I have a 2005 MCS and I am thinking of replacing the stock grill with the areo (black) grill. The upper grill is easy to replace but the bumper grill is really designed for the areo bumper and need modifications and most of it will be hidden by the license plate. Has anyone done this before (I am sure some have) and do they have pictures to share.

 

I initially only replaced the upper grille and it did not look quite right. What I did was cover the painted part of the lower grille with black electrical tape and then painted the chrome part flat black. I think it looks great, looks like a fabricated plastic grille from 6 inches away, and will allow someone easily to revert back to stock . (removing paint from chrome is pretty easy). Others may suggest ways to fit the JCW lower on a stock bumper but this requires cutting and grinding on the bumper which I find unacceptable. The tape/paint solution is holding up great after 3 years, and can be redone at any time if it needs to be freshened up. I'll have a photo in a bit.

 

Here's a pic from the "Show me your shaved, low, wide, poke, stretch!" thread...


...I think the lower chrome surround should be black to pull it off. Maybe.

 

Here is a shot of my DS MCS before I installed the lower Aero:

 

As promised:

 

I say go for the whole conversion

In my opinon, half the grille looks like just that, a half a** job.

It's really (REALLY) not that big of a deal to pull off the upper lower grill conversion.

There are multple posts (search Aero Grille) on the techniques...
The front bumper cover is NOT at all difficult to remove...
and the look is 95% of the aero kit (@$3000 installed/painted)

I say go for it!

 

^ +1

lhoboy's is a good compromise -- but, overall, I think you're better off doing the whole thing.

 

All or nothing.

Randy
M7 tuning

 

I agree with the "do both" crowd, but I also agree that just doing the upper and then blacking out the lower wouldn't look bad, especially if the license plate is going to be mounted.

The only thing I would suggest on lhoboy's car would be to swap the lower surround for the '05-'06 non-fluted part, and black that out. That way it would match the smooth look of the Aero grill edge.

And just for reference, these grills aren't chrome plated metal; they're vacuum plated plastic. So getting paint off of them is likely to take the plating off, too.

 

i did both. my bottom one i cut a bit too much on the two corners so they kind of stick out..if i was to redo them i think i might. make them look more 'flush' with the rest of the body. but doing both looks HOT!

 

You could do some what of a compromise. Here is a picture of my 06 MCS with an Astro Black upper grill and blacked out lower grill.

 

Fun!! I'll bet that AB looks cool next to the CR when the sun hits it.

 

it bugged me everyday I didnt do the lower grill. Looks way to smily:



much better with both blacked out:

 

I am in the all or nothing camp. Doing the top and not the bottom just looks stupid, like putting a red door on a black car after an accident.

For the record, and as stated before, the bumper cover does NOT need to be removed to swap out the lower grille. I do not even see how doing this makes this job easier. IF you ask me, removing extra parts just make it harder!

TJM

 

Same as Randy...all or nothing.

 

+1

 

Great suggestion. I'll do just that.

 

I dont know...that sounds pretty weird. Mesh on half, bar on the other? From 50 feet away it might look right because its the same color....but close up it would just look unfinished.

It's a new, pretty stylish car stock....it seems like it would be worth it to do a job all the way rather than halfway.

 

I think you should either do both aero kit pieces or use blackout trim tape on the regular slats leaving the upper and lower chrome pieces.

 

SOLD. I dont have it any more so please dont PM me. thanks.

im going back to my previous look of just the aero grill without the
PIAA's. nothing wrong with the current look, but ive had this car
almost 5 yrs now and want to change the appearance a little.

so be on the look out for a aero grill bundle with PIAA 520's in the
market place soon. cause i'll be getting a brand new aero upper
grill in a few days without the cutouts i made for the driving lamps.

 

All or nothing, it just doesn't look right without.

 

I had an early '03 PS/B MC for a few year and was one of the first MC owners to have the aero grill on a stock front bumper-both upper and lower. I would never have considered doing just the upper- looks like a jury rig IMO. A good body shop did the work for me and had to mess w/ the bottom piece quite a bit to get it right. Then the lower silver grill kept bothering me, so I ended up having it powder coated black a few months later. I'd do it all again, as it really sets off the silver and black color combo.