The "SolMan" grill...lol Lot's of pics
06-06-2012, 05:49 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 07-17-2006
Location: Dallas, GA
Posts: 6,050
The "SolMan" grill...lol Lot's of pics
The hunt for the perfect grill is never easy. It's what everyone you meet going down the road see's first. For the HHR, as we all know, the selection is slim at best. I tried one of the open mesh ones several years ago, but the fit was crap and it was just too much... Even my original fogs...lol
So it was boxed back up and returned.
Recently a new one showed up on EBay, I know a few purchased one and stated it fit well. But for me, as is, it was still too much. But I thought why not alter one. So I went to gather what I needed. One "Bently" style grill. A Street Scene chromed billet bowtie, and the kit for making black chrome.
Masking off this grill was definatley time consuming, the top edge has a ridge, but the bottom, I had to mask between the mesh on the bottom and sides. First coat of the black chrome tint.
I wanted it dark, so I decieded on 4 coats of tint. ALthough 3 would have been good also IMO. Then 4 coats of clear.
After a couple of days to cure good, off comes the tape.
Add one bowtie.
Time to install. Everyone that has swapped an HHR grill know you usually have to transfer the retaining screws from the original. They really should predrill these holes. I started slow, back out several times to remove shavings, but low and behold, the last tab broke.
At this stage I've got too much time and paint into this, so I have to try and make it work. Wasn't too hard with a little "engineering"....lol
Initial shots, it was dark out and can't get in front enough for a frontal pic, so one from an angle. With flash, and without. BTW, the lower corner closest to the camera is the tab that broke.
Once the sun comes up, I'll take a daytime shot. I did take one once I got to work with my Droid, but it's taking forever to get to my email from some reason. I'll post more later.
So it was boxed back up and returned.
Recently a new one showed up on EBay, I know a few purchased one and stated it fit well. But for me, as is, it was still too much. But I thought why not alter one. So I went to gather what I needed. One "Bently" style grill. A Street Scene chromed billet bowtie, and the kit for making black chrome.
Masking off this grill was definatley time consuming, the top edge has a ridge, but the bottom, I had to mask between the mesh on the bottom and sides. First coat of the black chrome tint.
I wanted it dark, so I decieded on 4 coats of tint. ALthough 3 would have been good also IMO. Then 4 coats of clear.
After a couple of days to cure good, off comes the tape.
Add one bowtie.
Time to install. Everyone that has swapped an HHR grill know you usually have to transfer the retaining screws from the original. They really should predrill these holes. I started slow, back out several times to remove shavings, but low and behold, the last tab broke.
At this stage I've got too much time and paint into this, so I have to try and make it work. Wasn't too hard with a little "engineering"....lol
Initial shots, it was dark out and can't get in front enough for a frontal pic, so one from an angle. With flash, and without. BTW, the lower corner closest to the camera is the tab that broke.
Once the sun comes up, I'll take a daytime shot. I did take one once I got to work with my Droid, but it's taking forever to get to my email from some reason. I'll post more later.
Last edited by solman98; 06-06-2012 at 07:21 AM.
06-06-2012, 05:57 AM
#2
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 07-17-2006
Location: Dallas, GA
Posts: 6,050
One thing I'll add, even though the grill came with the back trim piece, I reused the original 2 piece setup. I felt the bottom metal bar was much stronger than the very flexable piece the grill came with.
Very nice!
06-06-2012, 08:57 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-06-2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 6,869
This is the first custom grille I've seen that I actually like, good job... although I'm going to stick with the stocker I have. While I understand a lot of people wanting to make their HHR look different from the masses of stock ones out there, and the grille is an easy target for customizing. The front grill was the first thing I noticed when I saw an HHR the first time.... That stock grill was what made me think "I gotta have one of those!"... and I still feel that way.