99-04 grille

PABowhunter · Apr 16, 2013

Trying to decide what kind of grille to put on my truck. Leaning towards one piece billet. Thought about 05 conversion, but everyone does that. I do have 05 harley headlights. Trying to keep a good mix of black and chrome. Thought about throwing some paint to match in there.

Here's a picture of my truck as it sits now ( ignore the chevy, lol). Any thoughts, suggestions, and pictures would be appreciated.

CSIPSD · Apr 16, 2013

If you change your grill I'll take that one. Mines seen one too many winters and the chrome is now peeling.

yzrmbsg · Apr 16, 2013

My current grille is the vertical one, originally a gloss black, but I plasti-dipped it for the matte/flat finish....and my old stock grille modified for the billet inserts, at first I left it chrome....then painted it black.

7.3 Whitey · Apr 16, 2013

How did you get rid of the chrome lights?

yzrmbsg · Apr 16, 2013

7.3 Whitey said:
How did you get rid of the chrome lights?

Chrome lights? My headlights? They are some aftermarket brand that came with the truck when I bought it. No name on them, but I am very happy with them comparing them to my buddies trucks with the stock lights.

Josh@DirtyDiesels · Apr 16, 2013

Forget what brand this was (pic is from 08) but I loved this grille on my old 7.3. It was a full billet grille with a polished metal shell and everything. Billet ford emblem too. Super nice piece and looked awesome.

PABowhunter · Apr 16, 2013

dzlpwr said:
Forget what brand this was (pic is from 08) but I loved this grille on my old 7.3. It was a full billet grille with a polished metal shell and everything. Billet ford emblem too. Super nice piece and looked awesome.

Haven't see this look on a 99-04, but I like it! Like the full billet and how it keeps the ford emblem. Do you remember where you got it?

yzrmbsg · Apr 16, 2013

That looks like a stock bezel, with the one piece billet insert, instead of the 3 piece like mine was, with the stock ford emblem off the original grille. The spacing between the bars is just tight enough to keep it in place and be able to put the push washers on the back of it.

PABowhunter · Apr 16, 2013

I think I may have seen something like that except it had an international logo on it

Josh@DirtyDiesels · Apr 16, 2013

Don't remember details on this grille. It was 5 years ago and my buddy who had the truck before me put the grille on. It was not a stock bezel. The bezel was metal.

CSIPSD · Apr 17, 2013

dzlpwr said:
Don't remember details on this grille. It was 5 years ago and my buddy who had the truck before me put the grille on. It was not a stock bezel. The bezel was metal.

yup. My wife has the same grill on her Excursion, its all metal, and a solid piece

Josh@DirtyDiesels · Apr 17, 2013

CSIPSD said:
yup. My wife has the same grill on her Excursion, its all metal, and a solid piece

Yessir. Super nice grille. Wish I knew who made it cause I kind of want one for my new 7.3

Dittmerdiesel · Apr 17, 2013

Always have liked how simple these are. Machined 05 and up to fit 99-04.

PABowhunter · Apr 17, 2013

I looked t-Rex grilles and the inserts seem like good quality, but they use cut out stock grilles. These may be all metal one piece construction. http://www.american-truck-auto.com/billet/roadmax_ford_grilles.shtml

Koda22 · Apr 17, 2013

Dittmerdiesel said:
Always have liked how simple these are. Machined 05 and up to fit 99-04.

This looks very good and clean...I saw on eBay where they were selling these already cut for a 99-04 truck...just not sure how well they are cut or if they even are....any one ever buy one from eBay?

Dittmerdiesel · Apr 17, 2013

This was an Ebay one. If i did it again id probably just get a mkm cut grille. They are like $200 I think, and you can get paintable for the same price.

GCncsuHD · Apr 17, 2013

Dittmerdiesel said:
This was an Ebay one. If i did it again id probably just get a mkm cut grille. They are like $200 I think, and you can get paintable for the same price.

I bought the MKM one, just to save me some setup time hand cutting an 05 grille. Their "machine cut" looked like it was done by a monkey, the edge was clean and not jagged, but the cut line was wavy. Also the little clips that clip in at the bottom, were 2 different styles, weird I thought, but oh well clipped right in and wouldn't be seen after it's on anyway. Well after one winter, one of those clips has almost completely rusted while the other looks brand new.

In hindsight I would get a grille and an emblem for around $100 and just do it myself.

Dittmerdiesel · Apr 17, 2013

Well then, I guess I won't go with them next time haha. I don't even remember who I got mine from, but it was good quality. If you cut it yourself wouldnt you have to find a way to attach the clips on the back of the grille? Or do they line up correctly?

GCncsuHD · Apr 17, 2013

Dittmerdiesel said:
Well then, I guess I won't go with them next time haha. I don't even remember who I got mine from, but it was good quality. If you cut it yourself wouldnt you have to find a way to attach the clips on the back of the grille? Or do they line up correctly?

Yes you would have to attach the clips, but it is relatively simple. I bought mine through ebay, but it was a MKM vendor.

Don't get me wrong, it looks great from a few feet away, and if I wasn't so anal about fitment, and the fact that they tout it being "precision machined" (me formerly being a machinist by trade), it wouldn't bother me, but I just expected more for the price. No one else has ever noticed it on my truck and I've had a couple people ask about the 05-07 grille on the 99-04 and look it over.