I decided to fool with my grille today. I bought a lower piece of an FX2 grille from fomoco446 with the intention of making my own FX2 grille for my 05 F150 supercrew.

I already had the Roush bumper grille piece in there but was never happy with it. I liked the idea of having the FX2 grille piece closer to the face of the bumper, not behind it like most grilles are.



I removed all support material and the Roush piece. Did it without removing the bumper, with a little persuasion, and I held my tongue just right.





I took the FX2 grille piece and started cutting it around the edge with a hacksaw blade, since I could control it better that way. After that I touched it up with a rotary file and a flat file.

Then I held the grille up to the bumper opening and made my marks, then cut the ends off with the hacksaw, touching up again with the rotary file and flat file.

I filed and sanded the edges flush to make a good fit.





It had a series of tabs to trim so I touched up with the rotary file and flat file. I then cleaned and taped off the area, and hit the top with Krylon Fusion black.



Then I tinkered with the license plate bracket and the grille piece with intentions of seeing how I'd have to make some mounting brackets.





I did a bit of trimming to the back of the license plate bracket with angle cutters to accommodate the FX2 grille piece a little better.



I wiggled the assembly around and snapped the license plate bracket into the bumper. To my surprise the license plate bracket held the FX2 grille in there snugly, since I had cut it to fit into the bumper opening.





It's in there, and needs a bit of fine tuning to make it just right, but I'll live with it how it is for now. I may mess around with it again tomorrow morning or Labor day morning, when it's cooler out.

My upper bumper cover looks deformed, the result of an accident (I have a new one to put on soon), which makes the FX2 lower look like it's going uphill in the middle as well. I may make some brackets for the ends eventually, and I'll edit the thread if and when I make them.

All in all, I'm happy. This took about an hour or so to do, but I think it's worth it.

*****See post #31 for my bracket re-mount.*****

 

Looks great!

 

I like how it turned out, I hate having to run a front plate. Especially after living in PA where it wasn't required

Did ya ever get the smoked third brake light on?

 

I like it, it looks like ford put it there.


Now go wash that filthy truck.

 

I already had a smoked led 3rd on, bought another because this one was leaking. I just pulled the old one and siliconed it back on so it won't leak. Now I have a recon smoked in the garage as a spare.

I really need to wash my truck too, but it keeps on raining here. :o

 

Looks good, really glad my state has no front plate though

 

Looks good man!

 

Looks good, and it really hasn't rained that much. No excuses.

 

Looks good but I would loose that plate and roll the dice.

 

Plate's staying. I'm too old to play that game any more.

 

You'd be fine. Nonchalantly flash your work I.D. and then tell them your waiting on your new bracket. Who know's, you may never get pulled over.

 

I'm in Texas and haven't run front plates on any of my vehicles in years. No problems so far...even from the state inspection sticker folks. Take it off and make a birdhouse out of it.

 

I've been pulled over in my home city before for not having a front plate.

 

That looks really good Stealth!

 

Thanks Blue!!! And Thanks Blue!!!