After I finished sanding, priming, painting, sanding, painting, sanding, and polishing the grille I picked up from Matt, I dropped it into one of my G35s.

Before:



During:





Complete:



The 5AT got it first, since I think the black grille looked better on the Serengeti Sand than on the Lakeshore Slate.

 

If anyone plans on doing the same, I would recommend having somebody with a good paint booth do the painting, as it's a bit long and multi-angled enough to make painting it in your home paint booth *cough*outdoor closet*cough* a bit rough.

Swapping grilles takes all of 5min once you know how.

 

i just did my grill maybe a month ago as well and it is def. a nice mod. the only thing is, i used a gloss black with clear coat and it didnt come out glossy at all.. i think i need to redo it and possible spray more of the black base to get that gloss.. what kind did you use?

 

Getting it glossy is all in the sanding.

1. Wetsanded the shiny chrome down to dull with 600 grit.
2. Duplicolor black sandable primer ~4coats
3. Wet-sanded that with 600.
3. Duplicolor flat black, 4 coats.
4. Wet-sand with 600.
5. Wet-sand with 800.
6. Wet-sand with 1500.
7. Wet-sand with 2000.
8. Decide that the flat black isn't "black" enough.
9. Duplicolor universal black (a little glossy), 3 coats.
10. Wet-sand with 600, 800, 1500 & 2000.
11. TurtleWax rubbing compound.
12. TurtleWax polishing compound.
13. Meguiar's paint cleaner.
14. Meguiar's polish.
15. Meguiar's wax.

It actually looked pretty good after step 9, but I did steps 10-15 on the middle two sections of the grille to make the top and bottom slats of the grille and the border a little rougher looking than the middle.

The universal black isn't designated as needing a clear coat, so I didn't.

I may try something different with my 6MT Lakeshore Slate, since I have an extra grille to throw a stock one on if it looks bad.

 

I seen you today down by alamona looks good man!!

 

Thanks.

I start the grille for my other G35 today.

 

YOU NEED TO GET IT GLOSS LIKE MINES

 

^^dayyyyum!!

 

That looks still wet in that 1st pic.

Is the Mount Fuji moulded to the grille in those years, or was that part of the painting that makes it looks stuck together?

 

thats what i was thinking also.. i just assumed it was a thick coat of paint to give it that molded look.