New Billet Grille, Need Help with Surround

[03 Explorer Iowa]

Hi Everyone!

So, I installed a new billet grille on my Ex this weekend (just the upper for now), and it looks good except for the bare area surrounding the grille. The billet grille didn't have any surround, and when I took off the factory grille, it left about a 1/2 in area where the "chrome" on the factory grille was located. Anyone have this issue? It doesn't look good, especially since there are a few raised notches where the factory grille sat. I bought some Custom Chrome trim by Cowles in 1/2 in, but I am not sure if I can bend it how I need to in order to make it work.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I have searched all over and have not seen any answers to this problem!

 

[Flingueur]

Pictures??

 

[03 Explorer Iowa]

I am not sure how to post pics on here...

 

[corkey]

host them on a site like imageshack or photobucket and post a link to the album
or if your on facebook link the images,

 

[03 Explorer Iowa]

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...073741827.100000475815545&type=1&l=5bab5be894

My hood is popped in this pic, but you can still see what I mean. It looks ok from far away, but up close or in the sunlight it doesn't look very good with the space around the sides and bottom, or at least I don't think so...

 

[zerodevil]

Ahh, that happens a lot with some of the cheaper billet Grilles. I ended up purchasing a new T-REX brand grille which came a stock looking boarder around it. If your the crafty type you might be abel to cut the stock trim piece off of your original grille and glue it in place.

 

[03 Explorer Iowa]

Yea I was looking at those, but I think I am going to try and make mine work. I think that I may be able to bend the tabs at the top a bit and lower the grille slightly to cover up most of what I don't like. I don't mind the "bumps" on the bottom, but I don't like that space in the middle that looks like a hole, not even sure why they crafted the bumper that way... I am also thinking that it won't bother me so much once I get my lower grille in and the clear corners on there, but for right now it's the only thing to really look at on the front end and it's driving me crazy!