Mine broke, waiting to hear if the dealer will do anything as I noticed it after they did some work however no way to be sure it was their fault. I saw on ebay they are selling new, aftermarket grilles in SVT style for $29 but no idea if they are any good or if they are junk. Any opinions appreciated, thanks
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anyone ever install an aftermarket SVT grille?
- Thread starter Bozack
- Start date
TUFTOUR
Hard-core CEG'er
Not sure on the ebay ones, but most people (including myself) are very happy with the mesh from Stazi...
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stazi? no idea who this is? if he/she still has some available I would be interested if the dealership doesn't agree to fix it.
dpa43
CEG'er
You would still need to replace the grill first if the mounting tabs for the old one are broke. The Stazi mesh only replaces the old plastic mesh with new metal mesh. If you can't find a grill in the classifieds then check the local boneyard. Or try www.car-part.com
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did the mesh style grille only come on the SVT? if so wouldn't that make finding one at a junkyard near impossible? the factory replacement price is around $300 which is a serious ouch...I guess I can try and look around for a used one and if that falls through just get an aftermarket as for $40 it isn't that bad of a gamble?
dpa43
CEG'er
The SVT upper grill is different than a SE/LX style grill. Finding one at a bone yard might be kinda hard. You could also just buy a SE/LX style grill then just take out the black plastic and replace it with smoe sort of metal mesh.
SE Grill
Stock SVT Grill
Stazi or Elky Mesh (not Sure)
Regular Mesh
Here is also a link to a SVT grill on E-Bay. The item description says that it is an aftermarket grill so not sure on the fitment of it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-0...008QQitemZ180136129646QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
SE Grill
Stock SVT Grill
Stazi or Elky Mesh (not Sure)
Regular Mesh
Here is also a link to a SVT grill on E-Bay. The item description says that it is an aftermarket grill so not sure on the fitment of it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-0...008QQitemZ180136129646QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
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Thanks, yeah the one on ebay is like the one I am looking at....here is the auction I have on watch...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GRIL...014QQitemZ330143329940QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
I will see today if the dealer will pay for it, as this happened right after they did some work under the hood, but even I admit it would be hard to prove their fault....so if they say no I will try this aftermarket first I guess, for $30 it is cheaper than the ones in the junkyards I found with that site you linked me (thanks by the way) and if it fits I guess worth a shot.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GRIL...014QQitemZ330143329940QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
I will see today if the dealer will pay for it, as this happened right after they did some work under the hood, but even I admit it would be hard to prove their fault....so if they say no I will try this aftermarket first I guess, for $30 it is cheaper than the ones in the junkyards I found with that site you linked me (thanks by the way) and if it fits I guess worth a shot.
Sprebound
Veteran CEG'er
I bought a replacement one off of ebay and you get what you pay for. It fits alright but the rubber insulation at the top is pretty cheaply done. I had to heat up a knife and melt the tabs down so that when the rubber got bent back by the hood, it wouldn't pop off. I still have to tuck the rubber under the hood when I close it...so, I don't know if you are looking at the same brand of one that I got; I couldn't tell you if you were anyways. But you get what you pay for. Just be prepared.
I have no idea, from everything I have seen it looks like there is only one and just different people sell it, I am waiting for the dealership to call back and see if they will cover it as I have no idea how it broke, if it was an age thing or their doing when they replaced the ac compressor.
rollinstylee
Hard-core CEG'er
Right before I bought my SVT, the previous owner bought one of the ebay factory-looking grilles to replace the aftermarket grille on the car that had broken mounting tabs. He gave it to me and I installed it, and my experience was exactly the same as Sprebound's. The rubber strip on top isn't secured in, just held in place by little plastic fingers that it pulls out of easily. Also, mine didn't sit straight in line with the headlights. The passenger side stuck out ahead of the light and in addition to looking funny, it made the hood close behind the rubber strip instead of on top of it. Also remember that the ebay ones don't come with a badge, although they have a flat area with holes to put one on.
However, all these fitment issues are VERY easy to fix. I glued the rubber strip in place so it won't slip out. The crooked fit was a simple fix of cutting a very small notch in the passenger side mounting tab so that that side could slide farther back. This fixed the rubber strip in front of hood issue as well. Finally, I picked up a ford badge from ebay and epoxied it on. With a tiny bit of work it looks perfect.
However, all these fitment issues are VERY easy to fix. I glued the rubber strip in place so it won't slip out. The crooked fit was a simple fix of cutting a very small notch in the passenger side mounting tab so that that side could slide farther back. This fixed the rubber strip in front of hood issue as well. Finally, I picked up a ford badge from ebay and epoxied it on. With a tiny bit of work it looks perfect.
281Thunder
Veteran CEG'er
In addition to the Stazi mesh there's also the Elky...
(yes I know I need to do the lower yet)
(yes I know I need to do the lower yet)
What did you use for glue? and is this part breaking pretty much par for the course with these cars? mine has only about 70K on it and the thing just fell apart at these two posts, I am still waiting to hear back from the dealer on if they will cover it but don't know if it was their fault or just something that is bound to happen given the design.
rollinstylee
Hard-core CEG'er
The mounting tabs cracking or breaking off altogether is pretty common from my experience and what I've read on these forums. I used a 2-part epoxy to secure the badge on the grille and I can't remember exactly what I used for the rubber strip, it was some super glue type gel, just something I had laying around at the time since it wasn't very critical.
Sprebound
Veteran CEG'er
You sure can sir. If you are going to be adding a different mesh to the grill anyways, this could be hella cheap if you can find a decent condition one in a junkyard. The regular grills, I imagine at least, would be much easier to find than an SVT one. The only difference between the two is the actual grill part, everything else (mounting and such) is exactly the same. Happy hunting mang.
Sprebound
Veteran CEG'er
You know...we probably bought the exact same brand of grill. I didn't even notice that it wasn't sitting flush so THANX for pointing that out. I will fix that promptly. The way I fixed the rubber strip coming out was to heat a butter knife with a lighter and basically melt the tips of those fingers down making it so that the rubber strip wouldn't be able to slide off of them. Glue works great too I imagine and I never even thought of doing it that way.
SVTJON87
Hard-core CEG'er
when i did my mesh grille i got a SE grille off ebay. cut it apart and did my mesh and put it back together. when installing it i just trimmed some plastic off the mounting tabs to make it fit how i wanted. very easy to do.
Adrian Thompson
New CEG'er
How does the color match?
How does the color match?
How do the color of these e-bay specials compare to the stock parts? I have an SVT that the previous owner put mesh into. I hate the look of the mesh and want to replace it with the stock parts while I'm doing some other work around the front. I have the stock front and rear lower grills, but he cut the center out of the upper grill to put the mesh in. In the ad's on e-bay the color of the grill looks darker than the stock parts, is it my imagination?
Thanks
Adrian
How does the color match?
How do the color of these e-bay specials compare to the stock parts? I have an SVT that the previous owner put mesh into. I hate the look of the mesh and want to replace it with the stock parts while I'm doing some other work around the front. I have the stock front and rear lower grills, but he cut the center out of the upper grill to put the mesh in. In the ad's on e-bay the color of the grill looks darker than the stock parts, is it my imagination?
Thanks
Adrian
Sprebound
Veteran CEG'er
Umm...the colors are good I guess. The black plastic is black plastic colored and the chrome ring is chrome colored...haha. I would say it matched up pretty good, but I painted all of my stock mesh silver, so I can't go out and verify that for ya.
I think I am just going to pony up for the factory grille, expensive but I would rather not mess around considering I just sunk a grand into the thing for the other work
oh well.