[Bukowski=Legend]

I've had several folks ask about my grills, so here's the skinny:

They are gutter mesh (gasp ) about $2.50 at home depot.
Top:
take off grill (screws, tabs), seperate chrome housing (screws) cut mesh to fit, use chrome housing as a border, replace.
Bottom:
cut to fit (I made mine turn up a little at ends), rivited top (5-6 rivits in the bumper cover) bottom edge is held in by pressure.

Had them in about 6-8 weeks with no problems. Sure, they don't look fast and furious, but they didn't cost $100 either.

Waste space and blast me if you want, but "I" like them, and "I'm" the most important...

 

[firestorm]

wow... that looks very nice. Not tacky at all. Makes me want to redo mine. My grill is a lil different than yours... that is exactly what I want to do with mine but I can't seperate the crome part from the backing. I just stuck it deep in there behind the backing... looks better than stock but not as good as yours. Thanks for the pix.

 

[legenddriverc]

That looks great man I think that may be my next project when my car gets out the shop
I miss my car

 

[89LCoupe]

Bukowski - your grilles look excellent!
Yep I highly reccomend this upgrade, it doesn't take too long and easily sets your legend apart. I have never seen one in melbourne with meshed grilles, so I feel kinda special (ahhh).
Dismantling the plastic/chrome existing grille is the best way to go, I removed the 24valve badge to simplify the grille area, but the lower air dam is harder, you can search for my prev post if you want to read how I did mine.

If you can spring a few more bucks, try to get some grille material from a bodyshop (offcuts are generally prettty cheap). I found the lower air dam area is large and the thinner aluminium meshs are easy to dint. Once you dint them, it's very hard to get an seamless surface again as they are a twisted expansion mesh and catch the light differently when they are compressed by impacts. (I hit a pidgeon the day I did mine, and then had to panel beat the mesh back - bummer for me, RIP pidgeon).

cheers

richard

 

[legenddriverc]

Hey man haven't seen you on in a while I hope you are still around. I'm going to try this grill thing today. I hope it works.

 

[Johnny Quest]

mesh grill....nice

thats nice man....i may take that up...
was a wondering if it is possible to do that to the 1990 acura legends ls coupe? and if yes, same way or different?
thanks
-John Q.-

 

[Talrude]

Nice work Bukowski=Legend

Nice. I cannot wait to do mine!

 

[firestorm]

Johny... It is possible- i did it on my car. The bottom is exactly the same way. On the top I don't think it is worth doing. I did it anyways but I had to put it behind the whole assemble on the back. There is a lip you can put it in on the bottom and then just attatch the top in. Lemme know if you have any other questions.

 

[OregonLegend90]

90 Coupe Mesh

I did it a little different on mine. I just took the little front thing off (I don't know the name ) and installed a sheet of mesh that I cut to tighly fit in between the two light houseings...I think it looks good and is Original (that I know of)

 

[legenddriverc]

Grill Success

I will take pics soon and post. It was not hard at all and took maybe 10 min I am glad I bought those snips it probably would have been a disaster without those.

Oregon yours is definitely different. How does your mesh stay in place?

 

[OregonLegend90]

Different

When I cut it, i left about 1 1/2 in on each side that I bent into the spce between the back of the headlight and "frame thing"
It didn't take long at all, and the front of the car looks way different now. Plus it is VERY tighly in there. I recently had a new radiator installed, and the guy said that he spent 5 minutes tryinmg to get it out. I had to put it back because the guy didn't want to mess with it again I had a blue Acura "A" emblem in the middle of it, but someone jacked it Anyway I like the clean look anyway...

 

[Johnny Quest]

hey firestorm....

Johny... It is possible- i did it on my car. The bottom is exactly the same way. On the top I don't think it is worth doing. I did it anyways but I had to put it behind the whole assemble on the back. There is a lip you can put it in on the bottom and then just attatch the top in. Lemme know if you have any other questions.

he thanks firestorm
so u've done this b4 eh? if u can, can u leave details (very exact if u can) on how to do this? and u mean only meshing out the bumper portion right or do u also mean the grill portion too?
thanks man
-John Q.-

 

[firestorm]

Top Grille: This is a small portion and doesn't always need to be done. It does take drastic measures to be accomplished. I did it just because I wanted it to match the bottom. First of all I took a hacksaw and removed the blade then slipped it into the groove with the Acura emblem. There is plastic backed up with a piece of sheet metal that needs to come out. Saw it on the top and bottom until it comes out. Then use some sandpaper to smooth the plastic and metal. Be especially careful around the cut sheet metal. Next you have to rig the manual release so that it stays open. I haven't found a good way to do this so I just stuck a 3 inch screw init to hold it open. This is the release in the middle. There are two other releases on the left and right that hold it down... Just don't pop the hood when driving. Next place the mesh up to the back end of the grille. Cut a piece about 1.5 inches wider than the size of the actual holes and about a half inch longer. Next there should be a groove on the bottom half of the grille. Place the bottom of the mesh in this. There should also be four holes on the top part of the grille where you can use wire or twist ties to tie the top part in. This is the simplest way to do it. Then you should be done. Your hood should close and open only by remote release. Note: This was done on a '90 LS coupe and the hoods may be different. Also, if you don't want to cut the sheet metal behind the acura emblem then you can unscrew the entire grille assembly (12 screws) and cut out just the plastic. You must then cut the mesh smaller to fit perfectly and fit it on the top of the sheet metal.


Bottom Grille: This can be done three ways. You can cut out the plastic mesh or put it behind. I didn't want to risk cutting out the plastic so I put it behind. I then redid it and put it on the outside over the plastic. This gives the most coverage.

Behind Plastic Mesh
You can either take off the whole bumper... or do what I did and slip it in. To slip it in you need to cut the mesh piece about 1 inch bigger than the whole area in a rectangle. On one piece of the plastic should be a screw with the ambient temperature sensor on it. This needs to be removed, relocated, and the plastic screw holder needs to be cut away. It needs to be relocated to a place where it can have free, fresh air flow into it. I hung mine over one of the radiator pipes. Then slip the mesh down in front of the radiator and then curvie it up and around some pipe and then down so it makes an 'S' curve going in. Also, put one end in so it fits easier. Use pliers to help pull it down but only do it on the edge so you won't damage the grille. Pull it down and to one side so that about 6 inches are hidden b the plastic side. The slip the other end down and center the piece with the pliers. The radiator pipe should be keeping the mesh tight with a slight bend. Attach as you see fit. I left mine loose because it was so tight. Note: This method is really tight and requires a lot of pulling and small hands. Also with a stiffer mesh it may not be possible without taking off the bumper.

Cutting out the Plastic (Better, more modded look)
Take tinsnips and cut the grille out along the outside. Remove this piece and relocate the ambient temperature sensor so it can breathe fresh air. Cut the mesh to form fit the grille but with about 1 extra inch on the top. Place the mesh flush with the top part and screw the extra inch into the plastic bumper. Then bend the bottom part down and try to fit it so it will hold itself into the bottom. With luck the bottom part will be tight and will hold itself... If it doesn't try screwing it in somehow or redoing the top. You should be done now... Enjoy.


On top of the Plastic
Cut out a piece the same size as the plastic area that is black instead of the two-tone color except a lil bit taller on the top. Paint as desired or leave blank. Screw in the top then bend it over and push so held tight by the bottom. The tension should hold it in place if done precisely. Also, I would recomend that you trim the top and leave the bottom part without the sharp edges.(just trim the ends so it is curved and fits). This way you don't kill your hands and your paint finish when pushing it into the bottom.


-Good luck and let us know how it goes. PS- does anybody know of a paint that won't chip easily with rocks? Thanks.

 

[C25A1guy]

Hey, what happend to Buk??? Never see him post no more. Cool guy. Buk, COME BACK!!!