I always refer to the stock front xk8 look as the missing teeth look because the way the two bumperettes ruin the look of the air intake.

Before:



After:




I moved the aluminum bumper back so that grill could be mounted further in. I had to add an aluminum strip under the lower plastic portion of the intake since it did not hold any nice form after losing the support of the bumperettes.
I also tinted the fog lights (never use them) and the side markers. Now it looks more like it should have from the start!

Enjoy

 

If you want to sell your old XKR grill and overriders, drop them in the For Sale area, I bet you can sell them here. A few XK8 owners would like to go R-in-the-grill.

 

Looks pretty good, but as a suggestion if you don't use your fog lights, remove them and use your righthand aperture as a cold air intake and funnel it to your air box. A couple of bits of mesh grille in the holes and it would look good.
You will almost create a ram effect, the air will also be colder, and colder air has more oxygen in it which means more power.

Just a thought........And you can sell your old fog lights if you wish, always good to see someone try something different

I also like the cleaner look, like I did to this XK

 

very nice, looks very good without the fog lights and side markers. Sooner or later I will repaint my car, how did you close the holes?

 

You're a bold and creative guy XKRacer. I used to be very much into mods like these so I have a deep appreciation for the risk, creativity and work you've done. I very much enjoy looking at the cars you've turned out.

 

I am working on something a little different at the moment and it will be finished in a couple of weeks and I will post it but thanks for the words.

I cheated losing the fog light apertures, I have a mold for the 2005 front and didn't cut the fog light holes and just filled them over, so the front of that particular XK is GRP

 

I plan on doing this mod and will be going with the one piece mesh instead of the three piece. I see two types of one piece grille. One is flat and the other is convex. Which one looks better?

 

Convex every time

 

Convex+1

 

Markman or XKRacer, I like the look of the grill recessed back in an inch or so. How did you move the aluminum bumper back?

 

@govatos

remove the front plastic part, remove the aluminum bumper, remove the bumperettes (you have to drill out the rivets), take out the two dampers and cut off the two extensions at the end of the dampers, drill new holes into the aluminum bumper, paint and put everything back together.

This of course reduces your frontal collision energy absorption a little bit. Do at your own risk! The look is worth it though, gives the car a more aggressive and classic look.

 

Marksman, by "plastic part" I assume you mean the whole plastic nose piece that covers the front of the car. Also, I assume the "bumperetts" are the two vertical pieces with the plastic covers. Last, does the stock grill nicely fit the opening as you move it back? Thanks.

 

sorry, yes the "plastic part" is the entire front bumper, and the bumperettes are two aluminum bumpers under the plastic cover.
I have not tried to fit my original grill because with the missing bumperettes it would look really weird. You will have to fabricate your own grill. I bought some wiremess material from a "wiremess supplier" and cut it myself and put some trim on the edges which can be very sharp.
You can see in the before and after pics that the new grill has a finer mesh than the stock one, mainly because they did not have anything coarser in stock.

 

XKRacer, how come you're not working for Jaguar as a designer?

 

I really do this for fun

Yes it pays my bills but if I was to get a 'proper job' then there would be expectations and I would have to rejoin the rest of the rat race.

On that I will pass

 

markman, if your old grilles and bumperettes are in good condition and you want to sell them, I may be intererested in buying. let me know.

 

I like my Bucky the Beaver front teeth.

 

Don't know how many of you saw the new Top Gear last week, but Jeremy Clarkson drove and reviewed the new Eagle Speedster. It's an absolutely stunning, modern take on the E-Type (sorta like the XK8 was, but with money being no constraint).

It's got a simple splitter in the grille, similar to the original E-type, with a nice badge in the middle.

I wonder if that grille treatment would look good on one of our 8's or R's.

If you're interested, the website for the Eagle Speedster is HERE.

 

good idea putting it back a little ways, although I like the OEM look as well.

I wonder what that would look like if the grill were powder coated black, or a dark grey.

 

I am really liking the open grill, much like I did on my Magnum. Removed the cross hairs and original slats, shaved all moldings and badges, filled in the bumper groove, and used black mesh on all openings including the running lights. On went a front air dam, eyelids, body colored headlights, and the look was complete. It changed the entire personality of the car.

That said, I have been ticketed twice for a lack of a front license plate. On the XK, it seems the cross piece and two bumper guards are the only logical place to mount a license plate, and to pull this "support structure" and then figure out a way to hang the plate on a sheer mesh seems messy.

Thoughts?