[nj1001]

So I think I got all of the materials I'll need. (I'm trying to post all links to where I got everything so if you click anything clickable it'll bring you right to where I got it all from. )
Got a 3'x3' sheet of cloverleaf perforated aluminum from Home Depot, mini neoprene rubber trim from customcargrills which I may use for the lower grille portion & some automotive goop which they recommend for adhering the grille to the OEM old grille frame. I also got some flat black spray paint. Other things needed will be cable ties, tin snips, a dremel tool with a e-z lock wheel cutter bit to cut out the OEM grill from it's frame and a white marker

& the pics:

I will post pics of the process as I do it which will hopefully be within the upcoming week despite freezing weather here in New England.

 

[nj1001]

Also, after watching a bunch of videos on YouTube about the process, mostly from "customcargrills" I feel pretty confident in being able to do this. When I tried pricing cheaper material I came across the cloverleaf sheet metal. I have never seen it on any car even if I tried running a google image search with the terms car grille & cloverleaf. So, it might just be a one of a kind!

 

[nj1001]

One more thing, I got the OEM grille used off eBay for $30 + $20 shipping. Make sure you know whether your model CR-V was made in Japan or the UK/Great Britain. Mine was UK built so I made sure the grille was too.

 

[nj1001]

So today I tackled removing the inner portion of the grille using a dremel e-z lock bit.

Then I went back over the edge to make it tighter and cleaner.

Next is to sand all cut sections.

 

[nj1001]

Yesterday was like a heat-wave up here at almost 40 degrees so I used the warm weather to tackle painting which I didn't think I'd be able to get to until the spring. & today I basically completed the project.

This is the outer grille trim which I took off of my car. Normally they're chrome but I plasti dipped mine flat black.

I used a white marker to draw an outline on the perforated aluminum and made it bigger than I needed to start

And then used a pair of tin snips to cut it out

 

[nj1001]

Then I kept cutting it smaller until it fit. There were some tabs which I initially tried cutting around and eventually just cut most of them off since they were more of a nuisance than anything and it will be held in securely without them.
Months ago I had plasti dipped the chrome outer grille bracket which is looking pretty rough in these pics. ( Ended up pulling it off & painting it flat black )

 

[nj1001]

Then onto the lower grille.
Taped the left over part of the 3x3' sheet onto the front of the ride and used the white marker to again draw a rough, but larger than necessary outline including a hole for the license plate to come through.

Then cut it out

Again I cut it larger than needed and kept going back to test fit it & cut more off a few times.

 

[nj1001]

Once fitting in the lower grille I put the neoprene trim around it.

And then test fit again to find that more needed to be trimmed off to fit due to the thickness of the neoprene trim.
One fitting I used black cable ties to attach it to the existing grille slots behind it in a few spots. You can barely see them.

 

[nj1001]

I also got these off eBay. They're water proof switchback super bright COB LEDs that will emit white light when parking lights are on and blink yellow when the blinker is activated - one for left and right.

I also got that light aluminum from a hardware store to use as a bracket for them. Once I have them installed on my car if the light doesn't shine through the grille as well as I'd like then I'll just cut out a hole for the lights to shine through better which I could doll up with the neoprene trim but I wont know how it looks until I get it on tomorrow.

SORRY FOR ALL OF THE PICS. Just wanted to show the process. I'm not a professional, I've never done anything like this before in my life. Just watched videos & tutorials & saw that cloverleaf mesh and thought it would look unique so I went for it.

Besides, after doing my headlights I decided I wanted to remove all chrome from my CRV and this project sort of came from that. In the summer I'll plasti-dip or paint my wheels a flat black and it should then be complete.

 

[wolf29]

Coming along nicely. Looking forward to seeing it back on the car.

 

[nj1001]

Thank you. Me too. I have the auto goop setting on the LED brackets and I removed the weak plasti-dip job on the outer grille and painted it before I finished for the day. So tomorrow I'll put it back together, wire the lights and post pics. Cheers.

 

[nj1001]

 

[wolf29]

Car is looking sharp and unique. Grille looks good with the headlights and the LED's in the lower bumper.

 

[nj1001]

So there's the final pics.
One of the LED strips I put under the lower grille was bunk & one works well. For $20 from China I guess I'm not surprised so I ordered another set and within a month whenever they arrive and I gain enough motivation and time I'll hope to get it's counter part in there and working. You can see easily which one works well and which does not. The one that doesn't doesn't blink in orange either, but in white instead. I just hope its the light and not a wiring issue. Anyway, there's the grille. The grille and outer trim I did in a flat black & no clear coat. We'll see how it holds up & I can always add more paint or clear coat when the weather is more forgiving.

Let me know what y'all think.
Cheers,
NickJ

 

[nj1001]

Car is looking sharp and unique. Grille looks good with the headlights and the LED's in the lower bumper.

Thank you. I just can't wait to get that weak light replaced and then I'll be styling.

 

[wolf29]

Yeah, you'll have to watch the grille since you didn't add clear coat. I would expect the grille on any car to take a beating in most situations.

 

[nj1001]

Yeah, you'll have to watch the grille since you didn't add clear coat. I would expect the grille on any car to take a beating in most situations.

I have a bottle of this

. Its a 2-pack aerosol clear coat. Its pretty pricy too so I haven't cracked into it because its only good for 24 -48 hours after mixing the 2 components but from what I've read its the best you can buy to do yourself without having heavy duty pro equipment. If it starts to show signs of wear I'll repaint & add a thick coat or two of this stuff. The only problem is I wanted flat and this stuff is high gloss but whatever.

 

[nj1001]

So far so good. Driven on highways, back roads, etc. I found that I can press on it and bend it from its outward convex shape to a concave one so I am thinking of adding support behind it by adding a thin bar or two behind it for reinforcement but unless anything pushes it inward in the mean time, I'll hold off until the spring/summer.

 

[nj1001]

Started a new project today and while I had the bumper & grille off I decided to give the grille trim a touch-up of paint after a sanding. My black paint had chipped revealing the shiny chrome finish under it. As for the grille itself, it seems to have held up well. I dig the flat black paint job. I'll go get some flat clear coat to take Wolf's advice and hope I won't need to do another touch up.