[gassy]

Well, that got your attention.

Actually, the question is about a mesh grille. Since my car ('91 9000SE) is totally black, apart from the alloy wheels, I feel that it could do with something both to enhance and slighly sportify its appearance.

I rather fancy having a stainless steel, chrome (or similar) mesh front grille instead of the standard Saab one. A bit like a Bentley

Does anyone have any experience of doing such a mod, sources of material etc?

 

[1989agoodvintage]

No no no no no Gassy, you've forgotten the rules of Saab modification.

1) It must look as standard as possible

2) It must look as standard as possible

3) It must look as standard as possible

4) Any mods must only serve to make the car go quicker or hold the road better.

Obeying rules 1, 2 and 3 ensures maximum gratification when you casually overtake hot hatches (whether boy racer or otherwise). Now take a cool shower

 

[markcanderson]

Gassy,

Maarten did this on his 900 Turbo. If you look on the STTE wesite under gallery, NG900, Maarten.

There's a picture of his front grill.

 

[1989agoodvintage]

BAH!!!

OK, that one looks pretty good, nice and subtle. What sprung to my mind was something far more hideous.

 

[sgould]

Maarten's only used expanded metal. I think that Gassy is after the woven chrome stuff. Sounds expensive, but they used to make stoneguards for auxiliary lamps from it back when I was a boy, before all this clear plastic was available.

 

[SteveN]

I bought mine for the C900 from a Scottish fellow called Rob at the Lakes weekend. Similar to Maarten's but black with chrome mesh. Rob (didn't get second name but he also does Autoglym if that's any help) was threatening to go to the SOC National.

The way he does it is to de-badge, cut off the fins then press in and hot glue the mesh. Spray and put the badge back. Sells them for £45 or £35 if you can give him your old one there and then. It does look pretty good.

 

[andrastauk]

What no standard chrome Saab grille
How are we supposed to spot you coming and get ready to wave. Unless you're a complete Saab maniac,one can't tell its a Saab by shape alone (there are other cars that look similiar,honest there are)....its got to be that most obvious grille that gives the game away. Esp. as Jason says when overtaking boy racers.
No no Gassy don't do it

(oh all right then)
and whats the 248+ for?

 

[mpen]

Demon Tweaks sell a few different types of meshes

 

[aeropilot]

Didn't Abbott's use to do them for 9000's some time ago??
They do them now for the 9-5, so maybe worth a call to see where they get them made for the 9-5???
The other option would be to nick the grilles off a couple of those new Jag S-Type R's and use the mesh from that...!!
Ahh....wire mesh headlamp covers for Cooper S's....them be the days's boys...

 

[mark e]

Errmm... I did this to my 9k... and also put the mesh at the back of the lower air vent to stop my *new* aircon rad being trashed agin by stones etc.

Took a couple of hours. The mesh is stainless steel, available from RS components (rswww.com).

Image uploading. Refresh page to view

 

[mark e]

Oh B£$%*&! That didn't work, will have another go later...

Mark

 

[markcanderson]

MarkE

When you reference images - you have to point to the image file itself not the page the image is found (looking from the URL you had posted..)

i.e. .http://www.blahblah.com/blah/lovelycar.jpg - when using the image tag.. otherwise use the URL tag and enter the address of the page you want others to visit.

 

[mark e]

Trying again...

http://uk.geocities.com/furry_box/BubblesHome.html

Not a very good image I'm afraid- if you'd like to see it more clearly let me know and I'll email you a copy at higher res and detaisl of what I had to do...

Mark

 

[andrastauk]

Its clear enough for me to say that it looks pretty damned good. I sit corrected (meaning it still looks like a saab - ok Gassy go for it)

 

[gassy]

Hey everyone, thanks for the input.

Mark, I do like Maarten's but I was after the chrome look.

SteveN: I met Rob up in Scotland a few weeks ago, here is is standing beside his (and mine) http://www.pbase.com/image/2736306
He said he's going to the SOC national and so I might take hime up on it there. I have a sapre grill. The original is on the shelf, I bought the spare one for £5 at Haymill Saabs open day last year and sprayed it black. but didn;t use the right paint, I guess, because it chips off very easily.

Andra, mightn't you you'd spot me coming currently? http://www.pbase.com/image/2019413

I'll have a look at RS Components and Demon Tweaks. I'll even call Abbotts, I could do with a laugh.

 

[gassy]

Andrastauk, the 248 is the number of broken horses the bloke with the rolling road said I had under the bonnet.

Personally I think that some of the were bulls, 'cos they left some s**t behind.

 

[SteveN]

Gassy, phrases involving the words "small" and "world" come to mind Rob does a neat job, tho' for my money, the black and silver mesh looks better on my Odoardo grey than his beige I guess you're thinking black on black

 

[sgould]

If you want to see a larger range of meshes, I found these in a trade directory:

http://www.firstmesh.co.uk/homepage.html

http://www.wiremesh.co.uk/index.htm

http://www.fhbrundle.com/deco.htm

Don't know or use any of them, but the pictures on their sites give a lot of choice - and some take Visa

 

[gassy]

sgould - many thanks for that. It'll be next week before I have chance to follow up, so won't have anything sorted in time for the SOC weekend. I'll just have to dazzle people with the brilliance of my wit, rather than my grille.

 

[markcanderson]

Looked at some of those websites... I never realised there was so much to wiremesh...