CS8 Grill Install W/Shelby GT Grill Shell

[Ernest]

WARNING! CS8 grills use stainless hardware, use anti-seize or you'll be sorry! (why? becuase stainless on stainless is prone to heat seizure during install and removal!)

 

While using this awesome grill shell http://www.shelbystore.com/product-p/gf-112-02.htm has to be less work than chopping up the factory GT grill, its still work.

I haven't tried it, but I can only imagine that the super long studs on the CS8 grills were designed to penetrate the remains of a factory GT grill with some amount of the original honeycomb in tact. With that said, I would also believe that clever placement of the CS8 grill hardware meant you didn't have to worry about the nuts being chaffed against anything. I'll just imagine they fell into the honeycomb cavities of the grill, or a nibble here and there allowed them to fit.

 

The above is not the case for the GT-H/Shelby GT/California Special grill shell. It was made to simplify the install of the billet grill without modding the factory grill. I.E. no honeycomb... If you are not a stickler for details, and if good enough is good enough, yes, the CS8 grill will bolt in nicely. If you are like me, then 7/16 of an inch, metal chaffing plastic, and small point uneven contact surface, is unacceptable.

 

So, what to do? Shelby purists, stop here and find something else to read, I'm about to butcher a factory fresh part.

 

Yep, lets do the obvious, clearance it.... Cover the outboard facing surface (the part you will see for sure) in three or more layers of masking tape to protect it. If you mod like a poor person, (I.E. your a contractor like me and all your tools are 1000 miles away) bust out the grease pen, an eighth inch drill bit, half inch drill bit, and razor knife.

 

Add tape near grill mounting holes of shell, on the mounting surface side, this will capture the location of the 6 nuts you cannot see to mark. The screws will leave an impression in the tape. Set grill in the shell, press grill firmly at all corners and the middle, mark locations of remaining grill nuts with grease pen. Remove grill from shell. Drill eighth inch pilot holes from the inboard side (side you wont see) , pointing away from the surfaces we want to stay pretty. Carefully enlarge with three eighths drill bit. Only the top side need be super close to the visible surface, be careful. Trim with knife to make edges pretty. Test fit grill in shell, trim as necc, repeat to suit taste.

 

There are tons of better ways to do this. I did what I had to, because I refuse to buy tools I already have. I'll be going home and getting them in NOV.

 

Pictogram below.

 

Before:

 

During:

 

After:

 

 

Overall i could not be happier. The long studs leave plenty of room for custom fog light brackets to mount to. I got my smooth, flush mounting surface, and an awesome grill with some depth to it. I'll have pictures tomorrow, it was 7pm when I finished all this trimming. total time is about 2 hours or so.

 

p.s. no structural rigidity was lost during this modification.

Edited October 3, 2013 by Ernest

[Ernest]

Here's the installed parts. Pic could be better, but so could the location and time of day. :P

[EL SHELBY]

Nice write-up and thanks for sharing the photos. I seriously wish the none PIAA light verson of the grille was still available. I still may order one of the these.

[Macman756]

It says discontinued on the site. Can you still get these?

[socalwrench]

Probably should ask Jer or Gary, but I was told several months ago that the CS8 grille was still available in limited numbers without the holes. Hopefully that helps.