Auto Detailing and Appearance Share tips and tricks on how to make your Third Gen shine! Get opinions on products or how something tasteful looks on your Chevrolet Camaro or Pontiac Firebird.

83 Firebird new grilles

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-19-2009, 06:05 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
punkdude908's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Huntington, NY
Posts: 394
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Car: 1983 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: LG4 305ci 4bbl
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 10-bolt open diff.
83 Firebird new grilles

i got big sheet of universal black aluminum mesh off ebay for $23 free shipping. i made a template and cut the mesh to fit and attached them with black zip ties. they're not perfect, but it looks a lot better...good enough for me!
Attached Thumbnails 83 Firebird new grilles-img_1020.jpg   83 Firebird new grilles-img_1021.jpg   83 Firebird new grilles-img_1022.jpg  
Old 05-19-2009, 06:07 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
punkdude908's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Huntington, NY
Posts: 394
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Car: 1983 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: LG4 305ci 4bbl
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 10-bolt open diff.
Re: 83 Firebird new grilles

more pics...
Attached Thumbnails 83 Firebird new grilles-img_1023.jpg   83 Firebird new grilles-img_1024.jpg  
Old 05-19-2009, 08:26 PM
  #3  
Supreme Member
 
FYRCHKN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bastrop, TX
Posts: 1,002
Likes: 0
Received 12 Likes on 11 Posts
Car: 1988 SC Convertible
Engine: LT-1
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23 posi w/PBR's
Re: 83 Firebird new grilles

Not too shabby.

It looks 1000X better than 90% of the other home made grilles I've seen on here.
Old 05-20-2009, 03:15 PM
  #4  
Former Sponsor
 
1Aauto's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Westford, MA
Posts: 3,726
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 3 Posts
Re: 83 Firebird new grilles

Looks good.nice job.
Old 05-21-2009, 11:48 AM
  #5  
Supreme Member

 
Aviator857's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: North East GA
Posts: 2,220
Likes: 0
Received 44 Likes on 40 Posts
Car: 1989 Firebird
Engine: 5.7 LS1
Transmission: T56
Re: 83 Firebird new grilles

Interesting, I would of gone with a square fog light since nothing else is round on the car. Too bad you can't hide that tag behind the wire mesh :-) Black was a good choice.
Old 05-21-2009, 01:04 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
punkdude908's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Huntington, NY
Posts: 394
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Car: 1983 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: LG4 305ci 4bbl
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 10-bolt open diff.
Re: 83 Firebird new grilles

thanks for all the positive feedback!

i went with the round lights because they are very low profile and have a good beam pattern. all the square lights wouldn't fit behind the grille like that. i went with the black mesh for 2 reasons: 1st it gives a look closer to stock, as the stock grilles were black, and 2nd if i went with bare aluminum or chrome, it'd look like R I C E....screw that!

i'm thinking about getting one of these, motorized of course: http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette-1-0-7789.html
Old 05-21-2009, 02:05 PM
  #7  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (2)
 
JeremyNYR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 2,361
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
Car: 1984 Trans Am
Engine: LT1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt w/ 4.10 gears
Re: 83 Firebird new grilles

I think it could be a good start. It would look more finished if you had a metal trim that was solid and about 1/4" wide to cover the entire perimeter of the bumper opening and bolted into place instead of zip ties. Also, painting the impact bar flat black so you don't see it through the screen so easily would be nice. I don't really care for the fog lights personally.
Old 05-21-2009, 02:40 PM
  #8  
Senior Member

iTrader: (15)
 
88TransAmFreak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NE Arkansas
Posts: 880
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1971 Camaro
Re: 83 Firebird new grilles

Hmmm...you can get some black door edge molding to clean up the perimeter of the grill, spray the area behind the grill black, then ditch the round fog lights and put a slim line square set in there. That will finish up your install and make it cleaner.

But if I can be brutally honest..

I appreciate the effort, A+ for that. But if you sold the car and someone else bought it....it "could" end up in the ghetto thread. it's about 50% finished right now.
Old 05-21-2009, 03:46 PM
  #9  
Supreme Member

 
Aviator857's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: North East GA
Posts: 2,220
Likes: 0
Received 44 Likes on 40 Posts
Car: 1989 Firebird
Engine: 5.7 LS1
Transmission: T56
Re: 83 Firebird new grilles

I agree that it needs some edge trim added, I didn't knotice the wire ties.
Old 05-22-2009, 12:39 AM
  #10  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
punkdude908's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Huntington, NY
Posts: 394
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Car: 1983 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: LG4 305ci 4bbl
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 10-bolt open diff.
Re: 83 Firebird new grilles

i may wind up getting some trim for the edges and painting the area behind the foglights and the zip ties were just for time's sake...didn't feel like tracking down black oxide bolts. my main goal was to make it look better from a distance, which it does, compared to what it was.
Old 05-22-2009, 03:18 AM
  #11  
Member
 
BtownZ28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Barberton OH
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1984 Z28
Engine: 305 LG4
Re: 83 Firebird new grilles

I agree with everyone else, trim it out and it will look more professional. Also- the barbed wire license plate frame isn't gettin you any style points. From a distance the grills don't look half bad.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
silverstang84
Exterior Parts Wanted
4
09-21-2015 08:05 AM
IROCZDAVE (88-L98)
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
0
09-02-2015 08:43 AM
tealman92
Exterior Parts for Sale
0
08-27-2015 11:21 AM
Greg '85 T/A
History / Originality
1
08-14-2015 01:40 PM
mustangman65_79
Body
14
08-12-2015 06:39 AM



Quick Reply: 83 Firebird new grilles



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:15 PM.