Got My Black Billet Grille on!
02-25-2007, 10:03 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 3,095
Got My Black Billet Grille on!
Hey guys, finally got my grille while I was away on vacation this week. Last night I decided to put it on. At first I got scared because the nicely sealed box with the logo on it said "04 Mustang v6 Grille". I opened and realized it was in fact the correct grille because 04's have much smaller ones. As I expected this wasn't "billet" but just plastic that wasnt as sturdy as the stock one.
Installation became somewhat of a burden when the instructions were not included as they should have been. For half of it I used afixer's sse grille, and then I used the one from street scenes website untill I read it was only for the gt grille (no v6 instructions available). (I did this as a reference figuring all grille were the same). After the radiator shield came off in 5 minutes by popping some pins out it was a very nervebreaking process. there are little slits on the bumper coverin which you must pry back to let the 9 tabs on the grille come through. To pry i used a flat head screw driver that was really skinny and about 6 inches long. then came the pondering. I tried to bend the plastic tabs on the grille to wedge it through the pried slit....no go. After 15 minutes of wrestling with it I decided to unscrew the bolt at the top of the bumper cover inbetween the radiator and the headlights on each side. Then after you pry up the bumper cover to open the slit ( a little to complicated to explain), you pull the bumper cover outwards of the grille as oppose to bending the tab. After you get the top ones on each side out...they wont come out all the way, you hold it so they dont go back in. Get a second person grow ***** and just bend the bumper cover stem thats inbetween the lights and the grille opposite eachother untill the tabs pop all the way out of the top ones which will start a dominoe effect and pull the otherones out w/o prying. (At first you'll wonder how you'll ever be able to pry the slits open on the bottom five but you actually only have to do this to the top ones on each side) Once all the tabs are out the grille should be out but make sure you dont drop the plastic grille on the bumper and scratch it.
The new grille after I lined up the tabs on the new grille (a lot more flimsy) you just have to push it in untill it "clicks" in. But wait! there are4 random plastic tabs of no meaning that impede completing this process. (see below)You then must hack saw the 2 on the bottom...just usethe blade...and then it should click in. You will notice that it is a close call with the hood latch and if it will clear, but trust your "teriffic" ebay grille and dont hold back. Resecure the 2 screws next to the lights on the bumper cover and the radiatior cover...close the hood and admire the new grille.
I was hoping that the ford dealers would have the tribar pony emblem in stock at the parts dep. (called 3) none did, so I will order that from partscheap.com tomorrow and stick it on....the grille makes for a seemingly flat mounting surface for the ds tape.
Knowing that you have to tough it out and just pry right from the beginning could cut the time in half to do this (took me about an hour) You will need2 sets of hands to complete this task
Ebay link for reference: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...em270092396443
The thing that bothers me is the little matching lower grille is more money, and for now I will live with the honecomb on the bottom.
photo courtesy of giddeup 
Installation became somewhat of a burden when the instructions were not included as they should have been. For half of it I used afixer's sse grille, and then I used the one from street scenes website untill I read it was only for the gt grille (no v6 instructions available). (I did this as a reference figuring all grille were the same). After the radiator shield came off in 5 minutes by popping some pins out it was a very nervebreaking process. there are little slits on the bumper coverin which you must pry back to let the 9 tabs on the grille come through. To pry i used a flat head screw driver that was really skinny and about 6 inches long. then came the pondering. I tried to bend the plastic tabs on the grille to wedge it through the pried slit....no go. After 15 minutes of wrestling with it I decided to unscrew the bolt at the top of the bumper cover inbetween the radiator and the headlights on each side. Then after you pry up the bumper cover to open the slit ( a little to complicated to explain), you pull the bumper cover outwards of the grille as oppose to bending the tab. After you get the top ones on each side out...they wont come out all the way, you hold it so they dont go back in. Get a second person grow ***** and just bend the bumper cover stem thats inbetween the lights and the grille opposite eachother untill the tabs pop all the way out of the top ones which will start a dominoe effect and pull the otherones out w/o prying. (At first you'll wonder how you'll ever be able to pry the slits open on the bottom five but you actually only have to do this to the top ones on each side) Once all the tabs are out the grille should be out but make sure you dont drop the plastic grille on the bumper and scratch it.
The new grille after I lined up the tabs on the new grille (a lot more flimsy) you just have to push it in untill it "clicks" in. But wait! there are4 random plastic tabs of no meaning that impede completing this process. (see below)You then must hack saw the 2 on the bottom...just usethe blade...and then it should click in. You will notice that it is a close call with the hood latch and if it will clear, but trust your "teriffic" ebay grille and dont hold back. Resecure the 2 screws next to the lights on the bumper cover and the radiatior cover...close the hood and admire the new grille.
I was hoping that the ford dealers would have the tribar pony emblem in stock at the parts dep. (called 3) none did, so I will order that from partscheap.com tomorrow and stick it on....the grille makes for a seemingly flat mounting surface for the ds tape.
Knowing that you have to tough it out and just pry right from the beginning could cut the time in half to do this (took me about an hour) You will need2 sets of hands to complete this task
Ebay link for reference: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...em270092396443
The thing that bothers me is the little matching lower grille is more money, and for now I will live with the honecomb on the bottom.
photo courtesy of giddeup
02-25-2007, 11:19 PM
#5
5th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 3,095
RE: Got My Black Billet Grille on!
they clearly mark the fact that its ABS btw you will pay 250+ for a real billet grille as exemplified by the cervinis one. 100 was cheap enough. I also was going to get the 320 dollar kit from v6 mustangstuff for the street scene center grille but I needed to put that money towards exhaust and I saw giddyup's stang with this grille and got convinced to get it.
I will be ordering a tribar pony for it
I will be ordering a tribar pony for it
02-28-2007, 01:01 AM
#7
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Cumming, GA
Posts: 2,460
RE: Got My Black Billet Grille on!
FYI ... I have that same grill with the lights .... I picked up a cheap (actually free since I traded my lower grill for it) Pony Package Lower grill which has horizontal slats and matches these aftermarket grills nicely ...
02-28-2007, 01:08 AM
#9
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Cumming, GA
Posts: 2,460
RE: Got My Black Billet Grille on!
Not any good pictures .... best bet is do head down to the local Ford Dealer and check it out in person .... I can take some pics tomorrow if you really need to see it ...
