Refinement of the old protective element can become a full-fledged tuning of the radiator grille, if we are talking about the VAZ-2107.
The appearance of a car is very important for its owner, as it partially reflects his character. This is a kind of welcome business card. That’s why many owners of VAZ cars prefer to modify the appearance of their iron horses.
Why do you need a radiator grille?
When we see a car, we first of all pay attention to its front part. One of the elements that immediately stands out from the front of the VAZ 2107 is the radiator grille. This part is present on every vehicle and comes in different shapes, colors and sizes.
The radiator grille has several functions:
- protection of the engine cooling radiator from damage;
- direction of air flow to improve airflow of the heat exchanger;
- protection against contact with a hot radiator;
- preventing sunlight from reaching the radiator;
- improving the appearance of the car.
The radiator grille performs a protective and decorative function
On the VAZ 2107, the grille gives the car a more aggressive look.
The owner faces the question of choosing a grille if it is replaced, for example, if it is damaged or if he wants to modify his car.
If we consider the cladding as a decorative element, then, depending on preferences, the product can immediately attract the eye or, on the contrary, it will be unnoticeable, organically fitting into the overall design of the machine parts.
About the protective grille
The Lada, one of the latest models of the classic VAZ line, has a very distinctive protective radiator grille. Like most elements in older models, it has its drawbacks. One of which is the most significant: corrosion underneath on the hood, which needs immediate correction, otherwise the body will suffer greatly.
Tuning any protective grille consists of two options - cheaper and more expensive:
- buy a new one;
- remake the old one.
Purchasing a new part is always easier, and sometimes even more reliable. VAZ spare parts stores offer a lot of options for protective grilles:
- plastic and chrome plated;
- black and white;
- with different lattice shapes and cell sizes;
- plain and printed.
What types of radiator grilles are there?
The grille can be either homemade or factory-made. The part is made of carbon, plastic, chrome steel, aluminum.
Regular
The standard decorative element of the VAZ “Seven” is made of plastic and has a coating that imitates chrome. Quite often, a factory product will have side clearances that don't line up, making the car less attractive. In this case, some owners have a desire to install a tuned part or make it themselves.
The standard radiator grille is made of plastic and has a chrome finish.
Aluminum
The material is the most versatile and durable; it is usually used in expensive cars and SUVs. Since the alloy contains silicon, this not only makes the grid stronger, but also protects it from corrosion.
Stainless
A stainless steel part has a lower cost compared to an aluminum product, and the material is easier to process. Separately, it is worth noting the attractiveness of the chrome-plated stainless steel radiator grilles. On the VAZ 2107, the trim can be supplemented with lighting from LED elements.
Carbon
Such gratings are characterized by low weight, high strength and long service life. You won’t be able to make the part yourself, so there is only one option - buying a finished product.
Plastic
Products made from this material are most widespread due to their availability and high strength. The material allows you to experiment with the exterior of a car without large financial investments. Depending on the wishes of the car owner, the plastic grille can be improved by painting it in the desired color.
Plastic grilles are affordable and durable
Solid
The radiator trim for the “seven” can be different from the standard shape and be a solid element that covers not only the radiator, but also the headlights. For these purposes, you can use three VAZ 2105 grilles, which are connected along the length, puttied and painted. This gives the car an aggressive look. However, some car owners, in addition to installing a decorative element that completely covers the front of the car, get too carried away with tuning and tint the optics. As a result, the visibility of turn signals is reduced, especially during the day. Therefore, in the process of improving the appearance of your car, do not forget about the rules and safety.
Solid grille - one of the options for radiator lining on the VAZ 2107
Self-made
The simplest version of the radiator grille for the VAZ 2107 is made of plastic. Tools and materials you will need:
- hacksaw;
- dye;
- soldering iron
The old grille is taken as a basis and the excess is removed (according to its design). Then they move on to the interior: here you can use not only standard parts, but also elements made independently. A fairly popular option is to install a steel mesh that covers the entire cladding area.
The grille with mesh looks quite attractive
When calculating the size of the mesh, the material must be taken with a reserve, since the fixation is carried out on the inside of the decorative element.
The mesh is attached in any convenient way: plastic clips, glue, silicone. It is better not to use self-tapping screws with washers, since such fasteners are not highly reliable. If during the manufacturing process you plan to install decorative elements, for example, letters, then it is best to use silicone glue for these purposes. The grille can be made in such a way that it will best suit your wishes. Everything depends only on financial capabilities, the availability of certain materials and tools.
Important tuning points
Elegant radiator protection
The radiator grille is one of the first components of the VAZ 2107 that undergo tuning. This decision of car owners is explained by the fact that when creating the chrome-plated radiator grille of the VAZ 2107, the designers did not take into account the fact that the hood quickly begins to rust under it. This is due to its shape. The radiator grille is the “face” of every car, so car owners want to give it an original look.
Do-it-yourself tuning of this design from 2107 is carried out using 2 methods.
- An expensive but simple option is to purchase a ready-made grille for the VAZ 2107 radiator in specialized stores or showrooms. Here this design is presented in different variations - made of chrome, plastic, with a matte finish and in any color. As for installing this element, this process is not labor-intensive and can easily be done independently. VAZ 2107 radiator grilles are mounted on a standard analogue or instead of it. Due to the presence of mounting holes, they are easily fixed.
- A cheap but difficult way is a hand-made VAZ radiator grille.
The second method involves dismantling the old structure. Tuning the radiator grille on the 2107 with your own hands is carried out using the following equipment: a jigsaw, scissors, cardboard or plastic, fiberglass. The central part of the part is cut out using a jigsaw. As a result, holes will appear at the fixation points. Next, you will need a thin but flexible material with which you can go around the inner contour of the workpiece. For this, experts recommend using plastic or cardboard. These are used to create a blank for a new radiator grille. Excess material is cut off.
The workpiece will initially need to be coated with fiberglass and epoxy resin in several layers. The contact points are first degreased and sanded. After the last layer has dried, the plastic or cardboard will need to be removed. The joints are puttied, sanded, primed and painted. The last stage involves tightening the grid with a mesh.
Tuning the radiator grille for VAZ 2107 (Revision)
Hi all! Even before buying the car, I was thinking about “light” tuning of the radiator grille. But other than repainting it a different color, there were no ideas. And after buying the car, it turned out that the grille was in terrible condition and painting alone could not get rid of it. Again, there was no need to restore the stock look. After exploring the drive a little, I found a great idea on how to make a custom grille from the original one, and I realized, here it is! But I didn’t do it completely the same way as another person did it and made my own improvements to this matter.
I removed the grille, brought it home, washed and soldered the places where it was cracked.
Next, I began to directly change the appearance of the grille. I used pliers to tear out all the unnecessary elements and cut off the “VAZ” badge with a knife that had been preheated with a candle. In place of the badge I inserted small pieces of plastic to strengthen the structure.
Afterwards, I went to the store and bought 4 meters of cable channel with a width of 20 mm (ideal for this matter).
I came home and started cutting the cable channel into 6 pieces of equal length. After I cut it, I tried it on the grille and put it all on Titan glue. The empty spaces on the top and bottom crossbars were filled from the inside with a glue gun for strength.
What is the modification to my grille, you ask? And it lies in the fact that I made 6 crossbars, and that lattice had 4 crossbars made.
Well, almost ready! All that remains is to clean and paint.
The color I chose was matte black. In my opinion, the most suitable color was poured over the grille.
This is what happened! I really like it, it looks great
