Mounted Agent 47 lower grill (disappointed)
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GT Member
Joined: July 18, 2008
Posts: 113
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From: the 118 FWY
Mounted Agent 47 lower grill (disappointed)
Got it at a great price ($244 - shipped), and it showed up quickly too ... ordered on Tuesday - delivered on Friday.
so it was with great anticipation that I tackled the install this morning.
After pouring about 20lbs of bio-degradable peanuts into the trash and unpacking the little jewel, my mouth was watering to get it on.
Surprisingly, with just two sharp tugs the OEM lower grill was off and tossed aside ....
Then came the fit check ,,,,,,,,,, and - WTF?!
While the fit at the bottom edge of the new grill was flawless, there was an area at both ends with a 1/4" gap ,,,
and then the tabs at the top of the grill, the ones that are supposed to force the bumper down and into position, were malformed and totally useless!
They have just the hint of a lip there to hold the bumper cover in place - which no matter how you try, wont snap into the slot and hold in place.
So I thought I should drill the holes with their template and use the four screws provided and see if that makes a big enough difference - knowing that nothing is going to close the 1/4" gap showing on each end.
Holes drilled and with the grill mounted again. it did make for a more secure install, but just as I'd feared - it looked like total crap
( at this point you start thinking of your options and began bargaining with the devil
)
the solution, while less than elegant, was to go and purchase some round bead, Butyl Rubber Weather Stripping and running it around the top edge and the sides.
It acts as a gasket and seals the gaps suitably, although not perfectly. (sigh) I guess that its good enough for who its for ....
Its really not bad, but I'm too embarrassed to show pictures, so please don't ask.
anyone else had this issue with the Agent 47 lower grill?
so it was with great anticipation that I tackled the install this morning.
After pouring about 20lbs of bio-degradable peanuts into the trash and unpacking the little jewel, my mouth was watering to get it on.
Surprisingly, with just two sharp tugs the OEM lower grill was off and tossed aside ....
Then came the fit check ,,,,,,,,,, and - WTF?!
While the fit at the bottom edge of the new grill was flawless, there was an area at both ends with a 1/4" gap ,,,
and then the tabs at the top of the grill, the ones that are supposed to force the bumper down and into position, were malformed and totally useless!
They have just the hint of a lip there to hold the bumper cover in place - which no matter how you try, wont snap into the slot and hold in place.
So I thought I should drill the holes with their template and use the four screws provided and see if that makes a big enough difference - knowing that nothing is going to close the 1/4" gap showing on each end.
Holes drilled and with the grill mounted again. it did make for a more secure install, but just as I'd feared - it looked like total crap
( at this point you start thinking of your options and began bargaining with the devil
)the solution, while less than elegant, was to go and purchase some round bead, Butyl Rubber Weather Stripping and running it around the top edge and the sides.
It acts as a gasket and seals the gaps suitably, although not perfectly. (sigh) I guess that its good enough for who its for ....
Its really not bad, but I'm too embarrassed to show pictures, so please don't ask.
anyone else had this issue with the Agent 47 lower grill?
Cobra Member
Joined: October 15, 2008
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 0
From: Brew City
I bought one used and was never happy with how it looked installed as the top tabs would not seem to hold, thus it always seem to look like it was not installed properly. Although mine to seem to line up around the perimeter, as with you the upper tabs were useless. I finally just sold it (broke even since I bought it used) and went back to the stocker.
Bullitt Member
Joined: October 14, 2004
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: DC Metro Area
Agent 47 Lower Grill
I know this thread is old as dirt but I thought I'd commiserate as well since I just stumbled upon this thread for the first time and I’ve had the same problem for a while now. Plus I’m surprised I haven’t seen it discussed elsewhere... until now I thought it was just me!
When first installed the A47 lower grill it seemed to line up great. After about a few months, the top line started to dip down and out across the center two bays while the sides and bottom still lined up. Since it’s just the center two bays, my license plate covers most of the dip so it’s not as much of an eye sore as it could be.
I think the issue is the grill has less curvature than the fascia it mounts into. So in your case, you installed it and the center lines up but the ends stick out. For me, I cranked down on the 4 install bolts so that the ends got pulled into the bays but over time the internal stress this placed on the grill made the top bow down and out.
I guess I'm glad I’m not the only one, but also sorry that I'm not the only one at the saem time. At the least it just validates our thoughts that it was never shaped right to begin with. I thought I just botched this install by putting the mounting holes in the wrong spot. I still like the way it looks over the stock grill though so I’m keeping it even with the imperfections.
As a side note, I've seen the stock lower grills on S197s that are a few years old having a gap on the top now. I’ve also seen a few where folks just removed the grill all together and cut out the panels that block the two outside bays. That's how the pre-production car was anyway. I wonder if they did that becase the grill started to seperate.
If anyone is still interested I can take a pic and post what mine looks like these days. Let me know. <O
</O
When first installed the A47 lower grill it seemed to line up great. After about a few months, the top line started to dip down and out across the center two bays while the sides and bottom still lined up. Since it’s just the center two bays, my license plate covers most of the dip so it’s not as much of an eye sore as it could be.
I think the issue is the grill has less curvature than the fascia it mounts into. So in your case, you installed it and the center lines up but the ends stick out. For me, I cranked down on the 4 install bolts so that the ends got pulled into the bays but over time the internal stress this placed on the grill made the top bow down and out.
I guess I'm glad I’m not the only one, but also sorry that I'm not the only one at the saem time. At the least it just validates our thoughts that it was never shaped right to begin with. I thought I just botched this install by putting the mounting holes in the wrong spot. I still like the way it looks over the stock grill though so I’m keeping it even with the imperfections.
As a side note, I've seen the stock lower grills on S197s that are a few years old having a gap on the top now. I’ve also seen a few where folks just removed the grill all together and cut out the panels that block the two outside bays. That's how the pre-production car was anyway. I wonder if they did that becase the grill started to seperate.
If anyone is still interested I can take a pic and post what mine looks like these days. Let me know. <O
</O
Last edited by spike; Feb 7, 2011 at 06:09 PM.
Thread Starter
GT Member
Joined: July 18, 2008
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: the 118 FWY
love the look, hate the execution!
especially for the money they charged!!!
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