DIY : Golf GT grill install

[bit_boy]

This mod is pretty easy. Anyone with basic tools and about an hour can do it.

Here's our subject after a quick prep for surgery.

I ordered my kit from oempl.us. Here's what it looked like upon arrival. The front shield and lower trim piece are primered and can be painted whatever color you want.

The front shield and lower trim piece come separated from their respective grill pieces. They attach by numerous snap together tabs. These pieces are pretty flexible, but the lower piece can break easily (speaking from experience).

I decided to have my pieces color matched to my car. Here's what they look like after paint and pre-assembly.

The tools needed are a couple of screw drivers. A small Phillips and flat will be fine. You will also need a Torx driver. My grill had T25 screws. I've heard some people had T20. You may also need a small drill bit and cordless drill.

You can start with the fog light covers. They are the easiest to remove.

There is one small Phillips screw in this hole. Once it is removed, you can stick your finger in the hole and pull. The cover should pop off fairly easy.

After removal.

Replace the old with the new. It should snap back together. Don't forget to put the small screw back.

Next you can start on the main grill by removing the front plate. If you don't have a front plate, you're lucky and I'm jealous.

The main grill has two Torx screws (T25) on each corner. There are also two small tabs that will need to be released. You can use your small flat head screwdriver for this.

There are also two small Phillips screws on the bottom that attach the main grill with the lower grill. Remove these.

The main grill should only be held on by a few tabs. You can pull the top of the grill up and out. You should be able to reach in and release these tabs to remove the whole grill.

It should look like this at this point.

There are two metal tabs that will need to be transferred to the new grill. These are for the small Phillips screws mentioned earlier.

Now you can remove the lower grill. It snaps in place with several tabs at the top and bottom. The top ones are pretty easy to release.

You can pull the top outward a little.

Here's the tricky part. Unless you have the lower skid plate removed, you cannot access the lower tabs from the bottom of the car.

I had to pull the top away from the bumper, stick my hand inside, and use a flat head screwdriver to help release the lower tabs.

I've heard some people just yank hard to remove the lower grill. I'm too wimpy and was worried about breaking something.

The new lower grill will go back in place just like the old one. Snap in in and make sure all the tabs snap to lock it in.

These next few steps for those of us unlucky enough to live in states that require a front license plate.

I removed the front plate bracket and measured the holes.

I then masked off the area to be drilled and marked the hole positions.

I used a drill bit a little smaller than the mounting screws. The front shield is plastic and the mounting screws were self tapping style. Here's the bracket mounted on the front shield.

I also noticed there was a VW part number cast into the back of the bracket. (Just in case anyone needs to order one.)

Now it's just a matter of installing the main grill in reverse. Line up the lower tabs and snap them in. Push the top of the grill towards the car and snap the two top tabs in. Replace the two Torx screws.

That should be it!

You just went from this...

To this, in an hour!

Enjoy!!

[user name unknown]

why the front plate holder with no plate?

[bit_boy]

I wasn't completely finished. I was taking pictures as I worked. The plate, screws, and tools were all over the garage!

[Jy's]

if u wanna get rid of gli grill let me know

[Kricket]

awesome diy - awesome result

how much for that grill kit?

[bit_boy]

I've got it wrapped and packed in the GT shipping box. I'll give you a heads up if I'm going to sell it.

[KingofCancer]

quick question, my bumper sags a little and i wanted to know if, with the grill removed, you can get to the mounting pioints for the bumper to tighten them up?

[bit_boy]

http://oempl.us/product_info.p...d7310

I ordered mine with the integrated fogs for the GTI/GLI. Total with shipping to Texas via UPS was just under $425.

[turbora]

I love this mod. I want to do it in tornado red on my GTI as soon as I save the cash. How much did it cost to get the shield painted?

[bit_boy]

Wow. That's a good question. I didn't pay attention that close to what was behind the grills. I was pretty focused on the install and taking pictures. I don't really know. Sorry.

[bit_boy]

I had quotes from three different places that ranged in price from close to $200 to just over $100.

I used a Porsche/Mercedes/BMW european body shop my sales guy recommended. It was $108 out the door. I think they did a great job for the price.

[debonch1]

Very nice!!! I'm looking to do the same thing and I even got the other half to agree upon it.

[KingofCancer]

Quote, originally posted by bit_boy »

Wow. That's a good question. I didn't pay attention that close to what was behind the grills. I was pretty focused on the install and taking pictures. I don't really know. Sorry.

no worries mate, thought I'd ask

[booostfever]

What a great help this was. Took me less then an hour to get it installed,

[darkk]

mine was a little tougher,I made my own from a spare grill set.


Modified by darkk at 4:34 PM 8-19-2007

[vwsutton]

looks great- love this mod.

[Minimaulak]

Nice! I like the GT Grill... tempting to do it to my car --I'll be the only with it-- but I LOVE the honeycomb... It's so....Iconic. Anyway.

Looks great, nice write-up too.

[DCC]

The proper way to attach the front plate bracket is not with screws but with a plastic expansion clip (its a round stumpy looking push clip with a shaft in the middle that expands the clip when pushed in).
But I can see that may dealers don't really care and just screw the plate holder in.

[the.ronin]

Golf GT front conversions FTW!

[MKVdubbin]

awsome mod looks good but why in gods name did you drill it!?!?
You should cherish a non drilled grille and mount your plate low. I hated my drilled jetta grille i was so psyched to get a non drilled GTI grille to replace it

[blackoutjetta]

did mine in flat black (sanded the chrome and its starting to chip, just dont have money to buy the Gt one yet)

[ExPunkStar]

Quote, originally posted by MKVdubbin »

awsome mod looks good but why in gods name did you drill it!?!? You should cherish a non drilled grille and mount your plate low. I hated my drilled jetta grille i was so psyched to get a non drilled GTI grille to replace it

But you're blocking the intercooler.

[BumbleBeeJBG]

Quote, originally posted by booostfever »

I think your first mod should've been to remove the spring spacers

[MKVdubbin]

im not sure if thats sarcasm but its a 2.5 so the intercooler isnt a problem . they make a nice low side mount kit that folds under the car for show its pretty nice check it out on http://www.formulaimage.com/

[thetwodubheads]

Question, is this grill the same as a jetta's but without the chrome? Could I just de-chrome a jetta front end and put that in a GTI?

[areutalkingtome]

Awesome DIY and pics man. I had to replace my lower grill due to a blown tire hitting it at 60mph and breaking it. Took no longer than an hour. Could prob do it quicker now that Iv actually done it myself. Thanks again!

[06lilredrocket]

thanks for the post im putting a jetta front on my gti this weekend

[Oqsy]

looks quite audi, rob. i love it!

Quote, originally posted by the.ronin »

Golf GT front conversions FTW!

[vdub8597]

is the same DIY involved on a GTI as it is a Jetta...I read in a previous post that you need a Jetta bumper or an EU bumper to make this work on a GTI..

[Tampavw]

Quote, originally posted by Minimaulak »

Nice! I like the GT Grill... tempting to do it to my car --I'll be the only with it-- but I LOVE the honeycomb... It's so....Iconic. Anyway. Looks great, nice write-up too.

Modified by Tampavw at 10:04 PM 1-15-2008

[Jurgy]

That looks great.

[loucks]

Quote, originally posted by Tampavw »

Modified by Tampavw at 10:04 PM 1-15-2008

I really like this look. Is that the stock GLI lower grill and fog light covers?

[XstartXtodayX]

^^ That actually looks real good w/ the combo of honeycomb and slats. I love the textured votex lip, I'm rocking the same thing

Quote, originally posted by loucks »

I really like this look. Is that the stock GLI lower grill and fog light covers?

The fog grills look like R32 ones done up in black.

[gtiracer77]

Quote, originally posted by bit_boy »

http://oempl.us/product_info.p...d7310 I ordered mine with the integrated fogs for the GTI/GLI. Total with shipping to Texas via UPS was just under $425.

You got it shipped for $425? The lowest I can find on their site is $560 for the setup that looks like yours. DO you remember the name of the kit you ordered? Or maybe they just realized it looks so good thye can charge more . Either way I love the look and would like to do it myself but like the 425 price a lot more than what I'm finding.

[turbora]

Quote, originally posted by Minimaulak »

Nice! I like the GT Grill... tempting to do it to my car --I'll be the only with it-- but I LOVE the honeycomb... It's so....Iconic. Anyway.