I waited 12 weeks for the Cuda Tribute grille to arrive. After dismantling a factory 2014 Chally grille months ago, I found the Cuda Tribute Grille by accident on-line, go figure. I chose this grille because it is fiberglass (actually a cap) and does not have all of the surrounding "stuff" to cut away and build returns for. I knew I would have to at least shorten it so being fiberglass, I can re-glass, shape, add, delete and I've done some reverse mold work in the past so I felt comfortable spending the money. The grille has been shortened 7" via cutting headlight buckets loose and trimming each side of the center section. The Cuda Tribute "buckets" are way too small to center on any protruding lens feature of the headlights so I had to enlist the 2014 grille buckets to aid in this purpose
Thanks to Gorilla tape I've been able to mock up 2 distinct looks. Look 1. was to recess the center section so as to leave the factory car nose piece alone. The grille rectangular openings are truncated or funneled , reattaching the forward portion of the center piece ie : recessing the grille section, towards the rearward opening on the light buckets meant pinching the upper and lower horizontal sections together. Not optimum, but I was surprised how much I didn't hate the look.
This morning I thought it was time to mock up the 73 Cuda bumper (yes it will get shortened and tucked) as I knew it would cover the lower portion of the grille and it also lends itself to the natural bow of this late model Chally grille too. With the bumper in place I could start to wrap my head around extending the factory steel nose piece to reach the front of the upper grille as Look #2 and NOT recess the grille center section. I mocked this up with some black closed cell drawer liner I had (used for door seals in my heater/vent rebuild) and put the car back on the ground.
Pics are from eye level, the headlights are starting to look more sinister and with gaps closing up the look of the lights is starting to pay for the time they required to get right. Imagine away the droop in the drawer liner, and a softer vertical radius off the grille and I think this look #2 has potential plus fabbing a new nose piece won't be any more work than all the glass filling needed for Look #1. Once the grille is reunited with the buckets, I'll lay up 4 or 5 more continuous courses on the back for strength (remember this thing is a fascia designed to fit over a factory grille), I will also include hard points for mounting. After this, the next biggest hurdle is the custom trim filler pieces that will join the grille to the inner fender radii. I'm not a big "Murder/Black out" guy so I think the grille will be or have some silver...at least on the 73 Cuda centerpiece... we shall see.
I know some of you guys will hate this...just go easy on me!
Now I'm wondering
o I still have enough A body parts left to qualify for this forum?
Enjoy
Thanks to Gorilla tape I've been able to mock up 2 distinct looks. Look 1. was to recess the center section so as to leave the factory car nose piece alone. The grille rectangular openings are truncated or funneled , reattaching the forward portion of the center piece ie : recessing the grille section, towards the rearward opening on the light buckets meant pinching the upper and lower horizontal sections together. Not optimum, but I was surprised how much I didn't hate the look.
This morning I thought it was time to mock up the 73 Cuda bumper (yes it will get shortened and tucked) as I knew it would cover the lower portion of the grille and it also lends itself to the natural bow of this late model Chally grille too. With the bumper in place I could start to wrap my head around extending the factory steel nose piece to reach the front of the upper grille as Look #2 and NOT recess the grille center section. I mocked this up with some black closed cell drawer liner I had (used for door seals in my heater/vent rebuild) and put the car back on the ground.
Pics are from eye level, the headlights are starting to look more sinister and with gaps closing up the look of the lights is starting to pay for the time they required to get right. Imagine away the droop in the drawer liner, and a softer vertical radius off the grille and I think this look #2 has potential plus fabbing a new nose piece won't be any more work than all the glass filling needed for Look #1. Once the grille is reunited with the buckets, I'll lay up 4 or 5 more continuous courses on the back for strength (remember this thing is a fascia designed to fit over a factory grille), I will also include hard points for mounting. After this, the next biggest hurdle is the custom trim filler pieces that will join the grille to the inner fender radii. I'm not a big "Murder/Black out" guy so I think the grille will be or have some silver...at least on the 73 Cuda centerpiece... we shall see.
I know some of you guys will hate this...just go easy on me!
Now I'm wondering
o I still have enough A body parts left to qualify for this forum? Enjoy
Last edited:
