How to install CMOD?

[sashashams]

Definitely not down to pay 200 dollars for an install for some basic drilling and removing the front bumper, any tutorials, experience, insight etc. TY:)

PS: 2010 nissan altima CMOD grille )


this is where the holes need to be drilled, how hard is it to drill through the fiberglass cleanly?

[trigger_storey]

My answer would be to take it slow and follow some directions found all over the web.

1. Make an indentation with an ice pick or other suitably sharp object in the exact location where you want to drill your hole. This indentation prevents your drill bit from wandering and potentially scratching the surface of your fiberglass as you start your drilling.

2. Drill a small pilot hole in your fiberglass. Make it smaller than the finished hole you are planning to drill. Use a slow speed when drilling to reduce chipping, and do not put any pressure on the drill bit—allow the bit itself to do the work.

3. Drill a chamfer-edged hole in your fiberglass the size you wish your final hole to be. The chamfer should have an edge-slope of approximately 1/16 of an inch. Run your chamfer bit at a slow speed and, again, put no pressure on the bit. Allow the bit itself to cut into the surface of the fiberglass slowly and gently.

4. Drill your final hole using a sharp, clean drill bit. Again, drill on slow speed and do not put any pressure on the drill bit. Be careful to hold your drill perfectly perpendicular to your fiberglass surface so that your bit is cutting exactly at the edges of the chamfer. Take your time and allow your bit to do all of the work.

5. Take the time to do it right. Although it may seem like a lit of work, if you wish to drill a perfectly clean hole in fiberglass every time, this is the way you'll want to do it.

Also what wasnt mentioned in these steps is to tape off the area where you will be drilling and drill through the tape. These just keeps the edges clean and makes sure nothing get scratched up. If you have any questions just google "drilling fiberglass" and there are multiple articles, alot of them are from people working on boats which deals with almost all fiberglass so these guys know what they are doing. I would drill before paint if I were you.

[DJ_B_Easy]

I dont have the CMod grill and Im not familiar with the installation...but why in the world wouldnt they pre-drill these holes for you? Is it really that much of one-off install that each is different?

[sashashams]

seriously... im not too happy with the finish on the grille either.

[DJ_B_Easy]

Judging from the thread here in the forum and how long it took them to release it, I wouldnt be surprised if they just cut the last corner to start getting them shipped. Cheap...

[trigger_storey]

I dont think the grille is supposed to be a buy and just slap it on product. There is still supposed to be some prep and finish work to go along with the paint. I know some people wont be happy with it to be that way but Im sure the grille will look really good once the holes are drilled, fiberglass is prepped, and paint is finished. I want to see someone with a finished grille before I buy one or Ill stick to my painted stock grille.

[DJ_B_Easy]

Wow I completely forgot that it needs to be painted...duh. In that case I retract my previous statement. Dont post on NICO while watching championship football.

[trigger_storey]

LOL...yea I feel ya on the football thing. I get in trouble with my wife for not hearing what she says let alone thinking about installing a grille. Id say once someone drills the holes, and gets it painted the grille will probably look pretty good. But I agree that they may have rushed this as many emails as they were getting and sebaslatino waiting so long to get his grille back.

[sashashams]

So thanks to your guys's help and advice, decided to do it this afternoon and would recommend to anybody who buys the CMOD grille, install it yourself. It took maybe an hour to take off the bumper just because I was teaching myself while doing it, easily the second time around I could do it in 20 minutes. The grille fit great with the exception of a corner which we easily tied down with a ziptie ^_^. All in all, great experience and car looks great! Going to open a new thread for all the pictures but heres an idea:

**Edit: forgot to black out licence plate.

[DJ_B_Easy]

Are you going to have it painted?...because you should.

[sashashams]

still debating, you really think so?

[DJ_B_Easy]

still debating, you really think so?

Absolutely. AT LEAST the outer trim and leave the mesh untouched, but I would spray the whole thing to match the stock paint.

[sashashams]

gah, the color it is now matches the fascia on the bottom, it looks pretty good. If i was to get it painted I would get a autobody to do it though.

[obstacle]

dont paint it. it looks fine. save that $$$$. you prob cant even tell from 10 feet or more anyway.

[fenderpicks]

So anyone knows when they r taking more orders for them?

[trigger_storey]

I would get it painted to match body color. Just my personal preference. Id also say go ahead and do what others with the older year cmod grilles have done and take the bumper off, get a low gloss black paint, tape everything off, and paint everything behind the cmod grille that you can see ie: radiator etc. Just my 2 cents....it looks alot better that way. Looks good though, props for the pics. I think Ill go ahead and get me one of these once I find out if they are accepting more orders. I emailed them yesterday so just waiting for a response.

[sashashams]

good luck, i picked up one of those first 5 they made hehe

[Mattv609]

Ye man paint the c-mod and paint the radiator.. Radiator I got black high heat engine spay paint.. Came out perfect did me n phenoms.. Just blends nice... Looks good tho makes it look alot betta.. Wonder how that would look with the burger.. I kept mine on I likked the look.. Take a pic with the burge there lol if ya get a chance.

[sashashams]

Haha the burger doesn't fit, and I got this grille to completely debadge Nissan off my car

[trigger_storey]

Id have to say if I get the Cmod grille, Id leave everything off it except maybe a Nismo emblem or something. For me getting rid of the burger is my main reason for wanting the Cmod grille.