John M Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 I decided to throw caution to the wind and paint my stock grille black. After all, the worst I'd have to do is buy one of the nicer aftermarket units if I didn't like the results. Well, I like the results! http://moojohn.com/subaru/grille3.jpg http://www.moojohn.com/subaru/frontqtr.jpg Edited 3/12/05 - Added second pic with better lighting and new rims Sorry about the lighting, but you get the idea. It draws attention away from the grille and back to the awesome headlights and front end in general. I thought about some sort of cutom mesh deal but it looked like too big of a PITA. This looks like it could have been stock. The black metallic looks just like the inside of the headlights. The finish is perfect; nothing like you'd imagine from a "rattle can" paint job. All it took was some 400 grit sandpaper, DupliColor "self-etching" primer, and DupliColor black metallic "truck" spray paint, plus some careful masking with green painter's tape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M Posted December 30, 2004 Author Share Posted December 30, 2004 Oh yeah, and finally got pics of my other quickie mods: "Frosted" AWD emblems - http://moojohn.com/subaru/awd.jpg Painted mufflers black - http://moojohn.com/subaru/mufflers1.jpg - http://moojohn.com/subaru/mufflers2.jpg Now they blend in instead of standing out; I don't want bling on my Legacy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Simpletons Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Pretty shlick...looks very clean. Not ricey or hoopty! Now you need to clear your headlights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red beast Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 i would highly suggest a clear coat. i just finished spraying the bottom trim piece (front bumper) on my car. painted it matte black then drove 1 week before i had to take it back off. the black painted areas were getting "stone" nicks and showing the silver paint below. wet sanded, repainted black, and this time i put on a clear coat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC GT Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Wow. I like it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidiq Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Now they blend in instead of standing out; I don't want bling on my Legacy! Yet you painted your calipers blue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powbmps Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 I think that looks really nice! Is it difficult to apply clear coat yourself? Thanks, Chris S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest *Jedimaster* Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 Nice work John- the AWD emblems look great too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexmobbin Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 me likey the grille. i just took my AWD stickers off and trashed 'em, but yours look good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M Posted December 31, 2004 Author Share Posted December 31, 2004 Yet you painted your calipers blue? I was trying for the "Subaru" blue, not necessarily a "look at me" color. They just don't seem to make a darker blue engine enamel. Red on red wouldn't look right, there's already plenty of silver down there, and black might as well have been stock, so blue it was! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandShark Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 Blacked out grill looks very sweet. That's how Subaru should have done it in the first place. Would look hot with gunmetal or black wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red beast Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 i was thinking of something like this... http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/423426/grille2r.jpg http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/423426/grille3r.jpg http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/423426/mysubiefrontbase.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nsaglibene Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 Nice, both those grilles, look a lot better than the crome. Thats the one thing I dislike about this car, but I ordered a mesh one. I kinda want to paint my calipers black, but iuno if thats too much work. Not too sure yet. -Nick Saglibene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidiq Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 I was trying for the "Subaru" blue, not necessarily a "look at me" color. They just don't seem to make a darker blue engine enamel. Red on red wouldn't look right, there's already plenty of silver down there, and black might as well have been stock, so blue it was! Alright, fair enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 I like the opened up grilles with the cross bars and sube logo photochopped out. I like the open look, it really complements the open hood scoop, and lower bumper opening. But I think I would leave the subie oval in there, or an sti badge in the lower right, and black mesh. completely open just looks too open, and looks like something is missing that should be there. Not the cross bars, though. those are thankfully absent. I love the mesh grilles on the Jag S-type R and CTS-V. a real-mesh grille, powder coated black, or plated in a dark "black chrome" would be slick on the legacy., IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerdave Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5513 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M Posted December 31, 2004 Author Share Posted December 31, 2004 Having nothing there looks like someone stole your grille The other grille thread is what made me decide to try my hand at it. If I used mesh I wanted it further torwards the front opening and that would have been too much work. For less than $20, I'm happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne53 Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 I like it.. -Tyler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powbmps Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 John M, This may be a stupid question, but did you take the grill off of the car to paint it? Also, did you only sand and paint the chrome areas, or did you do the whole thing? Thanks, Chris S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red beast Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 I think that looks really nice! Is it difficult to apply clear coat yourself? Thanks, Chris S. the clear coat comes in a spray can. spray it on just like paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M Posted December 31, 2004 Author Share Posted December 31, 2004 John M, This may be a stupid question, but did you take the grill off of the car to paint it? Also, did you only sand and paint the chrome areas, or did you do the whole thing? Thanks, Chris S. Yep, I removed it. It's extremely easy - remove the obvious 2 bolts and 2 plastic rivets. Then you unsnap the connectors across the top. Once they're free, pull the bottom of the grill towards you (towards the front of the car) and the grille is off. I sanded everything - chrome and plastic - to make sure the new paint would adhere properly. I also chose the self-etching primer so it would hold on to the plasti-chrome better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmc Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 I like it... It seems I have a new project now.. Good work as always John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc0032 Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 Can someone Photochop this onto a black Leg? Im curious to how that would look. Looks great on the red John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red beast Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/423426/blacklegblackgrill.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc0032 Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 Thank you Red. It does look good!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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