I never did really like the honeycombe grill on my previous '01 KR or from the new 04 Lariat.
I put a cheap billet grill on the KR and it was really very good.

However I recently bought a Carriage Works grill off Ebay and it was waiting for me when I returned to the States this week.

I eagerly put it on and the actual fit was fine but the finished result very disappointing. You can clearly still see the honeycombe but worse.... the blank oval where the blue Ford Logo had to be removed. (Too thick to leave it the there and I chose the option of not having the Ford oval showing, although I had covered it with one of the more subtle decals )

Anyway the only solution seems to be to put the Ford Badge on the new billet grill, and it's not too bad, though I'm not at all sure about the conflict of the honeycombe with the bars of the new grill.

 

You're right! That first pic looks terrible. The second one is on the way to looking good.

 

I think it looks better with the emb.on it.

Mike

 

The logo mount doesn't show through my Street Scene Speed Grills, so it wasn't an issue as to whether I remounted the Blue Oval or not. However, after viewing the grill install both ways, I went with remounting the BO on the Speed Grills. IMO, I prefer your choice of displaying the BO. Without it, the large grill opening of the '04 looks like the yawning mouth of a cruising whale shark.

 

Some one else just masked off the surround and then painted the honeycomb and logo plate flat black and you don't see it nearly as much as the pictures you show of yours. Maybe just the pictures, but it looked good to me.

 

Lance...you're correct. It's the nickel honeycomb of the Lariat that contributes to the problem. The black grill of the XLT minimizes the issue. Your solution works.

 

That's exactly why I have not gone to a billet grille. I do not like the honeycomb showing through. i may eventually go with a replacement grille, but we'll see. I like the black biller grilles too.

 

Carraige works also makes a full replacement according to their website. The guys on ebay offer you the option of getting this one I believe. I think the solution is full replacement and putting the logo onto it after it's installed. I'm pretty sure that is what I will do and if I ever get off my lazy A, I'll do it and post pics

 

That sure does show through. I agree, paint the honey comb black and it will take away that affect. IF you can come up with a scotchbrite pad or new sponge with the green/blue rough side and rough it up a bit before spraying. That way it won't just peel off and look even worse.

 

Instead of painting the honeycomb black (point of no return), I wonder if some black screen between the two would do the same job? Might keep the radiator from getting dinged up by bugs at the same time. Just my $.02

 

I did think of painting the honeycombe and matt black would certainly help.

Trouble is I'm thinking ahead to resale.....I only got this truck pending the new King Ranch version....except I like this one so much I might keep it longer than I intended !

(Sorry RP !!!!)

 

Carriage Works replacement grill here. I put the emblem back on. I think it kinda' adds something to that huge expanse of billet bars, it looks as if it is floating there.

 

Unless appearances are deceiving, the CW replacement grill has 20 billets and the bolt-over has 19 billets.

 

Who's counting..... The replacement has a little more area to fill