View Poll Results: Rockyfeller asks; How should my grille look?
A-Spec Emblem
16
19.05%
Floating "A" Emblem
48
57.14%
A-Spec and Floating "A" emblems
12
14.29%
No Emblems at all
8
9.52%
Voters: 84. You may not vote on this poll
Rockyfeller asks; How should my grille look?
01-02-2008, 01:20 PM
#1
Rockyfeller asks; How should my grille look?
As some of you know I meshed out my grilles and I'm lovin it!! Now I am deciding how I want to finish it out. I am usually a pretty decisive person but I am really on the fence about how I want this. Frankly I see pros and cons about each possibility. (Those of you guys who have already done these mods, please don't take offense to my comments, no judgements passed yet, I'm just brainstorming. I can understand why people would say these pros/cons) I know I can't ask without some photos for you bunch of photofreaks out there. I was about to photoshop but I thought this would be easier and more accurate. I took photos of 4 ways I'd consider doing emblems on my meshed out grille. I did a head-on as well as an angle shot to give a better perspective. Tell me what you guys think by voting!
Option 1: This is with the A-Spec symbol offset to the right. (disregard the tape that I used to hold it up temporarily) I got this idea from PPLAPW and I seem to be leaning toward this right now. It could be centered like I've seen on some TSXs but I think offset is better and sporty.
pros - discreet and simple and clean. gives the car a custom look and preserves an aggressive look.
cons - dosen't look stock, emblem looks out of place, maybe too simple.
Option 2: This is with the Acura "A" in the center as we call the "floating A". Pioneered by darksom and a favorite of my wife.
pros - lends a factory look to the car, makes the front end look really together and complete, gives the car Acura identity let there be no mistake.
cons - takes away a little bit from the aggresive appearance of the open gape, a bit disproportionate, looks a bit Honda Accordish, too OEM stock looking.
Option 3: This is with both the floating A in the center and the A-Spec symbol offset
pros - lends a factory look to the car, makes the front end look really together and complete, gives the car Acura identity let there be no mistake.
cons - takes away a little bit from the aggresive appearance of the open gape, a bit disproportionate, too OEM stock looking, too busy, too over the top, overdone.
Option 4: This is leaving it just the way it is, plain Jane. No emblems.
pros: The most aggressive look giving that open mouth gape, clean look, gives the car a sporty customized appearance, original and sets itself apart clearly from 99% of the TLs on the road.
cons: Too plain, looks like something is missing, looks a little too homemade, dosen't flow with the rest of the car, dosen't look OEM stock.
As you can see I am thinking about a lot of factors here that contradict each other. I'm looking for the best of all worlds.
Option 1: This is with the A-Spec symbol offset to the right. (disregard the tape that I used to hold it up temporarily) I got this idea from PPLAPW and I seem to be leaning toward this right now. It could be centered like I've seen on some TSXs but I think offset is better and sporty.
pros - discreet and simple and clean. gives the car a custom look and preserves an aggressive look.
cons - dosen't look stock, emblem looks out of place, maybe too simple.
Option 2: This is with the Acura "A" in the center as we call the "floating A". Pioneered by darksom and a favorite of my wife.
pros - lends a factory look to the car, makes the front end look really together and complete, gives the car Acura identity let there be no mistake.
cons - takes away a little bit from the aggresive appearance of the open gape, a bit disproportionate, looks a bit Honda Accordish, too OEM stock looking.
Option 3: This is with both the floating A in the center and the A-Spec symbol offset
pros - lends a factory look to the car, makes the front end look really together and complete, gives the car Acura identity let there be no mistake.
cons - takes away a little bit from the aggresive appearance of the open gape, a bit disproportionate, too OEM stock looking, too busy, too over the top, overdone.
Option 4: This is leaving it just the way it is, plain Jane. No emblems.
pros: The most aggressive look giving that open mouth gape, clean look, gives the car a sporty customized appearance, original and sets itself apart clearly from 99% of the TLs on the road.
cons: Too plain, looks like something is missing, looks a little too homemade, dosen't flow with the rest of the car, dosen't look OEM stock.
As you can see I am thinking about a lot of factors here that contradict each other. I'm looking for the best of all worlds.
01-02-2008, 01:26 PM
#2
Your Friendly Canadian
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waitaminutewaitamunute!
for Option B, why is it that the stock look is both on pros and cons?
IMHO, whichever you decide would look great on a TL, but I'd prefer Option A.
Maybe a Type-S badge instead?
might be a bit ricey but it would look nice.
for Option B, why is it that the stock look is both on pros and cons?
IMHO, whichever you decide would look great on a TL, but I'd prefer Option A.
Maybe a Type-S badge instead?
might be a bit ricey but it would look nice.
01-02-2008, 01:31 PM
#3
AZ Community Team
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Need this as a Poll. (WOW! I say it and it happens. It's like magic. Wish it worked like that at home. 
)
"B" for me. Clean, but not empty.
Then "Angle Eye"/Illuminate the "A". (j/k. Well, mostly .... hmmm? .... naw, probably too ricey
.)
You might consider the smaller Rear Decklid "A" and/or Painting the "A" Body Colored. Not sure if that's a good idea .... you've got Chrome elsewhere that the "A" ties into.
Definetly some form of "B", though.
)"B" for me. Clean, but not empty.
Then "Angle Eye"/Illuminate the "A". (j/k. Well, mostly .... hmmm? .... naw, probably too ricey
.)You might consider the smaller Rear Decklid "A" and/or Painting the "A" Body Colored. Not sure if that's a good idea .... you've got Chrome elsewhere that the "A" ties into.
Definetly some form of "B", though.
01-02-2008, 01:33 PM
#5
Originally Posted by Fyre Man
waitaminutewaitamunute!
for Option B, why is it that the stock look is both on pros and cons?
IMHO, whichever you decide would look great on a TL, but I'd prefer Option A.
Maybe a Type-S badge instead? might be a bit ricey but it would look nice.
for Option B, why is it that the stock look is both on pros and cons?
IMHO, whichever you decide would look great on a TL, but I'd prefer Option A.
Maybe a Type-S badge instead?
might be a bit ricey but it would look nice.lol yes that's what I mean, my thoughts are contradictory. The floating A looks stock meaning that could be a good thing (keepin it looking discreet like it came from the factory and it isn't home-made) but it could be a bad thing (boring or unnoticable. It took me days and days of work on it and if it looks too stock it kinda feels like it was in vain.)
Nah, I'm not doin a Type-S badge lol! I'm not trying to copy a type-S either. I am going for the A-Spec look. It is what it is.
01-02-2008, 01:37 PM
#6
Originally Posted by rockyfeller
It took me days and days of work on it and if it looks too stock it kinda feels like it was in vain.)
I know you're not ignoring me... Where's the write up pn how you did the "big hole"? I've read PPALW write up, but what did you differently? What CF did you use? Mesh did you use? Close up pics?
01-02-2008, 02:02 PM
#7
it's me, Alan Rickman.
Floating A and nothing else...
No badges = looks like the car is missing parts
A-Spec Badge only = off balance
Floating A = nice
Floating A + A Spec = too much
No badges = looks like the car is missing parts
A-Spec Badge only = off balance
Floating A = nice
Floating A + A Spec = too much
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01-02-2008, 02:04 PM
#8
Originally Posted by Kennedy
I know you're not ignoring me... Where's the write up pn how you did the "big hole"? I've read PPALW write up, but what did you differently? What CF did you use? Mesh did you use? Close up pics?
HAHAHA Kennedy you know I didn't forget you man, are you that impatient? jkidding. I'm not ignoring you, I am planning a big write up on my mods but since you asked me so many times I will go into a lil detail about your question.
I followed a lot of what PPLAPW had to say and I credit him big-time with my grille. I bought the same type of carbon fiber sheet as he did. It is a black/grey pattern. I also bought a "Type III" vinyl carbon fiber overlay on a roll for a different project as well. I was really impressed with this stuff and it's so close to the real thing. It's also a bit more silver/greyish and a much better match with my anthracite paint!
PPLAPW used a cut piece of plastic to fill in the hole in the grille and used regular Bondo to patch it up and sand it and glued the real carbon fiber cut into 4 pieces on top. I would have wanted to do my carbon-fiber in 1 piece but with the compound curves I had to deal with I realized that's not possible with this readymade stuff. (Unless I was molding on some fresh CF!) It is flexible to some degree but not enough. It's not easy cutting an exact template for this piece, it's pretty complicated. I tried doing it in 2 pieces. Still tough. I realize now why PPLAPW had to do 4 seperate pieces. It's just easier to cut and deal with it this way. Problem is, I don't like the joints it made and your cutting has to be super perfect! I made minor mistakes and I got it OK but I was not happy with it.
After a lot of trial and error and research I found that Bondo is not advisable to use on the plastic bumper. It is not flexible and will be prone to cracking fast. It will not adhere unless an adhesion promotor is used and even then it isn't meant for plastic. It needs to be covered with primer/paint to last at all. I bought Bondo's fiberglass repair kit, but I was wary because I didn't know what to do with it. I returned it and bought Bondo's bumper repair kit. Now this is the stuff you want!! It has 2 parts like an epoxy glue and dries to a beautiful flexible plastic material. It can be shaped nicely sanded and painted! The only problem is it is a bit hard to work with and sets REALLY fast. You need to do really a little at a time. Also adhesion is only good, not great.
I thought OK cool I will use the PPLAPW method and use small pieces of real carbon fiber to plug up the hole, and use the bumper filler this instead of regular Bondo. Instead of doing the 4-piece carbon fiber, I'll sand and finish it off and paint it like darksom's grille. I didn't realize how hard this would be and abandoned it. I went back to overlaying it with carbon fiber like PPLAPW and saw the finished product.....I was not happy. The joints were visible and it looked really homemade. I decided to take the vinyl carbon fiber overlay I have around and I took it and wrapped it on top of it and trimmed it. I was SOOOO much happier with that look!! It totally smoothed out the panel. You can't see the joints now and it actually goes with my car way better. It's not real carbon fiber but you can't tell!
The only disadvatage I see is durabality. It seems a little fragile to me right now and I will have to do something about it by summer. If I can't find a permament solution I just might have to get a bodyshop redo it for me the right way like darksom. But for now, it looks good!
01-02-2008, 05:35 PM
#14
Senior Moderator
I would do this one, but with a few modifications:
Cut the center bar off and have the A symbol really float. move it down a little and reposition it as it is angled way too much. Also use a finer mesh, this one looks like it belongs on boxes, not a grille.
Cut the center bar off and have the A symbol really float. move it down a little and reposition it as it is angled way too much. Also use a finer mesh, this one looks like it belongs on boxes, not a grille.
01-02-2008, 06:42 PM
#15
Option 4 reminds me of a person without a nose. Kind of like the futurama episode where aliens steal Fry's nose. It looks like something is missing and really awkward... not aggressive (to me at least).
I'd go with the floating A. Option 3 is ok if you dont mind the disproportionate non symmetrical look which would drive me crazy.
I'd go with the floating A. Option 3 is ok if you dont mind the disproportionate non symmetrical look which would drive me crazy.
01-02-2008, 08:57 PM
#18
Originally Posted by csmeance
Cut the center bar off and have the A symbol really float. move it down a little and reposition it as it is angled way too much. Also use a finer mesh, this one looks like it belongs on boxes, not a grille.
The grille mesh I used is not like the others you have seen on the forum. It is high quality automotive grade and it is actually quite small and fine. There were other designs available that look like a BBQ grille. I will show you with a close-up later but the picture makes the grille design/pattern coalesce to make it look like a bigger than it is. You'll see what I mean later.
01-02-2008, 10:16 PM
#19
~Da Nocturnal Cheetah~
Attention!!
Ok...now I shall give my ruling...
Option 1 -
I have never liked the appearance of the badge to the side on the TL. The badge is too small, and the area is too big to pull it off. It worked with smaller grilles, because well, they were smaller. But the TL opening is too large to have something "off to the side"...
Option 2 -
First of all, this opinion is not based on me having it, but rather, I have it because of this. The floating A fills that area correctly and neatly. I totally disagree with the "not aggressive" comments. In fact, quite a few people have commented (passersby), that the floating A in the open grille gives a sort of mean look to the TL. A departure from the mundane look of the original grille. Plus, that mean look does not take away from the car's appearance, and therefore is the reason why it looks "stock". But stock look in a good way. Like the car could have come that way. My grille mesh by the way is certainly not bulky, and is one of the chief selling points of the sexiness of the work that was done. The TL is not a hot rod. It is an entry-level luxury car. I just gave it personality, but it kept it's status! 
Option 3 -
Too busy...nuff said!
Option 4 - For some, meh
, but for me 
Man, the idea of leaving that gaping, cavernous bug trap in the center of the front of my car is
!! It just says nothing, and adds nothing to the car - but detracts from it's good looks and makes it look like some hot rod born in a barn behind a haystack! It looks like it should have numbers on the side of the car, and painted orange like the "General Lee"!! 
Rocky, if you can remember, we deliberated over this before, and it was mostly understood that the floating A was the best choice for that space. Now, I understand you want to be different, and I welcome different. Hell I encourage it. But my opinion is not different from the beginning when we initially discussed this in the annals of the "Grille Thread"! Good luck on whichever one you choose Rocky! At the least, because you evolved beyond Photoshop, onto the canvas of the real world - your car is already a hit IMO!
- Ya boy Dark!
Option 1 -
I have never liked the appearance of the badge to the side on the TL. The badge is too small, and the area is too big to pull it off. It worked with smaller grilles, because well, they were smaller. But the TL opening is too large to have something "off to the side"...
Option 2 -
First of all, this opinion is not based on me having it
, but rather, I have it because of this. The floating A fills that area correctly and neatly. I totally disagree with the "not aggressive" comments. In fact, quite a few people have commented (passersby), that the floating A in the open grille gives a sort of mean look to the TL. A departure from the mundane look of the original grille. Plus, that mean look does not take away from the car's appearance, and therefore is the reason why it looks "stock". But stock look in a good way. Like the car could have come that way. My grille mesh by the way is certainly not bulky, and is one of the chief selling points of the sexiness of the work that was done. The TL is not a hot rod. It is an entry-level luxury car. I just gave it personality, but it kept it's status! Option 3 -
Too busy...nuff said!
Option 4 - For some, meh
, but for me Man, the idea of leaving that gaping, cavernous bug trap in the center of the front of my car is
!! It just says nothing, and adds nothing to the car - but detracts from it's good looks and makes it look like some hot rod born in a barn behind a haystack! It looks like it should have numbers on the side of the car, and painted orange like the "General Lee"!! Rocky, if you can remember, we deliberated over this before, and it was mostly understood that the floating A was the best choice for that space. Now, I understand you want to be different, and I welcome different. Hell I encourage it. But my opinion is not different from the beginning when we initially discussed this in the annals of the "Grille Thread"! Good luck on whichever one you choose Rocky! At the least, because you evolved beyond Photoshop, onto the canvas of the real world - your car is already a hit IMO!
- Ya boy Dark!
01-02-2008, 10:36 PM
#21
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by rockyfeller
I'm not sure what you mean, the center bar is cut off already. The angle of the floating "A" is where it should be. It's in line with the front end. If I lined it up against the grille it would be at a totally different angle and wouldn't look right.
The grille mesh I used is not like the others you have seen on the forum. It is high quality automotive grade and it is actually quite small and fine. There were other designs available that look like a BBQ grille. I will show you with a close-up later but the picture makes the grille design/pattern coalesce to make it look like a bigger than it is. You'll see what I mean later.
The grille mesh I used is not like the others you have seen on the forum. It is high quality automotive grade and it is actually quite small and fine. There were other designs available that look like a BBQ grille. I will show you with a close-up later but the picture makes the grille design/pattern coalesce to make it look like a bigger than it is. You'll see what I mean later.
01-03-2008, 12:20 AM
#23
Senior Moderator
The way darksom's A symol is looks good in my opinion.
01-03-2008, 01:17 AM
#24
Rocky: The way you described it is the EXACT way I did it. First off, I didn't know what I was getting into when I began. Too bad cutting the center bar is the point of no return!
Once I had the carbon fiber in my hands and started playing with it, I realized if would be really, really difficult to overlap it on the plastic. I tried one piece. Then two. Then just ended up with four pieces like you stated. I wasn't as happy as I would have like to been. So I began doing some research on how to do a "profesional" carbon fiber wrap.
That led me to these guys:
http://www.tapplastics.com/
I was fortunate enough to have them local, so I went over to their store and they explained to me the very long and tedious process of 'wrapping' my grill in carbon fiber. The guy that helped me out said it was very possible, but due to the bends, it would be hard. Plus it would cost me a pretty penny, for some raw carbon fiber, resin, and some other chemicals. So I opted to just ignore my grill for now and later on either paint it like Darksom1 or redo the carbon fiber.
In regards to the bondo, you are right! It will crack and is not for plastic. I learned this from a body shop when I was inquiring about painting my grill. He said to use epoxy resin which is mean't for plastic.
If you are wondering what I did with my TL...I sold it,
And I never did anything else to the grill.
Anyways, just though I'd share that.
If I were you, I would either leave it empty, or mount the Aspec symbol by it self. No floating A! IMO, it defeats the purpose of the 'custom' look. [No hard feeling Darksom1, I still love your grill]
Here are some semi closer pictures for the Aspec grill...
Let us know what you decide!
Once I had the carbon fiber in my hands and started playing with it, I realized if would be really, really difficult to overlap it on the plastic. I tried one piece. Then two. Then just ended up with four pieces like you stated. I wasn't as happy as I would have like to been. So I began doing some research on how to do a "profesional" carbon fiber wrap.
That led me to these guys:
http://www.tapplastics.com/
I was fortunate enough to have them local, so I went over to their store and they explained to me the very long and tedious process of 'wrapping' my grill in carbon fiber. The guy that helped me out said it was very possible, but due to the bends, it would be hard. Plus it would cost me a pretty penny, for some raw carbon fiber, resin, and some other chemicals. So I opted to just ignore my grill for now and later on either paint it like Darksom1 or redo the carbon fiber.
In regards to the bondo, you are right! It will crack and is not for plastic. I learned this from a body shop when I was inquiring about painting my grill. He said to use epoxy resin which is mean't for plastic.
If you are wondering what I did with my TL...I sold it,
And I never did anything else to the grill.Anyways, just though I'd share that.
If I were you, I would either leave it empty, or mount the Aspec symbol by it self. No floating A! IMO, it defeats the purpose of the 'custom' look. [No hard feeling Darksom1, I still love your grill]
Here are some semi closer pictures for the Aspec grill...
Let us know what you decide!
01-03-2008, 09:21 AM
#27
Darky, you picture freak! How did I know you were going to plaster Stella pics up here?? It's all good, your car is just a beauty, love it. Seems like the votes are swaying in your favor so far.....we'll see how this turns out!
I really like it all different ways! I feel like doing option 1 for 2008 and doing option 2 for 2009. LOL! Just keep changing around as I get sick of the look. There's a thought!
I really like it all different ways! I feel like doing option 1 for 2008 and doing option 2 for 2009. LOL! Just keep changing around as I get sick of the look. There's a thought!
01-03-2008, 12:39 PM
#31
~Da Nocturnal Cheetah~
Originally Posted by rockyfeller
c'mon guys, 420 views and only 57 votes?? It takes .05 sec to vote!
Yo Brian, keep your head up over there in India dawgggg!!
01-03-2008, 12:43 PM
#32
~Da Nocturnal Cheetah~
Originally Posted by Bearcat94
Need this as a Poll. (WOW! I say it and it happens. It's like magic. Wish it worked like that at home. )
"B" for me. Clean, but not empty.
Then "Angle Eye"/Illuminate the "A". (j/k. Well, mostly .... hmmm? .... naw, probably too ricey .)
You might consider the smaller Rear Decklid "A" and/or Painting the "A" Body Colored. Not sure if that's a good idea .... you've got Chrome elsewhere that the "A" ties into.
Definetly some form of "B", though.
)"B" for me. Clean, but not empty.
Then "Angle Eye"/Illuminate the "A". (j/k. Well, mostly .... hmmm? .... naw, probably too ricey
.)You might consider the smaller Rear Decklid "A" and/or Painting the "A" Body Colored. Not sure if that's a good idea .... you've got Chrome elsewhere that the "A" ties into.
Definetly some form of "B", though.
01-03-2008, 12:51 PM
#33
Your Friendly Canadian
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I think, if you're going to go with the Aspec badge, you might want to put it a bit lower, towards the botom left corner. as for the floating A, darksom is starting to convert me. lol
01-03-2008, 12:52 PM
#34
~Da Nocturnal Cheetah~
Originally Posted by Fyre Man
I think, if you're going to go with the Aspec badge, you might want to put it a bit lower, towards the botom left corner. as for the floating A, darksom is starting to convert me. lol
01-03-2008, 01:06 PM
#35
~Da Nocturnal Cheetah~
Originally Posted by rockyfeller
Darky, you picture freak! How did I know you were going to plaster Stella pics up here?? It's all good, your car is just a beauty, love it. Seems like the votes are swaying in your favor so far.....we'll see how this turns out!
I really like it all different ways! I feel like doing option 1 for 2010 and doing option 2 for 2008. LOL! Just keep changing around as I get sick of the look. There's a thought!
I really like it all different ways! I feel like doing option 1 for 2010 and doing option 2 for 2008. LOL! Just keep changing around as I get sick of the look. There's a thought!
I took my finger, and held it over the "A" in my grille on that darker second pic, to attempt to visualize what it would look like with nothing there (even tho PPLAPW did it before). Y-U-C-K!!
I'm just not feeling it like that. That look shows the best at night, if on NBP, that's why I used that pic. During the day ...I would have to say that if I HAD to rock another grille look - it would be #1...tho I don't really like that, it's just that it gives something to the "big mouth" instead of it just having that "feed me Seymore" look!
01-05-2008, 09:45 PM
#39
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Option 1 -- The A-spec symbol is too small -- people are going to squint trying to read that from their rear-view mirror ... maybe if it were bigger? It might be better placed on your car's rear side the size it is.
Option 2 -- Got my vote.
Option 3 -- ehh.. not as clean IMO... the A-spec symbol kind of takes the attention away from the Acura symbol.
Option 4 -- looks kind of silly having a big black hole in the center. Actually it would be kind of cool if you made it into a "mouth" for your car (think Cars movie).
Option 2 -- Got my vote.
Option 3 -- ehh.. not as clean IMO... the A-spec symbol kind of takes the attention away from the Acura symbol.
Option 4 -- looks kind of silly having a big black hole in the center. Actually it would be kind of cool if you made it into a "mouth" for your car (think Cars movie).
