Ok, I screwed up. I was installing the temperature sensor for my ambient temperature gauge when I got a bright idea. I decided to drill into the bottom grille and mount it by running the wires throught the grille.

It would have worked. Except for the fact that the drill head got too close and shredded my lower grille. I could just kick myself! [:@]

So, I removed the lower grille tonight. I guess I could replace it with stock, but that's boring. I want to go aftermarket. However, I don't really want to replace both grilles, so it should probably be black to match.

How about the Street Scene Lower Grille in black chrome?

http://store.cal-mustang.com/showdetl-7-9126-25-0.html

Any other options? I don't want to spend too much and I like the upper grille as is.

Here are photos of the damage and the front of my car. Most of what you see is grease and dirt in the photo...I know they look like scuffs, but trust me, it's just dirt.

Here's the real damage. From the top of the photo to the bottom:

1) That's a hole.
2) A hole I patched with caulk (the kind you can paint over)
3) The plastic has been scraped off the bumper.

Touch up paint from Ford is on the way. My question: What will the new lower grille hide the top most hole? Just curious. Also, any hints for touching up bumpers?


[IMG]local://upfiles/37741/CD53C31E89EA4105AF8A61C79CF52B93.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/37741/70B5169A00F34A46AB8E6B0156B7E1F5.jpg[/IMG]

 

Um, could you please give me the measurments of that little opening of the lower grill? The hole that you dont normally see. It will save me from having to take mine off. Thanks

 

Sure the rectangular holes on the side are approximately 3.5 inches tall and just shy of 3 inches wide. Quick and dirty measurement, let me know if I need to be more exact.

 

Thanks bud

 

It's a white car so you should be able to touch this up really easy. Make sure you clean that area up really good. I've had really crappy luck with that little brush they send so you will want to use the ball roller tip or a toothpick. Get the tip wet OFF of the car and put several thin coats of color down. Build it up until it's just level with the existing paint. If you go a little over that's fine but it will make it you work that's coming a little harder. Once the color dries, get out a couple old tshirts and some 3M rubbing compound. Use the rubbing compound to blend it into the surrounding color. Be patient as this could take a while and dont use power tools. The risk is to great that you'll burn the paint then you are screwed. Also try to keep using the rubbing compound only in the area that you put color down, not the surrounding paint if that makes sense. Once you are satisfied with the blend, get a touch up pen of DupliColor clear (no I am not a spokesperson but Ford never seems to have it) and repeat the process with the clearcoat. DO NOT skip the clear. If you do the paint will dull over time then you are back at square one. If you are patient this is an easy fix and you'll have a difficult if not impossible time finding where you had this happen.

 

Oh and the rubbing compound will take care of the "dirt" that's between the 2nd hole and the bottom part where the plastic has been rubbed off. That "dirt" sure looks a lot like perhaps plastic melted off of the housing from your drill to me where it scraped but hey if you wanna call it dirt who am I to change your mind? I just think it's funny because I dont see any "dirt" on that area of your bumper anywhere else

 

How about getting a chin spoiler such as the cdc.

 

That's actually a great idea. Then you can forget about the damage (seriously) and cover it up with a sweet spoiler.

 

That lower grill you linked up in the post does not go into the stock front bumper. That one is for the Street Scene front fascia like the one that I have.Or you could get a new Street Scene front fascia, but that can get a littel costly since you have the stripes and all (paint wise).

I would just go with the CDC up front. Its the easiest fix to the problem, and not to mention darm purdy.

 

No, it's the same black girt that's on the inside of the bumper. I cleaned off any plastic a couple of days ago, prior to the photos being taken. I had it completely clean until I pulled off the lower grille.

When I pulled the black grille out of the bumper it dragged a little and that was the result, streaks of that black grit. I used a little alcohol and it came right off.

Thanks for all the help. Hopefully, I can fix this some time next week.