Retro fitting a mesh grill/upgrading your OEM grille
Veteran Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 17,809
Likes: 3,945
You want me to remember 1995, that will be interesting.
From that same memory.
I went to the hardware store, and found some small 90deg brackets with a hole in each face, and they were stainless. Shower cubicle area I think??, so I grabbed a dozen.
Then kept wandering and found some suitable sized "Socket Cap" setscrews, and nyloc nuts, again stainless.
I ended up by cutting the mesh to what I wanted, and that was JUST smaller than the opening, and then used the said brackets and capscrews and secured the brackets to the plastic outer surround, from the backside, and then attached the mesh to the other "face" of the brackets. This was the HUGE time consuming bit, as I first tried rolling the outer edge of a larger cut mesh so it sort of "clipped over" the backside of the surround, NBG. The mesh I got was too heavy a gauge for that.
There was no plan as such, the grille was a mess as I stated, and I had TIME on my side, so just did it on the fly mostly. Some of the early cuts were just plain weird, and then I sort of fell over the final theme.
The lower was just cut and screwed to the vertical braces of the old dumb excuse for a grille. It has a few gaps if you ever get that close, but the Beast will bite ya, trust me, and the angle of that grille makes the small flaws undetectable.
If something more returns from the "fuzz", I will update this post.
From that same memory.
I went to the hardware store, and found some small 90deg brackets with a hole in each face, and they were stainless. Shower cubicle area I think??, so I grabbed a dozen.
Then kept wandering and found some suitable sized "Socket Cap" setscrews, and nyloc nuts, again stainless.
I ended up by cutting the mesh to what I wanted, and that was JUST smaller than the opening, and then used the said brackets and capscrews and secured the brackets to the plastic outer surround, from the backside, and then attached the mesh to the other "face" of the brackets. This was the HUGE time consuming bit, as I first tried rolling the outer edge of a larger cut mesh so it sort of "clipped over" the backside of the surround, NBG. The mesh I got was too heavy a gauge for that.
There was no plan as such, the grille was a mess as I stated, and I had TIME on my side, so just did it on the fly mostly. Some of the early cuts were just plain weird, and then I sort of fell over the final theme.
The lower was just cut and screwed to the vertical braces of the old dumb excuse for a grille. It has a few gaps if you ever get that close, but the Beast will bite ya, trust me, and the angle of that grille makes the small flaws undetectable.
If something more returns from the "fuzz", I will update this post.
I think your homemade Grill idea will be the next Big Thing!
Veteran Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Likes: 417
From: Houston, TX
Red XJS with mesh grille = Grant! Thanks for all the info, Sir. Forcedair1, I agree on closer inspection that the aftermarket grille doesn't look as good as the ones you guys made. Sounds like they would sell if made into a kit!
Veteran Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 368
From: Southern California
Cheers,
Veteran Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,362
Likes: 1,241
From: Austin tx and Daytona FL.
grill
pix of my grill back in 1994-95, horozontal bar grill were in style!
makes the car look more lower and wider stance(stance is important).
the mesh grill make me think Cadillac V models, but it all is good , i'm sure in another 20yrs ,there will be another style grill!
makes the car look more lower and wider stance(stance is important).
the mesh grill make me think Cadillac V models, but it all is good , i'm sure in another 20yrs ,there will be another style grill!
Veteran Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 6,796
Likes: 2,403
From: Walnut Creek, California
My .01 cents:
1. I've seen that chrome woven wire somewhere? In older "ice boxes"? I've seen it in plain form and painted or possibly powder coated in home improvement store. A PO of this house had a chunk along a back fence as a lattice for vines to grow on. It also served to hold a very dilapidated fence section together!!
2. And decades ago, my son bought a very abused 73 Ford Ranchero in full Squire trim. Fake woodie panel trim in plastic. Found a shelf paper in wood that matched perfectly.Odd, huh?
It's grill was bashed as well. So, off tot the lumber yard as they were known then.
A chunk of bare expanded metal. Flat black. Perfect look, but not as original. Mebbe even better.
So, were I to need a grill, I'd look to the expanded metal with powder coat or just flat black rattle can
Carl
1. I've seen that chrome woven wire somewhere? In older "ice boxes"? I've seen it in plain form and painted or possibly powder coated in home improvement store. A PO of this house had a chunk along a back fence as a lattice for vines to grow on. It also served to hold a very dilapidated fence section together!!
2. And decades ago, my son bought a very abused 73 Ford Ranchero in full Squire trim. Fake woodie panel trim in plastic. Found a shelf paper in wood that matched perfectly.Odd, huh?
It's grill was bashed as well. So, off tot the lumber yard as they were known then.
A chunk of bare expanded metal. Flat black. Perfect look, but not as original. Mebbe even better.
So, were I to need a grill, I'd look to the expanded metal with powder coat or just flat black rattle can
Carl
Veteran Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 17,809
Likes: 3,945
Check this out Bro!
Which one would you choose?
https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/s...-s&fr2=piv-web
Which one would you choose?
https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/s...-s&fr2=piv-web
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 757
Likes: 315
From: Denver, CO
Check this out Bro!
Which one would you choose?
https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/s...-s&fr2=piv-web
Which one would you choose?
https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/s...-s&fr2=piv-web
I think its very amusing that someone consider Chicken Wire to be "decorative".
Veteran Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 368
From: Southern California
The subject here is a mesh grille for the XJS, right? Well, then, why not go with the mesh type that Jaguar, themselves use, so the end result looks more like an actual Jaguar mesh? That material should be available, as it is also used on some Land Rover vehicles.
Here are some examples:
I show my own (2002) XJR with the finer mesh used earlier by Jaguar.
Then pics of the later, stronger mesh used by Jaguar on later cars.
Cheers,
Here are some examples:
I show my own (2002) XJR with the finer mesh used earlier by Jaguar.
Then pics of the later, stronger mesh used by Jaguar on later cars.
Cheers,
Last edited by Forcedair1; May 5, 2015 at 04:27 AM.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 678
Likes: 104
From: Enumclaw, Washington U.S.A.
NO cutting of anything...
The snap shows what words cannot...
Attachment 111133
Attachment 111134
This 2nd snap is what a pedestrian sees just before the smack on the head.
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 28,809
Likes: 11,279
From: Adelaide Stralia
Airflow is always a concern with XJ-S owners, and I have no idea why in the real world.
They have the aerodynamics to get plenty of air IN the front, the issue is getting it OUT.
Different markets have more "stuff" jammed in there than others (ours for one has less than most).
The changes most of us have made to things like A/C compressor (smaller versus larger black monster) is one item that assists air to actually pass through the engine bay.
The large foam insulation pad on top of the transmission that falls down and sits ON the transmission, blocks a lot of airflow OUT of the engine bay.
Our lack of engine pipe cats also assists greatly.
The front spoiler integrity on the Pre Facelift cars is another cooling system hiccup. This thing must be intact.
My mesh is as close as I could find by simple eyesight to what became the "R" Jag mesh, having not seen that stuff in 1995. So when I saw that particular mesh "on the roll", it just sort of "looked just right", and I reckon I got it just right.
NO issues with cooling on that car ever, since I did ALL the "Grants updates" to the cooling system the first month of ownership. No "grazing" as Doug says.
I also agree, it is YOUR car, and what you do is for YOU, and since the XJ-S is so special to all of us, one mans "bling" is not anothers. So be it.
I need a HUGE drink after that monumental scribe HAHA.
They have the aerodynamics to get plenty of air IN the front, the issue is getting it OUT.
Different markets have more "stuff" jammed in there than others (ours for one has less than most).
The changes most of us have made to things like A/C compressor (smaller versus larger black monster) is one item that assists air to actually pass through the engine bay.
The large foam insulation pad on top of the transmission that falls down and sits ON the transmission, blocks a lot of airflow OUT of the engine bay.
Our lack of engine pipe cats also assists greatly.
The front spoiler integrity on the Pre Facelift cars is another cooling system hiccup. This thing must be intact.
My mesh is as close as I could find by simple eyesight to what became the "R" Jag mesh, having not seen that stuff in 1995. So when I saw that particular mesh "on the roll", it just sort of "looked just right", and I reckon I got it just right.
NO issues with cooling on that car ever, since I did ALL the "Grants updates" to the cooling system the first month of ownership. No "grazing" as Doug says.
I also agree, it is YOUR car, and what you do is for YOU, and since the XJ-S is so special to all of us, one mans "bling" is not anothers. So be it.
I need a HUGE drink after that monumental scribe HAHA.
Last edited by Grant Francis; May 5, 2015 at 06:38 AM.
Veteran Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,362
Likes: 1,241
From: Austin tx and Daytona FL.
Airflow is always a concern with XJ-S owners, and I have no idea why in the real world.
They have the aerodynamics to get plenty of air IN the front, the issue is getting it OUT.
Different markets have more "stuff" jammed in there than others (ours for one has less than most).
The changes most of us have made to things like A/C compressor (smaller versus larger black monster) is one item that assists air to actually pass through the engine bay.
The large foam insulation pad on top of the transmission that falls down and sits ON the transmission, blocks a lot of airflow OUT of the engine bay.
Our lack of engine pipe cats also assists greatly.
The front spoiler integrity on the Pre Facelift cars is another cooling system hiccup. This thing must be intact.
My mesh is as close as I could find by simple eyesight to what became the "R" Jag mesh, having not seen that stuff in 1995. So when I saw that particular mesh "on the roll", it just sort of "looked just right", and I reckon I got it just right.
NO issues with cooling on that car ever, since I did ALL the "Grants updates" to the cooling system the first month of ownership. No "grazing" as Doug says.
I also agree, it is YOUR car, and what you do is for YOU, and since the XJ-S is so special to all of us, one mans "bling" is not anothers. So be it.
I need a HUGE drink after that monumental scribe HAHA.
They have the aerodynamics to get plenty of air IN the front, the issue is getting it OUT.
Different markets have more "stuff" jammed in there than others (ours for one has less than most).
The changes most of us have made to things like A/C compressor (smaller versus larger black monster) is one item that assists air to actually pass through the engine bay.
The large foam insulation pad on top of the transmission that falls down and sits ON the transmission, blocks a lot of airflow OUT of the engine bay.
Our lack of engine pipe cats also assists greatly.
The front spoiler integrity on the Pre Facelift cars is another cooling system hiccup. This thing must be intact.
My mesh is as close as I could find by simple eyesight to what became the "R" Jag mesh, having not seen that stuff in 1995. So when I saw that particular mesh "on the roll", it just sort of "looked just right", and I reckon I got it just right.
NO issues with cooling on that car ever, since I did ALL the "Grants updates" to the cooling system the first month of ownership. No "grazing" as Doug says.
I also agree, it is YOUR car, and what you do is for YOU, and since the XJ-S is so special to all of us, one mans "bling" is not anothers. So be it.
I need a HUGE drink after that monumental scribe HAHA.
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 28,809
Likes: 11,279
From: Adelaide Stralia
What fuse????, I dont have one. I did not read anything "fuseable" trust me.
I like leapers on the XJ-S, most dont.
Semi sports exhausts are a MUST on the V12 for me, others like them SILENT.
I dont mind the Prince of Darkness, some hate him.
Us being what we are is what makes this forum, and the world, rotate, all the same is boring.
I like leapers on the XJ-S, most dont.
Semi sports exhausts are a MUST on the V12 for me, others like them SILENT.
I dont mind the Prince of Darkness, some hate him.
Us being what we are is what makes this forum, and the world, rotate, all the same is boring.
Veteran Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 368
From: Southern California
Cheers,
Veteran Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,362
Likes: 1,241
From: Austin tx and Daytona FL.
Airflow is always a concern with XJ-S owners, and I have no idea why in the real world.
They have the aerodynamics to get plenty of air IN the front, the issue is getting it OUT.
Different markets have more "stuff" jammed in there than others (ours for one has less than most).
The changes most of us have made to things like A/C compressor (smaller versus larger black monster) is one item that assists air to actually pass through the engine bay.
The large foam insulation pad on top of the transmission that falls down and sits ON the transmission, blocks a lot of airflow OUT of the engine bay.
Our lack of engine pipe cats also assists greatly.
The front spoiler integrity on the Pre Facelift cars is another cooling system hiccup. This thing must be intact.
My mesh is as close as I could find by simple eyesight to what became the "R" Jag mesh, having not seen that stuff in 1995. So when I saw that particular mesh "on the roll", it just sort of "looked just right", and I reckon I got it just right.
NO issues with cooling on that car ever, since I did ALL the "Grants updates" to the cooling system the first month of ownership. No "grazing" as Doug says.
I also agree, it is YOUR car, and what you do is for YOU, and since the XJ-S is so special to all of us, one mans "bling" is not anothers. So be it.
I need a HUGE drink after that monumental scribe HAHA.
They have the aerodynamics to get plenty of air IN the front, the issue is getting it OUT.
Different markets have more "stuff" jammed in there than others (ours for one has less than most).
The changes most of us have made to things like A/C compressor (smaller versus larger black monster) is one item that assists air to actually pass through the engine bay.
The large foam insulation pad on top of the transmission that falls down and sits ON the transmission, blocks a lot of airflow OUT of the engine bay.
Our lack of engine pipe cats also assists greatly.
The front spoiler integrity on the Pre Facelift cars is another cooling system hiccup. This thing must be intact.
My mesh is as close as I could find by simple eyesight to what became the "R" Jag mesh, having not seen that stuff in 1995. So when I saw that particular mesh "on the roll", it just sort of "looked just right", and I reckon I got it just right.
NO issues with cooling on that car ever, since I did ALL the "Grants updates" to the cooling system the first month of ownership. No "grazing" as Doug says.
I also agree, it is YOUR car, and what you do is for YOU, and since the XJ-S is so special to all of us, one mans "bling" is not anothers. So be it.
I need a HUGE drink after that monumental scribe HAHA.
done around 10yrs ago!
