defconskylude

So it's been awhile eh?

I got paid to do a custom grill for the 09-10 TSX using an MDX grill. I will only be using the center piece of the MDX and using 2 honeycomb grill on the top and bottom in the background. Purchased an extra 09-10 OEM grill from China so it should arrive 2-3 weeks from now.

MDX grill and 2 honeycomb grills should arrive in a week.

Will be taking pics of the progress of course.

When this is done, the member will have his own thread of the completed product.

This should be very interesting to see how this turns out.













For those that havent seen it before, here's the completed MDX grill conversion on my 11' TSX.

Mischa25

I am so excited on the grill and I can't wait to see it. Thank you.

Morrissey25

iTrader: (4)

Sub'd for progress updates...

Grigio09

iTrader: (1)

Nice.. Love too see this.

ed_423

can't wait!

defconskylude

http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8328628236/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8328628236/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8328628302/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8328628302/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8327569665/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8327569665/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr

KillerG

wish there was a way to use the smaller emblem, will still look great,

curious to see the final product and how it looks compared to yours!

btw, searching on ebay for "09 tsx lip" shows like 10 pics of your car lol

ssjoeboe9

I'm interested to see how this turns out.. mostly because this is how I want my grille.

I looked into doing this and estimated it would cost just under $500 to complete it myself.

Half the price of the project is just getting that bar (with the right sized emblem)
Spoke to ronjon sport design and asked them how much for just the bar on their TL sports grille,(they really got my hopes up,and originally told me they still had old bars from when they were working to make a TSX grille, then he got back to me and said they had none) and they quoted me $235 shipped. Also, they didnt know when they could actually make it because they would first have to sell out of the grilles they had before they made new ones.And once they made new ones they would custom make a bar just for me.

Soooo in the end, just way too much time and money would have to go into this project for it to work out for me at this time. Maybe later down the road *sigh*

defconskylude

i started to do a take down on the 09 TSX grill and i realize i have to cut out the middle portion. ill take some new pics tomorrow.

defconskylude

some progress

im still re-using the 09 TSX grill so it can be easily reinstalled on the car using OEM tabs

trimmed a couple of tabs on both ends. also trimmed off the top and bottom tabs in the back of the chrome piece to allow it to sit a bit flush

cut out the top part of the 09 TSX grill

asking my guy if he wants to keep the lower mesh grill and figure out what to fill out on the top.

or just look at the last pic where its just a honeycomb grill


_MG_5395 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5396 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5397 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5398 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5399 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5400 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5401 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5402 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5403 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5404 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5405 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5406 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5407 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5408 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5409 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5410 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5411 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5412 by defconskylude, on Flickr

odus

iTrader: (1)

interesting

Mischa25

yeah looks great

KillerG

looks pretty interesting! in for results!

@joe 235 for just the center bar piece?

ssjoeboe9

yeah seemed pretty steep, then again... look how much they are selling the whole thing for. I also didn't try and work out a deal cause I don't have time to start the project yet.

KillerG

i love how there is demand for this product and yet no one wants to sell it lol.

i hope you get close to the holy grail defcon.

defconskylude

ok i talked to my guy and he wants the honeycomb grill to fill in that void on top. so ill be tracing the honeycomb grill over that void and JB Weld it to the TSX grill.

defconskylude

thanks man.

scooterb84

iTrader: (1)

Sub'd. Interested in seeing the final result!

UA6

Grigio09

iTrader: (1)

Cant wait to see the finals product

defconskylude

i put my hood visor for sale if anyone is interested $275 plus shipping

https://acurazine.com/forums/car-parts-sale-361/09-12-tsx-hood-visor-rare-%24275-877190/

ssjoeboe9

Damn dude, ur Gunna make a profit on that used part. Isi was selling hers(new) for $200 shipped internationally.

defconskylude

hells ya. i got a expensive gun to buy. if it doesnt sell its ok.

mrstak

iTrader: (1)

thinking about your financial situation from a previous thread...thought u were gonna hold out on buying anymore guns...not trying to sound like your advisor but car > gun yes?

defconskylude

yes im working on it.

an opportunity came up. looking to see if i can get it.

ssjoeboe9

Kinda with Defcon..

Gunsssss are sweet, especially if you can get a deal on them. If you take care of your gun they rarely depreciate in value, no matter how long you own it.

Car.. not so much.

defconskylude

Testing out different pieces

2 piece honey comb cut out

_MG_5485 by defconskylude, on Flickr


Honeycomb grill on top. middle is clear

_MG_5486 by defconskylude, on Flickr

No honeycomb grill. Solid Kydex black sheet would go on top only. Middle would be clear

_MG_5493 by defconskylude, on Flickr


_MG_5484 by defconskylude, on Flickr


Honeycomb looks too cluttered. It doesn't look clean.

_MG_5481 by defconskylude, on Flickr

KillerG

remove lower also, no way to get uniformity otherwise

ed_423

^+1

defconskylude

were going to try for solid black plastic on top. mdx grill will have a clear background

like this

KillerG

that shits gonna look weird too, best way to do it is the way you already did it, drop the top and lower mesh and pick a uniform backing, OR you can buy another lower mesh and mod it to fit into the top... (me 2 cents sorry)

defconskylude

ya i agree killer. we'll see

i was thinking something like this. i can trim the top part to fit above the MDX piece.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354253/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354253/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354467/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354467/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354361/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354361/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354333/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354333/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8455449074/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8455449074/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr






some other ideas

http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354297/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354297/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr



see how far the mdx piece sticks out?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8455449104/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8455449104/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354493/http://www.flickr.com/photos/defcon008/8454354493/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/defcon008/, on Flickr

rondog

iTrader: (1)

Sometimes you are better off building from scratch than trying to make sometghing work that is just a little off with the angles and dimensions. Nice work so far, but there is a small compromise without being able to control all dimensions. I'm talking about the size of the emblem, how much it sticks out and the difference in angle between the TSX frame and the MDX wings.

KillerG

@ ron: you could always make us a grille =}

@ def: so i have this idea for you: cut the wings off the MDX center bar, drop the middle, and pick up a standalone acura raised center emblem holder so its normal sized and you can bring the mdx wings in, repaint/rechrome them all to a uniform color, aftermarket mesh in the back, and then the last issue is how to close up the top

ssjoeboe9

@ron... I contacted yall about buying just the center bar with emblem but you guys were a little out of my price range for something I was gunna have to make and modify myself.

@killer.. I thought about that a while ago, the problem is when you do that you shorten the overall length of the the bar. then the bar won't overlap the existing smiley face part of the grille. You will be short on either end and it will look like the blue CU2 wagon that Ed posted.

Timmy18

The MDX grill is tricky to work with. Your progress so far has been great, but have you tried a different approach, such as installing the MDX grill in from behind the TSX grill trim? That wouldn't cause the A emblem and vars to stick out so far, and it would allow you to clean up the way the bars meet the trim. With this set up, you could possibly resolve the way the A emblem stick out a inch or so from the TSX's lower grill mesh. I made a few PS renderings/ edits/ chops to further explain.

Use the parts circled in red.

Out come.


My suggestion: Cut rectangular slots out of the back side of the TSX grill trim and insert MDX grill (bars) into the slots to make a fresh/ clean look. This allows for the TSX lower grill mesh and MDX grill to sit closer, making it also look cleaner. Since the honeycomb looks out of place, use either MDX grill plate or orig TSX grill to feel in the upper gap. (MDX grill may not line up with either) Try heating the plastics (are they plastic) up and bending them to needed shape till the harden. Image below explains.



Combo of the MDX and TSX grill parts.

defconskylude

before i saw all the suggestions we came up with this so far

i actually cut out the MDX edges to make it shorter and the cut a hole on the sides of the inner 09 grill. this will allow me to tuck in the MDX edges inside the 09 grill for some stability.

my buyer ended asking me to just cut up the MDX piece into 3 pieces so it will allow me to have the A be closer to the mesh grill

so now i have to use some JB weld to glue them back together.

i like the idea of cutting up the 09 beak and re-using it on top of the MDX piece. ill ask my buyer.


_MG_5522 by defconskylude, on Flickr

defconskylude

great idea. ill ask my guy if he wants me to try this.

ok he liked the idea so im going to cut up the 09 shield

ssjoeboe9

dont FFF up!

Timmy18

Glad my insight could help with this project. We seem to have had about the same ideas too. Could we see a finished product video maybe? Does this guy have a build thread or anything? I'm interested in how this all turns out and looks on his TSX.

Keep up the good work and RonJon might be calling you in for a job. ;D If not other skill-challenged people might be sending you TSX grills left and right!