Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Aesthetics How in the world do I take off the bottom front grill on my 98 SVT

I cannot get the bottom front grill off my svt for nothing. There are these i guess it's plates on each end of the grill and they are hell to get off. And does someone know if those little clips on the grill will still hold the grill tight after removing them b/c it digs in the fiberglass pretty deep. I am painting the grills chrome, I have already done the top grill and it looks bad a$$. I just hope it doesn't start to peel off in a few months. Any help would be appreciated.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by S.V.T. Contour Lover:
I cannot get the bottom front grill off my svt for nothing. There are these i guess it's plates on each end of the grill and they are hell to get off. And does someone know if those little clips on the grill will still hold the grill tight after removing them b/c it digs in the fiberglass pretty deep. I am painting the grills chrome, I have already done the top grill and it looks bad a$$. I just hope it doesn't start to peel off in a few months. Any help would be appreciated.[/QUOTE

I have all 3 grills painted chrome. It looks great. To remove the bottom grill. You need to get a Torx bit and remove all the little screws on the black splash gaurd. Take then all out and then take off the plastic splash gaurd. The look at the grill and pop off all 12 little tabs and then pull and twist it out slow.
joe

what about those little panels on the sides. I have unscrewed all the screws but there is one on each side where I can't reach and it seems that I can't get it out without unscrewing thoses little panels. I will go and try to wiggle it out w/o unscrewing those last two screws on each side. Thanks dude!

You need to "encourage" it out of its location. Those boxes in the end make it harder but all you need to do is watch out where the hoses are on the passenger side, you may want to gently move them higher and around the backside of the black boxes on the end and gently force it from its location.

the clips are reusable as long as you did not break them taking them off! Clean and Prime the surface first with non-metallic or plastic primer or else the paint might/will chip/flake off eventually.

Hope this helps...took me a while to figure it out too...just keep at it and it will come.

Well I got it off I just hope I can get it back on w/o scratching it. By the way I used rust-o-leum autoprimer and rust-o-leum bright metallic (Chrome). Do u think it will still peel off with the autoprimer.I wish i had know before I would have bought it the first time. I have a couple more coats to put on the front and back grills and the whole process on the bottom front grill b/c it was almost dark and these damn LA mosquitos. Thanks for the help everyone.

Oh yeah and for the help u all get another five star.