Todays grille project was a failure, but it was fun trying!

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wade0731

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Well I started out with a Gen 2 one piece grille I had laying around and cut the middle piece out with an air compressor dremel tool. Wasn't exactly easy getting all the edge and stuff even, which I didn't. Looks pretty crappy but Oh well. I need to get one I can take apart and paint it then put my aluminum grille mesh in. Going for the mclaren look.. Any suggestions next time? Looks worse in real life than in the pictures!

Pictures of the failed process:

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Did you look for the spot welds? I don't remember it being that hard......
 
You didn't say what bit you used on your tool, but what might have worked better is a router bit on a die grinder, using a router guide bushing. You probably could have used the outer part of the grill (that you were trying to save) as the template and got pretty flush removing the parts you didn't want. A 2-piece grill would have been easier but good effort with what you had.
 
embe said:
You didn't say what bit you used on your tool, but what might have worked better is a router bit on a die grinder, using a router guide bushing. You probably could have used the outer part of the grill (that you were trying to save) as the template and got pretty flush removing the parts you didn't want. A 2-piece grill would have been easier but good effort with what you had.
Click to expand...

A two piece won't have the lower section which is needed for the mesh inset.
 
LS4me said:
A two piece won't have the lower section which is needed for the mesh inset.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. (showing my Gen 1 limited knowledge) I was thinking more about keeping the top part unmangled and not so much about the lower section.
 
There are 2 piece gen2 grilles and 1 piece gen2 grilles. All gen1 grilles are 2 pieces.

Gen2 1 piece grilles, to get the surround separated from the waterfall, you have to cut the waterfall completely off which wont come out so good.

2 piece gen2 grilles, you just need to cut the 4 or 5 weld spots on the back that are just a melted tab that joins the waterfall to the surround. Grind these down and the waterfall separates from the surround. If you buy a grille from ebay and you need it to be a 2 piece grille for a grille project, make sure you see the back to tell if it is a 2 piece or 1 piece grille.
 
1 piece grille, look at the back. This grille is one molded piece, no visible tabs either

http://www.ebay.com/itm/03-06-Linco...Parts_Accessories&hash=item417bd9150b&vxp=mtr





2 piece grille, this grille is made up of two molds, one is the molded waterfall and the other is the surround. They are held together by melted tabs on the surround that go through the water fall to join them. You can see the tabs and the top of the grille from the back side shows the 2 joined pieces. This can be separated in 2 minutes and you'll have a perfect surround to use in a grille project.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINCOLN-LS-...:Lincoln|Model:LS&hash=item43bdc6b408&vxp=mtr
 
Alax7 said:
1 piece grille, look at the back. This grille is one molded piece, no visible tabs either

http://www.ebay.com/itm/03-06-Linco...Parts_Accessories&hash=item417bd9150b&vxp=mtr





2 piece grille, this grille is made up of two molds, one is the molded waterfall and the other is the surround. They are held together by melted tabs on the surround that go through the water fall to join them. You can see the tabs and the top of the grille from the back side shows the 2 joined pieces. This can be separated in 2 minutes and you'll have a perfect surround to use in a grille project.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINCOLN-LS-...:Lincoln|Model:LS&hash=item43bdc6b408&vxp=mtr
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for all the info guys! Much appreciated! Hopefully next grille project works out!
 
Alax7 said:
1 piece grille, look at the back. This grille is one molded piece, no visible tabs either

http://www.ebay.com/itm/03-06-Linco...Parts_Accessories&hash=item417bd9150b&vxp=mtr





2 piece grille, this grille is made up of two molds, one is the molded waterfall and the other is the surround. They are held together by melted tabs on the surround that go through the water fall to join them. You can see the tabs and the top of the grille from the back side shows the 2 joined pieces. This can be separated in 2 minutes and you'll have a perfect surround to use in a grille project.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINCOLN-LS-...:Lincoln|Model:LS&hash=item43bdc6b408&vxp=mtr
Click to expand...

Hmmmmmm...... I had no idea there were two types. I wonder what the production years are for the two.
 
It seems like those are the newer grilles, maybe the 05 ones
 
I think it's the 06 actually. That's the type I ordered off fordparts. Found this out the hard way because after having my hood/grille trashed a few weeks back I ordered a gen II (non 06lse)....of course it's the one piece.

Alax, any experience tearing off the waterfall on a one-piece grille or suggestions?

I'm looking to do what the OP did but with better results. I already got the chrome peeled off and sanded for the surround to be painted, and I wanted to get input on how to cut the waterfall off
 
Put a flow control on your air line to your rotary tool. If you are melting the plastic you are cutting it way too fast and making heat vs. removing material.

Mk1 Mod0 hacksaw blade about 1/4" away from the good material will cut nicely. Do every other one so you still have some structural integrity as you cut them out. Once the center is gone, layer masking tape over the good stuff and hand file the bad stuff off.

Patience and muscle control are the key. You only have to do it right once.
 
The only suggestion I can make is, based on the pictures, next time don't cut the entire grill innards out. The grill innards will henceforth be called fingers. Instead leave finger nubs all the way around to both give you a mount point and to give the new grill face some backing. This will also make it stronger, as a ring for the grill face to push against will hold up better than 3-4 mount points would. I'd start by cutting all but an inch to start. Once you decide which ones to actually rivet to, and I would use rivets instead of screws for a cleaner look, you can trim back the remaining fingers even more. On the fingers you decide to use to rivet you can trim them around and round them off to give them a finished look. Trim the rest of the fingers back, but leave enough of a nub for the new grill mesh to push against. Good luck with v2.0.
 
I did it once. I made a cdc replica grille for a member and when he sent me his grille, it was a one piece. I had to cut it off and then just carefully take off the remaining parts until I had a good enough surround.

The easiest way would be to just buy a two piece grille, shave the 5 tabs, and pull apart for a perfect surround
 
Oh and 06 grilles only come as LSE, unless you meant 03-05 grilles that were made in 06
 
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