boochy

fixing to buy a GT grill for my V6, just wanted to make sure I'd have no problems, and that it will fit okay...


Thanks in advance.

Pwny

It won't! It won't fit the v6 fascia.

boochy

Darn, good to know. Almost bought it. Thanks!

antipeterleague

i'm just wondering for future reference: what's the difference between the v6 and the gt (appearance wise) they look the exact same to me (from pictures)

RedFire281

Actually, the V6 guys used to do it all the time a couple of years back - before the aftermarket made parts specifically for the V6 bumper. Here's some instructions, sorry I don't have the author's name because I only saved the post. PM "afixer", he used to help people do the conversion.


"The GT Grille can be fit into the V6 bumper cover. You will need to unhook the bumper cover on both sides of the grille. Remove the V6 grille, starting at the top clips and working your way down. DO NOT DAMAGE THE RETAINER TABS on the bumper cover. Install your wiring harness and plug it into the fog lights. NOW HERE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE WHOLE DEAL.

Remove the bottom clips on the GT Grille, they don't line up, and they don't reach back far enough to clip into the bumper cover so you don't need them. Remove them with a pair of tin snips (JUST THE BOTTOM CLIPS ONLY). Clip the drivers side Grille clips into the bumper cover. NOW HERE IS WHERE YOU NEED TO DO SOME WORK AND HAVE SOME PATIENCE...Clip the passenger side in. This will require some muscling, perhaps some assistance with a screw driver to line the slot and the grille clip. Do this carefully, but it can be done. Once both side clips are done, us a pair of pliers and position the retainer tabs on the bumper cover into position as much as possible to hold the grille in the bumper cover. Replace the bumper cover to the original position, clipping both sides back into place and replacing the retainer bolts on both sides of the grille. Then reinstall the engine compartment (fan shroud) cover with the original 6 plugs, in the top of the GT Grille and radiator cross member, these holes will line up or can be made to line up.

The final result is that the GT grille will sit slightly farther out on the bottom than the stock grille, so the bottom of the grille sits out over where the bumper cover and the grille meet. Because of the lines of the bottom of the grille, the bumper cover and the hood, it looks all pretty stock. I have shown my car to a Ford Parts Manager and Service Manager at my local dealership and they thought it looked good. There is a slight gap between the bottom of the grille and the top of the bumper cover, again because of the lines, it all looks stock. Unless you had your car sitting next to a GT and pointed out the difference, it is unlikely that anyone will notice. No one has noticed on my car.

The lights issue. You cannot just change the switch and hope everything will work. The GT and the V6 have a different wiring harness under the hood....."


I believe that Street Scene or Musclecardirect have wiring harnesses that will complete the conversion if you don't have the pony package, although I'm not sure. Again, PM "afixer", he's a really good guyand I'll bet he can give you all the information you need.

boochy

Thanks for the writeup Redfire. Sounds like more trouble than it's worth. I just want my little sixer to have some foglights in the grill, lol

antipeterleague

get the pony package

157dB

GT Grille and Fog Light Conversion for the V6




[hr]



[/align]I am not trying to advertise, but I need to address this issue. I have seen several people that have tried to jump on the GT Grille swap for the V6 including some Ford dealers. The GT Grille is taller and wider than the V6 as we all now. I have e-mailed the dealerships that I saw advertising this as though it was a direct swap. One did not replay and the other said, "you may need to switch the bumper cover, it is a different part number", end of replay. I e-mailed the guy and suggested that if that is what was needed that you should put that in your advertisement, I received no further reply, and no change was made in his advertisement. I would also like to say that Ford is not helpful when dealing with "parts swapers" as they call us. I also noticed on several forums, this one included that people are talking trash about the swap, or are saying that is can't be done. The GT grille is wider in the back than the V6 Grille. The taper of the sides on the V6 are greater than the GT…The GT is almost the same from front to back and the V6 is about a 1/2" smaller. The angle of the bumper cover side pillars is where the difficulty comes in for the swap. Saying all this, you can get the GT Grille to fit into the V6 bumper cover without modification to your bumper cover. I do sell a kit with all the parts, grille, lights, wiring harness, switch...the whole 9 yards, but you will have to find it if your are interested, I am just giving our experience with the grille swap here for those that have an interest in doing this to their Mustang. I wanted everyone to know what was entailed.

The GT Grille can be fit into the V6 bumper cover. You will need to unhook the bumper cover on both sides of the grille. Remove the V6 grille, starting at the top clips and working your way down. DO NOT DAMAGE THE RETAINER TABS on the bumper cover. Install your wiring harness and plug it into the fog lights. NOW HERE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE WHOLE DEAL.

Remove the bottom clips on the GT Grille, they don't line up, and they don't reach back far enough to clip into the bumper cover so you don't need them. Remove them with a pair of tin snips (JUST THE BOTTOM CLIPS ONLY). Clip the drivers side Grille clips into the bumper cover. NOW HERE IS WHERE YOU NEED TO DO SOME WORK AND HAVE SOME PATIENCE...Clip the passenger side in. This will require some muscling, perhaps some assistance with a screw driver to line the slot and the grille clip. Do this carefully, but it can be done. Once both side clips are done, us a pair of pliers and position the retainer tabs on the bumper cover into position as much as possible to hold the grille in the bumper cover. Replace the bumper cover to the original position, clipping both sides back into place and replacing the retainer bolts on both sides of the grille. Then reinstall the engine compartment (fan shroud) cover with the original 6 plugs, in the top of the GT Grille and radiator cross member, these holes will line up or can be made to line up.

The final result is that the GT grille will sit slightly farther out on the bottom than the stock grille, so the bottom of the grille sits out over where the bumper cover and the grille meet. Because of the lines of the bottom of the grille, the bumper cover and the hood, it looks all pretty stock. I have shown my car to a Ford Parts Manager and Service Manager at my local dealership and they thought it looked good. There is a slight gap between the bottom of the grille and the top of the bumper cover, again because of the lines, it all looks stock. Unless you had your car sitting next to a GT and pointed out the difference, it is unlikely that anyone will notice. No one has noticed on my car.

The lights issue. You cannot just change the switch and hope everything will work. The GT and the V6 have a different wiring harness under the hood. The switch in the dash is a low power switch that seems to operate relays to power the fog lights and head lights...so you can't just tap into the switch. If you look in your owners manual you won't even find a fuse or relay for the headlights, only the fog lights and the high beams (b

mhconley

Thanks for the pictures 157db - that looks like hell. I can see why you went with the V6 specific "Eleanor" grille.

I have read all kinds of "it fits and looks good" threads but yours is the first I have seen with pictures. If I still had my V6 I'd stick with a V6 specific grille.


Martin

157dB

I have pics of some GT grills that were installed on V6es.
It entails cutting and notching. These instructions are old....
Before aftermarket V6 to GT grills were available back in 05.

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[IMG]local://upfiles/69445/8A8F67CA72C944A8AAF7D673CE785345.jpg[/IMG]

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