Lightweight grille

[SoundGuyDave]

Okay, I'm looking for either a source on a replacement grille that DOESN'T weigh a metric ton, and has no foglights, or a pointer to some DIY info for achieving same. Preferably some kind of expanded mesh, powedercoated black.

Bling and Rice need not apply. Chickenwire is acceptable, but only just.

A little help here?

 

[-CRUISER-]

You can try a Bullitt Grill ?? same as stock minus heavy foglight and horse ! Should be light cause its plastic
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...viewitem=&_trkparms=clkid=8086562596957586108

 

[DusterRT]

You can try a Bullitt Grill ?? same as stock minus heavy foglight and horse ! Should be light cause its plastic
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...viewitem=&_trkparms=clkid=8086562596957586108

Negative..it's damn near as heavy as the GT grille.

FR500S grille..also another one you'd think is light, but isn't. Granted I'm doing my measurements with a bathroom scale, but for me it weighed in about a half pound more than the GT grille. The mesh is pretty thick stainless wire and the solid "surround" and plates on the back to restrict airflow are fairly heavy gauge steel as well.

I think your best bet weight-wise is going to be the Shelby mesh grille with some block-offs similar to the FR500S to keep excess airflow down.

 

[uniquestang]

may not be your flavor but you can always do the v6 swap. its pretty easy to find a v6er that would be more than happy to switch you bumper and grille. thats what i did. to be honest im not sure exactly how much weight it saved but i definitely could feel some difference when holding them.
forgot to add that to do the swap requires swapping the front wheelwell splash guards that are only held on by pushpins.

 

[SoundGuyDave]

Thanks guys... I'm halfway done modding my stock fascia (don't ask!) to accommodate the various coolers and ducts that I need, so the V6 swap is out.

Any idea what the Shelby grille weighs? Even vis-a-vis the stocker, not necessarily a hard number. Last I checked, they're back-ordered.

As an alternative, I could always just cut the stock mesh out of my grille, and throw some stainless or aluminum mesh in there...

 

[uniquestang]

well if your that hard up for weight reduction just take it out for track days. it only takes a minute to remove it anyways. just a thought

 

[Cookiemonster]

http://s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28166

check it.

 

[STEVE_POE]

Any idea what the Shelby grille weighs?

Ha, about 15lbs.

ask me how I know.

 

[SoundGuyDave]

Props to Cookiemonster, just ordered a Shelby mesh grille... I'll have to add air deflectors behind it, but it certainly looks to be the lightest option. Thanks guys!

 

[Vapour Trails]

The roush-style 9 bar grill is probably lighter than the shelby, less material (bars), you can pretty much see right through it. In any case, I doubt I saved even 5 lbs with it.

I'd leave out the pony emblem, that weighs 2 ounces.

 

[Random Asshole]

So how heavy is the stock GT grille exactly?

 

[DusterRT]

So how heavy is the stock GT grille exactly?

About 4.5-5# with lights, a few bugs and some road grime in the nooks and crannies..

 

[marksti]

I know thread on the grille.....

To be honest i would be more focused on a lightweight fan assembly, as it weighs more then the grille..and can give you more underhood clearancing which is nice to supercharged cars like mine.

I tried the Shelby grille...which wasn't that light..about the same as stock and it also flowed Way to much air...making the rear of my hood lift(problem can be solved by a different hood, or adding vents in the rear)


The fr500 grille i would think is the lightest, and it also has air blockoffs..but its all realitive i guess

 

[Vapour Trails]

About 4.5-5# with lights, a few bugs and some road grime in the nooks and crannies..

I had one sitting in my basement so I just weighed it: 4.8 lbs.

Come to think of it, I probably gained weight switching grills.

 

[Kobie]

Agent 47 ???? It has driving light provisions though. It is light!
http://www.agentfortyseven.com/S197/uppergrill.html

 

[SoundGuyDave]

this is the one I ordered...

With a little luck, it should be lighter. I'm so overweight (3600lbs in race trim) that I'm not concerned with saving ounces here and there, but with the complete front-end re-do, and some BS Time Trials rules, I'm looking for a little more airflow up top, since it appears my bottom grille will be just about stuffed full of brake ducts and coolers. I'm already planning on block-off panels for the sides, but I want to "tune" them in, so those will have to wait until: A) The weather breaks, and B) I actually finish working on the damn car, and can finally drive it.

If the grille comes in wayyyy too heavy, I have no problem taking a holesaw to the sides and bottom to pull weight off, since any weight is bound to be from the frame and not the mesh.

 

[94tbird]

heres info on a lightweight fan. The Search Feature paid off (lesson for all the noobs)

http://s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26895&highlight=radiator+fan

 

[Rubrignitz]

If you ever need mesh, Pegasus has some nice material. I was contemplating the Shelby blank "insert" and meshing it myself.

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/group.asp?GroupID=SCREEN

 

[marksti]

this is the one I ordered...

With a little luck, it should be lighter. I'm so overweight (3600lbs in race trim) that I'm not concerned with saving ounces here and there, but with the complete front-end re-do, and some BS Time Trials rules, I'm looking for a little more airflow up top, since it appears my bottom grille will be just about stuffed full of brake ducts and coolers. I'm already planning on block-off panels for the sides, but I want to "tune" them in, so those will have to wait until: A) The weather breaks, and B) I actually finish working on the damn car, and can finally drive it.

If the grille comes in wayyyy too heavy, I have no problem taking a holesaw to the sides and bottom to pull weight off, since any weight is bound to be from the frame and not the mesh.

Dave...thats looks like the Shelby grille

I bought one..i don't think its much lighter..IF any

The mesh IS light...but the frame is extra heavy duty = Heavy

Looks nice tho...and if you have a upgraded shinny radiator then it will show it off some since its a wide open grille

 

[SoundGuyDave]

Dave...thats looks like the Shelby grille

I bought one..i don't think its much lighter..IF any

The mesh IS light...but the frame is extra heavy duty = Heavy

Looks nice tho...and if you have a upgraded shinny radiator then it will show it off some since its a wide open grille

Yup, that's the one... looks like I have some quality time in my future with a holesaw...

No upgraded radiator (and no issues with the oil cooler), but what-the-hell, at least is looks decent!