I'm sure you're very happy... not my cup of tea, though - looks too much like a 'Vette; but what do I know! George Lucas would approve.

 

Looks good, Philhef. Would you mind taking some closer, more detailed photos of your mesh grill. Clearly you've painted or powdercoated, but I'd like to get a closer look if you don't mind!



.

 

I'll get some pics when this monsoon we're having subsides!! Chris at Mina custom made this grille for me. I wanted to use the large plinth badge from Adamesh so he gave the grille a slight convex shape to fit the badge and powdercoated it black. I had my body shop paint it with the same paint as the car for a high gloss finish like my XF grille. It really makes a difference. Looks like it came on the car. I've had several people ask if it's a new Jaguar.

 

In person, it looks totally different. My brother has an 02 corvette and they look nothing alike. Thank God!!
I really am trying to keep it as somewhat factory as possible without loosing my love of modifying. I just can't drive a cookie cutter car!! I thought the Arden kit was classic (so much so the last gen XK8 openly borrowed the Arden look) even though I prefer the Paragon kit. And the black wheels were not planned, but too good a deal on ebay with the tires, I thought about having them painted silver but now I'm diggin' the black!
At the end of the day, we're all different and that's what keeps things interesting!!

 

Glad you took this in jest--and I like the term you coined.

By the way, I like the blackened grill but would be worried that the black paint chips off over time exposing the shiny surfaced below. Does the powder coating delay/prevent this?

Doug

 

Looks Great !!!!!!

 

The powder coat is bonded to the metal. It acts like a bonding primer. And it's easy to touch up if it should chip. Any black auto touch up paint works.

 

I think I should put my modifications in perspective! As I said, I tend to put my mark on my cars. Within weeks of buying my 2010 XF, the mods started. Everyone tried in vain to stop me from modifying a brand new car but to no avail!! It is a premium XF in lunar grey so it was standard chrome everywhere. I planned to wrap the chrome but the first piece looked like plastic and I wanted gloss so to the paint shop. Oh, and notice the leaper! (No comments please! Lol)

My XF has gotten so many compliments! Even the dealer went crazy when he saw it so he ordered a full black pack for the showroom. Sold in 24 hours! But it didn't have my black roof!!

Now my XK8 fits nicely with my XF.
I need to get a good duo pic for my avatar!
I have no idea why photo is sideways!! But when you click it pops up correct.

 

Installed my MGP caliper covers today. Beat money spent!! Not a fake brembo plastic crap, but machined aluminum with simple brackets that clip to the caliper and the cover floats in front allowing cooling.

 

Close up before replacing wheel

 

Rear cover

 

Finished.

 

Well, anyone that knows me knows it was just a matter of time before that damn black leaper was going to find its way to the bonnet of my XK8!

Before anyone freaks out, I actually modified the leaper so I could install with badge tape, no drilling. And easily removed if I decide to nix it. But from the looks of it, it's probably staying! I really don't like e chrome leapers I guess because they stand out too much but in black on black, it works.
As I said, no harm was done to the cat so it's easy to reverse!!

 

I like most of it, but not that humungous badge on the grille. It looks like something you found in your kitchen, lol

 

I actually agree. I wanted to paint the chrome surround black just like my XF grille has but everyone talked me out of it. I think I'm going with my first plan and blacking the chrome surround.
When it was on the stainless grille, it didn't look as big!

 

^That should improve things considerably

 

Phil,

Here in NH the boys in blue take offense to a lack of a front license plate, did you allow for the install of a plate? And yes, I know that it does little for the cars appearance having one. My XK has a custom plate mount below the grill, so the oval is clearly visible, but the plate is just high enough to clear curbs.

 

Wow, this looks better than I was imaging before clicking into the thread. Nice work! Just get some 20mm spacers on there to finish out that beefy look and you're done.

 

That's one of the few joys of living in North Carolina. No front plates!!

 

[QUOTE=Sentinelist;754430]Wow, this looks better than I was imaging before clicking into the thread. Nice work! Just get some 20mm spacers on there to finish out that beefy look and you're done.[/QUOTE

Are you psychic?? My HR spacers came in today and just installed them. 15mm front 20mm rear. Now just waiting for my lowering springs. Then he's done.(well until my exhaust gets here.) Except for the custom VADAR tag!! Lol
Btw, the spacers made a great difference. I'll post pics tomorrow.