going to do that in mine since i have a black interior. should add some flash to it

I like it on my Riv.

im about to go out tonight and buy the chrome striping so hopefully by tomorrow afternoon ill have everything all set. im doing the door sill like the one cat did

The chrome door edge trim has an adhesive bead in the crotch. It is not coming off any time soon, as long as the grille was clean when you pressed it on.

Albertj

you mean the actual door? i meant the sill next to the drivers seat

i did my grill this past weekend and it took about an hour to do the striping, and an extra 20 minutes just to get the damn grill off! overall it looks like night and day though. two of my boys said it looks like a totally different car. i drove past this guy in a riviera earlier today and he was staring at the front grill. i didnt end up doing the interior though. im not going to go overboard. quality not quantity

KillaKeninaRiv wrote:

i did my grill this past weekend and it took about an hour to do the striping, and an extra 20 minutes just to get the damn grill off! overall it looks like night and day though. two of my boys said it looks like a totally different car. i drove past this guy in a riviera earlier today and he was staring at the front grill. i didnt end up doing the interior though. im not going to go overboard. quality not quantity

Damn, did you actually cut it real precise like with the bend of the grill? That's what I did and it took me a good four hours. Then again, I am a perfectionist...

KillaKeninaRiv wrote:

i did my grill this past weekend and it took about an hour to do the striping, and an extra 20 minutes just to get the damn grill off! overall it looks like night and day though. two of my boys said it looks like a totally different car. i drove past this guy in a riviera earlier today and he was staring at the front grill. i didnt end up doing the interior though. im not going to go overboard. quality not quantity

unless if the more mods are better then its ok

Damn, did you actually cut it real precise like with the bend of the grill? That's what I did and it took me a good four hours. Then again, I am a perfectionist...[/quote]

i messed up alot with the pieces around the R emblem. that took the longest. everything else was pretty easy though. i wish i could find a chrome trim for the front bumper..like around where the yellow lights go? something that isnt too tacky but just subtle enough

Hey Kenny

I meant the bars in the grill. The door edge trim does not work on the door sills.

Albertj

yeah i found out after i wasted a couple feet of striping on it. i still ended up with a nice amount left over though