Painted Grille Black
Painted Grille Black
I guess it's been done before, but I painted the grille black on my 04 Limited today. I think it turned out okay. I may go back later and add chrome strips where the original silver strips were on the front of the grill. I don't know. I kind of like it all black. I definitely didn't like the stock look.
Re: Painted Grille Black
When I first got the Xfire, I didn't like the silver trim around the window either, but it has grown on me and now I think it looks cool. I noticed the other day that the new Pontiac Solstice has the same window trim treatment and I think that's one of the nicest looking cars out of Detroit in a while. It's all a matter of taste and whatever you think looks best, looks best. It's very much like politics.
Re: Painted Grille Black
I really like the look. Nothing like a simple tasteful modification. I can't tell, did you remove the metal trim strips first?
What paint did you use, and did you use primer first?
Did you remove the grill or paint it on the car?
Any other info would be appreciated.
I wonder what it would look like with a matte finish. Too bad there isn't an after market black grill or other colors to match the car.
What paint did you use, and did you use primer first?
Did you remove the grill or paint it on the car?
Any other info would be appreciated.
I wonder what it would look like with a matte finish. Too bad there isn't an after market black grill or other colors to match the car.
Last edited by chuck65; 04-13-2008 at 05:44 AM.
Re: Painted Grille Black
I took the grille out of the car. Just four screws at the top and then reach in and depress the six clips that hold it in at the bottom. Then I washed and dried it. I did not remove the silver colored strips. I painted over them. I used Valspar (Lowes) plastic (for lawn furniture etc.) spray paint. It said on the can that no priming was necessary and it guarantees against flaking and chipping. (We'll see if that is indeed the case.) I put on three thin coats about 10 minutes apart. Waited about 30 minutes and mounted it back on the car. If I do add the strips back to the front, I'm going to use chrome trim, so that it will match the chrome emblem on the hood. There is a thread somewhere from someone who did that. I gotta say though, for my taste, the all black looks good.
I'm thinking about tinting the headlights. I think it might look good with the grille. I tried once about two months ago, got pissed off and screwed up the film and ended up throwing it in the trash. It seems that I sometimes have the attention span of a gnat.
I'm thinking about tinting the headlights. I think it might look good with the grille. I tried once about two months ago, got pissed off and screwed up the film and ended up throwing it in the trash. It seems that I sometimes have the attention span of a gnat.
Re: Painted Grille Black
For those interested in this topic also view this thread
Last edited by Valk; 05-28-2008 at 04:18 PM.
Re: Painted Grille Black
No, the paint on the grille does not match perfectly, but since the grille is a different part of car, it still seems to work. Yeah, be careful with the window trim. I had to replace my windshield shortly after I bought the car in December and on the driver's side the trim is beginning to buckle in the middle of the A pillar a tad. I think it was the first Crossfire windshield the guy had ever replaced, go figure.
Re: Painted Grille Black
Originally Posted by mrphotoman
Does anyone know if the chrome window trim completely covers the stock window trim?
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Re: Painted Grille Black
Originally Posted by mrphotoman
looks good, i think i am going to paint my grille and hideous silver window trim black too.
is that the stock grill painted black with the plastic pieces go top to bottom trimmed off??
because i was thinking off doing that myself and then i stumbled across your pic...
Re: Painted Grille Black
Nothing trimmed off. Just removed the grille and sprayed it flat black and screwed back on. Took 15 min.
Originally Posted by xxx_fire
is that the stock grill painted black with the plastic pieces go top to bottom trimmed off??
because i was thinking off doing that myself and then i stumbled across your pic...
because i was thinking off doing that myself and then i stumbled across your pic...