I know this has been asked before... can you keep your 95-96 grill when doing a 97 conversion? The answer is yes somewhat if you want a gap between the two. I prefer the 95 Grill style, better than the bar that goes across on the 97-99. I have seen a couple of org memeber with similar setups... but I wanted to ask did you all use modified 97 grills? aftermarket? or what? Is it possible to get a body shop to just bondo the gap and make it look seemless? Reason I'm asking I just got a 97 front bumper off a crashed maxima... and I want to keep the original or similar look of the 95 grill. Any ideas, advice or suggestions would be nice... plus photos..

Raul

 

i have a 97 bumper and 95 grill that gap looks horrible imo i will be getting a 97 grill to match and maybe just maybe do a 97 rear end conversion hmmmm
why would u wanna put bondo there when u cud opt for a 97 grill and modify it if u dont like the bar going across?

 

I prefer the 95-96 grill as well. To me the 97-99 grill looked like one off a Chevy Malibu, but I prefer the 97-99 bumper.
I had my 95-96 grill modified at a shop and painted to fit the bumper. They just extended the posts downward to meet the bumper. You could cut the bar out of the 97-99 grill, you would then need to put some mesh over it to cover up the area that was cut out.
97-99 with bar removed


my 95-96 on a 97-99 bumper

 

Yeah man that would be great.... the photo that you posted above thats using a 97 grill?

 

 

Yes, 97-99 grill with center bar removed with a dremel and wire mesh inserted.

 

Nice Flava 24/7 and maxima985spd, thats the look i'm going for... except for the gap between the bumper and the grill... but I like the way it looks...

Raul

 

pic added to my original post

 

i like how it looks too besides the gap. i might be able to do some fiberglass work this summer.

 

Do you know how they went about extending it? It looks hella tight..

 

Doesn't Stillen or someone make a 95-96 style grill for 97+'s? Or at least used to...

 

Thanks, they used a material like bondo but for plastics.
Here is a better pic, car is extremely dirty though...

 

I like mine but don't like the gap either. I am going to fix it with plastic, fiberglass, wood or something. I made mine out of a 96 grille and kept the original so I can go back and forth if I want.

 

Sarona does, 200 bux and it has no way of attaching to the car like the OEM grill. You have to figure that out on your own.

 

Not realing feeling the " maxima" in the grill.
It defeats the purpose of shaving the trunk, but to each there own.
Id really like to have no emblem inmy grill, but if I did that then there woud be an empty circle where it would go.
May have to just put a black grill insert there.

 

Do you still got that grill Flava? I'd be interested in buying it.... or

 

Sorry, not for sale

 

i like this thread. I was just rethinking options for my grille. My friends dad works with fiberglass on their boats so I might be able to pull something off with that gap of the 95-96. I might look into that this summer. Flava any chance you could find out the actual stuff they used making your gap?

 

I cant promise anything, but if I happen to get a chance to go by there shop I will.
Im sure FG would work fine though.

 

Fiberglass would work, but you need something as a support for it while it cures. I tried this today and I hot glues a block of wood and shaped it to the bottom of the grille to fill the gap. This will give you support and "meat" for the bottom gap. Fiberglass should be used to strengthen the area and hold the block of wood to the plastic grille. Bondo would be the last step to only fill the small gaps because it is very brittle.

 

Yeah my idea was to use some piece of small metal or something as a mold basically. Then fiberglass and bondo the rest of it. I don't know exactly what yet or how to make the correct angle. What do you recommend?

 

what about using the trenz billet grill? i think it looks the best with the 97-99 grill.

 

looks awful IMO

 

I'll find out of the bodyshop I'm taking the car too... can fix the problem... but it does look alot better without the center bar IMO


Raul

 

Hey and on a last note... is the 95-96 center console swappable with 97-99 ???

 

How did you attach the blocks? Just trimmed it to shape them FG around it to make it stick? Then bondo?

 

Flava, what kind of headlights have you installed? They look sick ...

Couldn't figure out the PM funciton for some reason, so please let me know =)

 

BMW X5 projectors with H3 foglights as the highs.

 

First I cut some black and hot glued them to the ends of the grille posts. I used light wood, I don't even know what it was i found it in my basement. I kept them long so I could just cut way at them to fit on top of the bumper.

That's about as far as I got. I didn't feel like working on it anymore because I found a black grille for my 98. But all you would need to do it fiber glass over the blocks to secure them to the grille, then fill small gaps with bondo.

 

Yes, but the arm rest is not interchangeable. You will have to get a 97-99 center console to fit a 97-99 arm rest.

 

Yeah... I've been wondering about the arm rest to...Like ^^^ said, not interchangeable...

 

BMW stock lights, or something equivalent I can get off ebay? Any links for this mod or is this custom by you? I am very interested in this amazing look!

 

they're projector retrofit. Do some research they are all over.

 

yeah I figured the center console lid is different..