A Face Full of Metal
Now that hip-hop soldiers have patented the faux gold snarl, it should be no surprise that custom aces are turning to aftermarket grilles to help their whips stand out in traffic. Fabricated from materials such as billet aluminum or stainless steel, the grilles easily slide and bolt over a car’s stock grille for a face-lift. “It’s a way for you to express yourself without having to do any severe modification to the vehicle,” says Dan Marchese of DJ Motorsports in Lake Forest.
A gleaming set of the hottest dubs, such as a custom black chrome creation, can drain a bank account faster than a hydraulic switch slamming a lowrider into the ground, but plenty of cutting-edge action can be had for two Benjamins.
The ur-grille was arguably on the front end of KITT, the tricked-out Trans-Am driven by David Hasselhoff on that ‘80s kitsch classic “Knight Rider.” Nostalgic gear heads will fondly recall KITT’s coolest feature, a grille consisting of a scrolling horizontal red light. After KITT came grilles machined or extruded from aluminum billets, or blocks, which remain the most affordable and popular front-end flash, and fit a broad range of vehicles. “We’ve been asked to do a grille for a Pinto,” says Ted Vanzant of Mr. Grille in Norco.
But the well-grilled are always after the latest thing, and stainless steel is now the new must-have material. Also hot are exotic shapes and light-up grilles, as well as mesh outfits that can make even the most downmarket car look like a Bentley. Aftermarket grilles are available for almost every auto make, though the most popular candidates for front-end overhauls are Hummers, the Chrysler 300C, Cadillac’s Escalade and Range Rovers. The options are endless, and that’s the whole point. Here, a few shining examples.
Mr. Grille’s model for the Scion xB lights up like the dance floor at the Spider Club on Saturday night. www.mrgrille.com
GrillCraft Not everyone can roll in a Bentley, but GrillCraft’s stainless-steel woven grille brings the motor car’s refined front end to select rides such as this Escalade. www.grillcraft.com
Hobrecht Fortis’ stainless-steel and composite Fusion grill guard makes any SUV tough enough to tame a charging rhino. It’s also a hit with soccer moms. www.hobrechtfortis.com
DJ Motorsports/GRRills The vertical bars on DJ Motorsports’ stainless-steel EX2 upend the industry’s standard horizontal bar motif to set a biting new trend. www.djmotorsports.com
Trenz’s Elliptical Framed Perimeter Grille might not have the flashiest name, but this grille chops billet aluminum into a form that may be the shape of things to come. www.trenz.com
Strut The worksmanship and jewel-like luster on Strut’s stainless-steel grilles have made them favorites of those who must have the very best--and most unobtainable--grilles on the street. The $6,800 price tag on the Strut H2 package ensures that only the well-heeled will have the same grille. www.strutwear.com
