Grille-less Drivability?

[Kakashi]

ive done some reading about removing the grille+emblem, some people paint it, some people put vinyl on it. i think that whole contraption is the ugliest thing ive ever seen. Im considering just removing it and..well.. leaving it off.

Think this will create too much drag on the front end, or let too much debris into the engine compartment?( not that the grille did too spectacular of a job anyways).

Input would be appreciated~

kakashi.

[Izzy]

You'd probably want it...only for hiding away the hood latch. I don't think drag would matter too much, if it even makes negative results. I'd worry more about rocks hitting your radiator.

[Kakashi]

i thought the same, i dont really race anymore, and i dont care about drag so much. im thinking of putting in some kinda mesh into there...

do they make soem kinda meshing for this? i mean like not pre-formed/molded, but can be cut and screwed/bolted into place?

[ndoelling]

See the thread on a/c puncture for mesh ideas

[skittleslegend]

I can tell you first hand, grill-less is hideous, because, unlike the EK's and EM1/EP3, the grill is very awkward in shape. You need something there.

[Kakashi]

im planning on dremeling off what i call the Snout ( the goofy looking "H" part ).

As well as the top black part of the bumper. THe only thing im gonan leave, is the far insides of it and a minimal amount of the top, so that it can still be held on by the hex screws.

The ONLY issue atm, is the "dip" where the Honda emblem used to be. God its freakin ugly. im havign thoughts of just buying a aftermarket bumper to fix that god forsaken dip. Ive also considered using Bondo to fill in the dip. But i dont think Bondo is meant to be used to fill in a large area like that. Plus what with the bumper being plastic, itll probably flex and break off anyways right?

Any input would be appreciated.

Ive also considered just coloring coding the chrome part of the grille, and just putting it back on there.

[Kakashi]

Originally Posted by ndoelling

See the thread on a/c puncture for mesh ideas

zip ties...?

those insect screens dont provide enough durability, a rock is gonna fly right through it.

again, id really prefer NOT using zipties, especially where you can see them from the outside.

my idea was to use those mesh trays that u lay in a painting tray ( for the rollers ), i was going to weld 2 of them together , and run extensions out to the sides, and bolt them on.

[Janizary]

I'd like to see a nice egg crate aftermarket grill for the Si as a direct replacement for that ugly boomerang that sits there now.

[CameronJr9]

Originally Posted by Kakashi

The ONLY issue atm, is the "dip" where the Honda emblem used to be. God its freakin ugly. im havign thoughts of just buying a aftermarket bumper to fix that god forsaken dip.

True. At least it's not as bad as the VW hoods with the nice chunk taken out.

[Kakashi]

Originally Posted by Janizary

I'd like to see a nice egg crate aftermarket grill for the Si as a direct replacement for that ugly boomerang that sits there now.

WHY DIDNT I THINK OF THAT!

wait i know, mounting it would be a pain the butt....

[benmunger]

Originally Posted by Izzy

You'd probably want it...only for hiding away the hood latch. I don't think drag would matter too much, if it even makes negative results. I'd worry more about rocks hitting your radiator.

yep, hood latch.

some one could yank on the cable and open your hood with ease.

[Kakashi]

meh..

im trying to draw out a interwoven wire mesh design that covers cables as well as the latch.

and as far as that concerned, if a person really wanted to get under the hood, the stock grille would really be no obstacle anyways..

[BLU BY U]

rocks are not very good friends with mr.radiator and mr.airconditioning condenser.

[skittleslegend]

Originally Posted by Kakashi

WHY DIDNT I THINK OF THAT!

wait i know, mounting it would be a pain the butt....

Actually.............it wasn't......

[Kakashi]

BLU-

me and Mr. Ziptie dont either.

Especially cause Mr Ziptie was zipped around my wrists ..

[BLU BY U]

LOL ^^

yea zipties are okay for cleaning up wiring and other things around the house. they are not meant to be visible on a nice vehicle.

[Kakashi]

Originally Posted by BLU BY U

LOL ^^

yea zipties are okay for cleaning up wiring and other things around the house. they are not meant to be visible on a nice vehicle.

couldnt agree more, plus ive had my lower bumper painted Silver as well, no more un matching black grille.

im hoping with this interweave, LESS stuff will fly into the radiator then with just the grille. Ill worry about that condenser later. Ill think of SOMETHING.

[ndoelling]

Well if your grill has been painted then it would look really stupid, but if you look back at the a/c puncture thread, I put some pics of it complete, and you can't see it at all, unless you are 2 inches away and looking for it. And coming from an engineer, I just don't see a rock busting through a small wire mesh. Maybe making a 'dent' in an area, but not busting through. And even if it did, it would not damage the condenser due to the absorption of energy and replacing the mesh is much cheaper than the condenser. Just mtc.

[Kakashi]

hmmn..

how about this: Install the stainless steel mesh like i planned, then wrap that insect screening around THAT.

and when i said i had the grille painted, i meant the lower grill, or what some people refer to as the "air dam", the one UNDER the license plate.

[ndoelling]

Yeah, I knew which part you were talking about. And yes, you could wrap if you wanted, just more time and effort. I needed to do it in a day so could keep on driving. Needless to say I had to go to homedepot with out a bumper and felt weird.