So after seeing how awesome the Monte Carlo looks with a full black grill; I, with a lot of help from Tactical 87, decided to de-chrome the front grill and paint it black.

IMO I think it looks awesome! but everyone is open to their own opinion..

The photos were taken on a 2mb phone so please excuse naff quality:

Before

After

Looks great Any other bits planned?

looks good. How easy is it to take the chrome piece off the car? they look just some push fit connectors but am concerned about them being a little fragile and breaking them.

Looks great Any other bits planned?

Just keeping it simple and on the cheap at the moment

I want to colour match the door handles and wing mirrors.

I also want to darken/tint the head and tail lights (MonteCarlo style) but from what I've read they're a pain in the a$$ to get into so I'm not sure on that one.

New air filter.

Nothing special really!

looks good. How easy is it to take the chrome piece off the car? they look just some push fit connectors but am concerned about them being a little fragile and breaking them.

Getting the chrome bar off the car was easy. Just needs a bit of 'careful force' . Its the actual chrome coating which takes ages to scrape off. Took a couple of hours of careful use of a sharp knife

That looks good mate, really suits it having a black Grille.

One of the first things I did on mine. Great change

I really love the look of this. Would be amazing on my new VRS. Pity i'm not DIY minded or I'd give it a go....

So did you paint over the Chrome part or can you peal off the Chrome coating?

So did you paint over the Chrome part or can you peal off the Chrome coating?

You always have to sand, prime and paint. Otherwise say goodbye to the paint with the first wash.

You always have to sand, prime and paint. Otherwise say goodbye to the paint with the first wash.

Yea I was going to do that too got some primer and paint left over in the garage. Its just that heaven88 said

Just needs a bit of 'careful force' . Its the actual chrome coating which takes ages to scrape off. Took a couple of hours of careful use of a sharp knife

So was wondering what he was doing with the knife?

That's cracking. If I don't get the black pack on my vRS I will be doing a similar job myself.

Yea I was going to do that too got some primer and paint left over in the garage. Its just that heaven88 said

heaven88, on 20 April 2011 - 21:55, said:

Just needs a bit of 'careful force' . Its the actual chrome coating which takes ages to scrape off. Took a couple of hours of careful use of a sharp knife

So was wondering what he was doing with the knife?

The knife was needed to get underneath the chrome. Although it does peel off, the majority of it was stuck on pretty solid so we had to use the knife to scrape bits off where it wasn't peeling.

Apologies for the confusion!

There is no need to remove it completely - just scuff it.

Nice job looks very good :thumbup:

rob

I really love the look of this. Would be amazing on my new VRS. Pity i'm not DIY minded or I'd give it a go....

Send me the cost of the grille, paint, postage and a pint of Guinness and I'll do one for you lol :p

There is no need to remove it completely - just scuff it.

True... but apply that theory to potholes: if you've got a road riddled with potholes, is it better to fill in the potholes, or tear up the whole road and resurface it? By taking off the chrome all together and getting down to the bare plastic, it gives a more professional fit

Looks great.

Send me the cost of the grille, paint, postage and a pint of Guinness and I'll do one for you lol :p

True... but apply that theory to potholes: if you've got a road riddled with potholes, is it better to fill in the potholes, or tear up the whole road and resurface it? By taking off the chrome all together and getting down to the bare plastic, it gives a more professional fit

Hmmm sounds a good idea mate, you could do a group buy on painting grilles.... :rofl:

It changes the look of the car completly, think it would look ace on a silver car.

Davy

Just a quick question the lower part of the grille.... Is that just clipped onto the bumper?

Davy

Just a quick question the lower part of the grille.... Is that just clipped onto the bumper?

Davy

yeah, it's just a piece with catches that go into the grille. It's a different grille to the 1 trim which doesn't have the holes to fit the catches/hinges into. To save the trouble, I've got a spare one (same grille as in picture 1 of this thread) if u don't want to remove and paint the lower chrome grille.

black grille looks a bit boring now that there's the monte carlo, the black pack and people doing black grilles.

i prefer a colour coded grille, gives a more streamlined look, something like this (photoshop by RickB)

Edited 21 April, 201115 yr by fabia55

black grille looks a bit boring now that there's the monte carlo, the black pack and people doing black grilles.

i prefer a colour coded grille, gives a more streamlined look, something like this (photoshop by RickB)

yea thats whot aim going to do is colour code it but my roomy is black magic or do it in carbon

i prefer a colour coded grille, gives a more streamlined look, something like this (photoshop by RickB)

It's interesting how people like to customise their cars. The Fabia Mk2 has a bull-nose front end compared to the sleeker and more stream-lined Mk1. Perhaps Skoda's original idea was to break up this effect by emphasising the top of the grill with chrome. Colour-coding could make it appear bull-nosed again. Each to his own.

i did look at smoothing it in but it's difficult to put it back to standard when i sell the car and the cost.