Painted grill insert

[GaExpedition]

After trying several things to try and bring the grill color back, I gave up and painted it instead. I had originally wanted to take just the insert out, remove the ford emblem, and paint it that way, but it would have just been too time consuming. I ended up just leaving it on the truck, and used newspaper, and masking tape to cover everything REAL good to protect from over spray or drips. I used a good quality gloss black spray paint for plastic and went at it. Took more time to prep everything than it did to do the painting, but it sure turned out nice. Really makes the front end look nice again! Here are some before and after pics.

 

[71Rcode]

That looks great, man. I pulled my grill when I replaced the headlights last year and shot it separate from the truck. Not the most fun project (that is, the headlight changeover). I'd definitely recommend to anyone considering this to spend the time prepping the grill and then taping/masking things off and shooting on the truck like you did. And the advantage of using rattle can paint is the ease of touching it up down the road.

 

[sgtowing]

That's what Ford should have done to begin with.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4

 

[GaExpedition]

That's what Ford should have done to begin with.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4

You said a mouth full there!

 

[M1757]

Thats the exact same way I did the grille on mine truck. It was grey from years in the sun. My truck is black and it came out as dark and shiny as yours did, I think I would have matched the grille color to body color though.

 

[KWT2000]

really makes the front end pop, nice job

 

[00EddieExpy]

That is how I did mine too when I put the Lightning headlights in. I went to a local autobody supplier and had them make a rattlecan of the factory color - I like the monochromatic look. I removed the Ford emblem and taped everything else off good and painted it on the vehicle.

 

[71Rcode]

Nice, looks like you replaced your headlight lenses, too. That was the first thing I did to my truck when I got it last year.

 

[00EddieExpy]

Haha, yes, same here, that was the first thing I did, the grille was all faded gray and the headlights were fogged, tried to clean them up with a kit but decided to replace them with different style.

 

[GaExpedition]

I will probably buy some new headlights for mine in the near future too. I keep cleaning them every couple months with a headlight cleaner kit, but they just keep yellowing back up. Any suggestions on where to get some stock ones at a decent price for my 2000?