Fantastipotamus Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Took me a few hours over a few nights. Got the grill from http://www.partsgeek.com for $60, got the mesh (powdercoated) from customcargrills.com for $24 + shipping, and the badge came from fastwrx.com for $42. Parts: http://fantastipotamus.go-dedicated.com/images/specb/grill/IMG_0972-2.JPG Finished! http://fantastipotamus.go-dedicated.com/images/specb/grill/IMG_0976-2.JPG http://fantastipotamus.go-dedicated.com/images/specb/grill/IMG_0978-2.JPG Basically, I cut the insides out of the grill, then cut a piece of cardboard out as a test fit in the orientation I wanted, and trimmed it down until fit well. I traced this outline onto the mesh, and cut it out, leaving around a half-inch of excess on each side, and two tabs on either side to screw through. I then went around and bent it inwards along the cardboard line I drew until it fit well, drilled some holes for the tiny screws to hold it in (10 of them, 4 on each side and two along the bottom). I then taped off the chrome surround and put on two coats of gloss black, then just assembled it (used black touch-up paint on the screws), and fit the badge. I'll hopefully be installing it soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pillboy Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Nice chair. It is still ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastipotamus Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 Nice chair. Thanks, I'm thinking of putting new wheels on it. Do you think 5" caster would have fitment issues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pillboy Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Not if you use the right offset. Nice job on the grille. It is still ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastipotamus Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 Not if you use the right offset. Nice job on the grille. Nice, I'll research the proper offset at the forums at http://www.nondescriptcheapleatherchair.com I'll post another couple pics once it's installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty2Hotty Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Looks good! Now we need a before and after pics of it installed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dease42 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 the grill looks great... pics on the car! I want to buy that domain name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 $42 for that badge!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastipotamus Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 $42 for that badge!! I know huh? It's also tiny, but came in a big box that I paid $10 to have shipped. Ahh well, better safe than sorry, I suppose! Here you go.. Before: http://fantastipotamus.go-dedicated.com/images/specb/headlights/IMG_0233-2.JPG After: http://fantastipotamus.go-dedicated.com/images/specb/grill/IMG_0387-2.JPG http://fantastipotamus.go-dedicated.com/images/specb/grill/IMG_0388-2.JPG The mesh is not quite flush mount and not recessed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyrm98 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 ^Looks VERY nice. And I love the color of the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastipotamus Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DelawareLegacy2.5GT Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 interested to purchase.. pm 19711 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastipotamus Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 interested to purchase.. pm 19711 hehe, well, it's not for sale, but I could post more clear directions on how to make it, and some better pictures, if you'd like. If I had an actual workshop that I didn't mind stinking up with paint and burning plastic thanks to the dremel, I'd make them, but I had to anger my wife by doing it in our den area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GULLABLE0NE Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 nice job!! i did the same thing to an 08 girlle i aquired from another momber here. the only difference is i bought a oem subaru front grille emblem instead of the STI... i'm not a supporter of the idea of STI rebadging but it does look good. what lip and wheels do you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastipotamus Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 nice job!! i did the same thing to an 08 girlle i aquired from another momber here. the only difference is i bought a oem subaru front grille emblem instead of the STI... i'm not a supporter of the idea of STI rebadging but it does look good. what lip and wheels do you have? Yeah, I had an '05 STi before this, so this is just a little throwback (plus a helping of poser-dom). The lip was one that was offered by fastwrx.com here that was unpainted, so I just threw some flat black on it. It's molded fiberglass, I believe, and not solid, so it's flexible. Pretty good deal for $270. The wheels are my winter ones, 17" Kazera KZ-C's with a couple-year old set of Michelin Pilot Alpin PA-2s. I'm buying a new set of summer wheels shortly though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carguyco Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Very nice..I also like the color Can the guy that powdercoated the mesh use our color? DGM i mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastipotamus Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Very nice..I also like the color Can the guy that powdercoated the mesh use our color? DGM i mean? Thanks! That's a good question which I can't answer.. The only default options they have are silver (un-powdercoated) and black (powdercoated). You might be able to contact them and ask though. Personally, I like the black, as I just ordered black wheels (Drag DR-33's), and will be getting my windows tinted (and have my tail lights tinted). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusDubya77 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Looks awfully familiar.... great job!! :woowoo:check out the Diamond Gray Metallic Monster!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooklynBoy Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Cool grill. Cool license plate. And there's enough" STI-ness" in our cars that re-badging is relly not an issue IMHO. Do it right the first time.........or don't bother doing it at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 What about this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Subaru-Outback-Legacy-GT-Grille-05-06-grill_W0QQitemZ290391049221QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item439ca7c405 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosAngelesLGT Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 What about this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Subaru-Outback-Legacy-GT-Grille-05-06-grill_W0QQitemZ290391049221QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item439ca7c405 ^A lesser solution imo. This is in back of the grill and looks AWESOME instead of in front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeblow Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 There's a more thorough walkthrough in the cheap/free DIY thread in the 4th gen forum if you need more detailed instructions on how to do it. I've done this with my '08 and it was really easy as long as you're willing to take a dremel to your grille. I went the cheap way and got the $35 mesh grille insert from pep boys and sprayed it with 7 or 8 coats of black and about 10 coats of clear spray instead of getting the powder coated one online. It looks great on the DGM with a silver repainted badge in the middle. It's cool; I'm with the band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalyst Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 So you didn't bondo the gaps in the grille from after you dremel the wings off? Can you see through this mesh material easy enough to see it? Or don't bother? "This is an adventure." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastipotamus Posted February 13, 2010 Author Share Posted February 13, 2010 So you didn't bondo the gaps in the grille from after you dremel the wings off? Can you see through this mesh material easy enough to see it? Or don't bother? No, I didn't. Part of the reason I didn't want the mesh to be all the way at the back of the grill was so I could avoid doing that. In this case, between the tightness of the mesh and the fact that I gave the inside rim of the grill two coats of gloss black paint, it's not really something which you can see. I can take a closer-up, non-cell phone angle shot, if you'd like. Not having to mess with bondo (or, moreso the sanding/finishing of it - what a mess) was something I was really trying to avoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalyst Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 Not having to mess with bondo (or, moreso the sanding/finishing of it - what a mess) was something I was really trying to avoid. Same. If you can, a close up shot would be great. I'm debating ordering the powdercoated version or just the plain silver and painting it myself. How glossy is the powdercoat? "This is an adventure." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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