`96 - billet grill with minimal bars?

[Blind]

Just went through 25 pages of threads here about billet grills, and couldn't find one that I wanted.

basically I see 3 types, the EE that bolts on but is an overlay, the ebay kind that zip-ties on, and the ebay kind that requires cutting of existing grill and bolting in.

I like the 3rd option, and have a few on my watch list on ebay that come out to around $50 shipped.

but all of them have a ton of bars...are there any made that have a very low amount of thicker bars?

Ideally roughly half as many bars as this ebay grill:

I also can't find that bumper insert anywhere but @ the mrgrille.com website and they want way too much money for it, I refuse to pay twice as much for the bumper grill as the headlight panel grill, lol!

 

[Blind]

ttt

 

[jimcom]

Check out carraige works grilles, you have to do a lot of chopping but oh well. I have yet to install mine, it's been too cold to mess with. I got a black one off of truckperformance, it was on sale for like 97 bucks shipped. I haven't come across anyone that makes a bumper billet that I've liked, so I'm just going to put lights in there instead.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

Just went through 25 pages of threads here about billet grills, and couldn't find one that I wanted.

basically I see 3 types, the EE that bolts on but is an overlay, the ebay kind that zip-ties on, and the ebay kind that requires cutting of existing grill and bolting in.

I like the 3rd option, and have a few on my watch list on ebay that come out to around $50 shipped.

but all of them have a ton of bars...are there any made that have a very low amount of thicker bars?

...

I also can't find that bumper insert anywhere but @ the mrgrille.com website and they want way too much money for it, I refuse to pay twice as much for the bumper grill as the headlight panel grill, lol!

After TONS of research, I settled for the 10-bar eBay "cutout" grille, where you have to mod your factory grille. I bought it thinking that i could mod the billet grille and make it an overlay ( i don't like the 25 bar look - IMO - looks like a sheet of metal over your grille), but it's way too thick to mod-to-fit. I have yet to install it.

I got it on eBay for $39 shipped ($25 + 14 s&h) from seller:

autoaccessory4u.

It's identical to all the others selling for $30 + 20-25 s&H. I cannot vouch for it's quality or whether it holds up like the $100-$200 billets from high-end online stores, but i figure it'll last me longer than i have the X.

I bought one of the other grilles (25-bar) from another member here that must have used a bandsaw to cut it to fit the bumper. Again, haven't installed it but i've temporarily put it in and it looks good. You don't really notice the difference in bar-count when looking at the two of them.

After the fact, just because i am picky, i probably would have bought 2 of the 10-bar grilles and modded one myself to fit the bumper

 

[95Xsport]

I bought a 10-bar Ebay one for $40 last January and I bolted it on without cutting the stock grill. Im sure it could look better if I had cut it since it sticks out slightly but its nothing easily noticed.

 

[Lee S.]

Anyone have this grille? It's stainless and I believe it only fits 98+ explorers.

[/IMG]

Here's the site:

http://www.j-jent.com/suv_grilles_page

Lee

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

Here's a link to my grille - like the listing states, it is NOT the one with 25 bars (pictured):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&tc=photo&item=7941647745&category=33645

 

[jimcom]

Lee, I don't think that grill will fit our 2nd gens, it says 02-C, which I take to mean as current.
There are oodles of options for guys with 02+ X's, but we kinda got the short end of the stick in the mod department.

 

[Lee S.]

Lee, I don't think that grill will fit our 2nd gens, it says 02-C, which I take to mean as current.
There are oodles of options for guys with 02+ X's, but we kinda got the short end of the stick in the mod department.

Jim:

I know the pic is an 02 and that's the way it's listed on their web site. I did call them and they said they have grille for a 98+.

Lee

 

[jimcom]

LOL, Oh well than that explains it!
I wonder why they don't advertise the 98+ one as well?

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

not to mention - the 98 is the same grille as the 95-97, so they might as well say 95-01 like all the others

 

[Blind]

I bought a 10-bar Ebay one for $40 last January and I bolted it on without cutting the stock grill. Im sure it could look better if I had cut it since it sticks out slightly but its nothing easily noticed.

thats awesome

I got that picture from your cardomain site, I hope it works, your link was edited out because that site is blocked on this message board for some reason :thumbdwn:

I think I'll be getting one of those 10 bar grills!

 

[Blind]

Here's a link to my grille - like the listing states, it is NOT the one with 25 bars (pictured):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&tc=photo&item=7941647745&category=33645

thanks I just bought that from them

 

[95Xsport]

Glad you liked it Let me know when you get yours installed

 

[Lee S.]

I'm liking that grill too....

95Xsport how does it bolt in...any brackets or what?

Lee

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

Here's a pic of mine installed -

I may get another 10-bar for the bumper - i've got the modded 25-bar grille in the bumper opening right now but it doesn't show well - plus i've got a ****ty camera, so that doesn't help...

Another one:

On a side note - i cannot seem to rid the right diamondclear of the condensation...

 

[Jonsen Sation]

Is it possible to put one of those grills onto a 1998 mercury mountaineer? Seems like there would be alot more cutting involved with a merc.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

i haven't seen it on a merc, but i'm guessing that you're correct in assuming that there would be more cutting. On Fords, the cut areas are well recessed, whereas on the mercs, they've got the OEM vertical style bars that come right out to the front of the grille (right?). IF you want it that bad, and don't want to mess with the cutting and sanding (& possibly painting) on a merc grille, find an aftermarket explorer grille online (95-01 should work for you) and cut away at that. You should be able to find just the center grille (w/o extensions) for around $45 (plus s&h) and another $40 (shipped) for the billet (ebay)

 

[95Xsport]

I'm liking that grill too....

95Xsport how does it bolt in...any brackets or what?

Lee

Heres what it looks like. You can see there are 4 brackets that you drill it to the stock grill shell

Is it possible to put one of those grills onto a 1998 mercury mountaineer? Seems like there would be alot more cutting involved with a merc.

Actually your grill is much different than 95-01 grills since the 98+ mountineer headlights are different than 95-01 X's and 95-97 mountineers. If you would change to a 95-01 grill in order to fit a billet grill, you would also have to change your headlight/corner lenses, and a few other modifications. Im not sure if it would be worth it

 

[Super Serg]

Are there any grilles that sit BEHIND the stock grille? (behind the blue oval, replacing the black plastic mesh). I like the grille look... but not as prominent as these shown here.
Thanks,

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