Hood Scoop and Grill Mesh

[anothernord]

I recently picked up some gutter guard steel mesh from my local Home Depot for around 6$ and decided to spice up my grill and hood scoop. The results are pretty nice.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/

For the grill, I just removed the whole assembly then cut two pieces of mesh for each half of the grill. I then used some lockwashers to hold the mesh in place.


https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/10/IMG_2656-1.jpg

On my 97 Outback, I had to cut out the hood insulator to get to the metal baffle that covers the scoop. Once that was off, I just bent a piece of mesh around the inside of the scoop, the reinstalled the baffle over it to keep out water and debris.

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p310/anothernord/IMG_2660.jpg

The final piece was put behind the license plate to protect my brand new air conditioner condenser from the rocks that destroyed the last one. My mesh actually came with some clips that attached perfectly to the top rear of the bumper - right in front of the radiator.

[avryco]

not bad...how long did it take?

[anothernord]

It took about 2 hours total to get all three pieces fitted, but the scoop mesh itself took the longest, because of all the bending and cutting that was required. I took my time though; I wanted it too look more professional and less ricer-ish :wink:

[jg09]

The stuff behind the stock plastic grille looks cooler than I thought it would, I might try that on my car. You should take it to the next level and replace your fog covers with some mesh units.

[anothernord]

^ Actually I have been thinking about fog light replacements - My right side foggie is totally broken and it needs to be replaced... maybe some hella 500's...

[jg09]

Check out www.andyautosport.com (http://www.andyautosport.com). The site mostly caters to the "ricer" type, but I know that they have some sweet lights that are made to work with the Outback fog light holes/mounting system/wiring.

[jg09]

Might put the 4th ones down from the top (PR# 5461) on mine:

http://www.andysautosport.com/subaru/19 ... ghts/piaa/ (http://www.andysautosport.com/subaru/1997_2001_outback/lights/fog_lights/piaa/)

[anothernord]

Yeah, I was just looking at the PIAA's. Iv'e seen them done on the 1st gen Outbacks before. What's the difference between the 540's and the 510's?

[jg09]

Hard to say. It looks like it's the cover only, but I do see this as a difference in the explanations of the products:

from the 510: "Ion Crystal Fog SAE compliant."

from the 540: "Xtreme White Driving SAE compliant"

Almost sounds like the same thing, only with different words, though.

[anothernord]

After a few quick searches I found that the 510's are only 4' in diameter and the 540's are 5 1/8 inch, which is closer to the size of the stockers.

[jg09]

Aha! I'm surprised that they both say that they're specifically for the same car.

[GTDrifter]

nice job

but as for cutting the hood insulator that was unnecessary....you just pull the plastic circles out and it comes right off then you just put it back in place and put the circles back in place and its like you never removed it...thats how i got to the hood scoop backing plate