Custom lower grills?

[boostngst]

I was wondering what has everybody done to their lower grill in the front bumper to customize it?

Have you replaced the stock plastic with a metal mesh?
Have you removed it?

Post up pics of what it looks like now.

Pro5x2 I hope you don't mind, but this is a pic from one of his p5's.

Pro5x2 if you want me to remove this pic just let me know and it will be (drinks)

 

[Flash5]

most people who do replace it use mesh, its hit of miss in my opinion, ive thought about going mesh and painting it black to match my dg upper grille though.

 

[CTt3P5]

Bazooka Joe used Wings West metal mesh after he powdercoated it black. Go to their website and search for distributors/vendors. I was able to source some from a local shop for him as no distributors in his area would offer it.

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

I sort of like those billet grilles that come up on Ebay from time to time. I have thought about buying one and painting it gunmetal, but it's on the back burner. Power before beauty!

 

[racerx43269]

i cut all that mesh s*** out adn stuffed an intercooler into it... then decided it was dumb to cut it all out... back at square one...

 

[mx-p5]

No worries bud!

I'm curious to see what others do as well

 

[Drizz-OH!]

I own a 6 but I replaced my lower plastic grilles with black pc'd metal mesh from customcargrilles.com. You order a flat sheet of it (size is up to you), then trim it and attach it to your car. Pretty simple and the end result is awesome.

http://www.customcargrills.com/products.asp?id=1

Here's a pic of my 6.

 

[boostngst]

No worries bud!

I'm curious to see what others do as well

Thanks man, I just didn't want to step on any toes(friday)

I own a 6 but I replaced my lower plastic grilles with black pc'd metal mesh from customcargrilles.com. You order a flat sheet of it (size is up to you), then trim it and attach it to your car. Pretty simple and the end result is awesome.

http://www.customcargrills.com/products.asp?id=1

Here's a pic of my 6.

That looks nice.

I've been thinking of that because I already have some like that in my upper grill.

 

[JDMJNKY]

^^ yea that does look good might have to get some later on for my fmic hide it alil lol.

 

[Drizz-OH!]

I can post more pics if you guys want.

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

I can post more pics if you guys want.

Please do...so you bought the sheet, measured and cut it, then how did you attach it to your car? I'm interested in doing this...

 

[drgnzadiel101]

I can post more pics if you guys want.

which pattern did you get?

 

[Drizz-OH!]

Well, I'm not exactly how the grilles are attached to the Protege, but on the 6 there are little plastic tabs that the OEM grilles clip onto to keep them in place. I just put the OEM grille on top of my sheet and cut the mesh where the tabs are (it's okay if the mesh is bigger than the bumper cutout since it gets placed behind it anyway). Then after I slid it over the bumper tabs I drilled in screws thru the tabs (behind the mesh) so the grille won't accidentally come out. It's a little more difficult than it sounds (you need a nice set of tin snips to cut), but you guys shouldn't have too much trouble. Also, since my car is pebble ash in the grilles are black, you could see the tabs thru the mesh...it was not a good look, so i used a paint pen and painted the tabs black. Looks much cleaner.

I went with the black powder coated small diamond mesh in the 12x48 size.

Here's 1 more pic of the mesh:

My CAI drops the filter right behind the driver side mesh so I get a nice RAM-air effect (not reallllly but kinda). The car definitely feels peppier.