Well...after agonizing over the decision for a few days and getting some great opinions from you guys, I decided to do it. I took the grill guard off this evening. I mean it's for sale anyways ($450 plus shipping if you're interested), so why not, right?

I think it looks good! I'm going to have to paint a couple of places on the grill and the top of the bumper (where it's fiberglass) because the mounting brackets rubbed it a little raw, but other than that, I like it! I think it gives the truck a nice, "clean" look, but it still has a rugged look too.

Another thing. I measured the distance between the ground and the bottom of the from fender well at its highest point before and after removing the grill guard. Believe it or not, taking that beast off raised the front about 3/16"!

Here it is...whatcha think? Did I do the right thing?

Before:



After:



Before:



After:



Now to get me some decent black headlights!

 

looks good. What about some Lightning heads and clear corners instead of black? i think it would compliment your other chrome nicely.

 

i thought it looked good with it...it goes with all your other chrome stuff.

 

i liked it with it on too... looks good though

 

Much better Your truck setup never looked tough or have the hunter look with the rims. Now, It has a clean slick look. Very nice, good choice

 

x2!

looks good

 

Looks good both ways

 

Thanks for the input gang. The more I look at it, the more I'm "on the fence" about the new look. I mean I like it, but it seems naked to me now.

Oh well. Maybe a bull bar or something not as gaudy as the grill guard will dress it up nicely and still give it a "tough" look.

Last night I did some tinkering with MS Paint on the first pic, and although my Paint skills suck, I was able to tell that the truck would look REALLY cool blacked out! But don't egg me on in that direction because I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY!

 

Yours was one of the only ones that i liked w/ the guard. Still a clean lookin truck

 

i like it a lot more..... a HD grille would set that off!!

 

Looks good man, my first thought when I saw your old grill guard was, "I wonder if his rear tires come off the ground when he gets on the brakes."

 

Looks better without.

 

The truck looks kinda naked now. If it was my truck I probably would have left it on.

 

Thanks for all the input fellas. I sure appreciate it. I'm actually looking into an HD grill, but I don't think they make one for 97-98. Oh well...either way is fine with me.

I like it now, but it does seem naked to me. Maybe once the "newness" of the look without it wears off I'll be OK with it.

 

Dewser, i think i like the "new" look you gave your truck too. But now the more i stare at it the more i think the chrome bumper is out of place. Either that or you need a few more chrome peices up front to really set it off.

just my humble .02


nice looking truck.