I am really starting to dislike the honeycomb pattern on the grilles. I opened up the honeycombs a while ago so they would actually be functional vents but I decided it was time to change it even more.



I added this plastic mesh to the center vents using a soldering iron. I melted the plastic and welded the mesh into the grille.



After using the dremel tool and sanding every thing smooth again it was looking pretty nasty. I decided to find me some of that PlastiDip stuff I have been reading so much about. It did a nice job covering all the sanding marks and the texture it leaves behind matches the original pretty closely.



Here's the finished grille with mesh in all four vents. I'm happy with the finished product. I'm not sure how durable this PlastiDip is. Hopefully it will hold up for a while. I may end up redoing it with bedliner or just replacing it with the Agent 47 lower grille.



Finally a late night shot with it installed. Next I think I am going to order the Agent 47 upper grille. I think that will clean up the front end nicely.

 

Good work! I have the Agent 47 inserts and I'm very happy with them.

 

wow...original and unique...Looks great!

 

I've never seen that done, but I like it!

 

I'd be more concerned with how long the plastic mesh will hold up. I like the look very much though!

 

Very impressed. Good to see some creativity.

 

Looks fine but that will decrease air flow so if cooling is an issue go for something with much larger holes or nothing at all.

 

Thanks. I am concerned how it holds up as well. It came on a huge roll so if I had to change it every summer, I have enough until I'm too old to drive! Lol!

 

I get'cha but I partially disagree. They were fake vents to start with! Any airflow is an improvement. Either way I noticed that it's acting like a filter and collecting small rocks and sticks. I may have to go with the wire mesh screen with much larger holes anyway. Thanks for the advice.

 

There is a reason for the 'fake' vents.
Think about it.
It takes more plastic to close off the 'fake'
vents than it would to leave them open.
And Ford is all about saving money.
So the fact that they are 'fake' and blocked off means
that Ford deemed it necessary to block them off
with expensive plastic instead of leaving them open.