DIY radiator grille

The first thing that catches your eye when looking at the car is the headlights and radiator grille. Accordingly, special attention is paid to this part of the car when tuning.

The grille performs several functions:

protects the radiator from damage by foreign objects;
directs air flow, improving radiator airflow;
prevents contact with a hot radiator;
protects the radiator from direct sunlight;
improves appearance, being an important design element.

The grille material and color can be different: chrome steel, carbon, plastic. The radiator grille of the VAZ 2107 is made of plastic with a coating that imitates chrome. Often the dimensions of the side gaps of the standard grille do not match, which gives the car a somewhat sloppy appearance.

Therefore, VAZ owners strive to decorate their car by installing ready-made tuned grilles or making them with their own hands.

Radiator grille tuning

Tuning VAZ 2101-2107 cars
There are many ready-made kits for sale for tuning the grilles of specific car models. The advantage of their use is standard sizes and fasteners. You just need to remove the old part, install a new one - the result is achieved.

Tuned radiator grill of a VW Golf car

Branded radiator grille tuning kits can be quite expensive. A budget-friendly way to improve the appearance of your car is to do the tuning yourself. Let's look at the main options for tuning radiator grilles.

Installation of a decorative radiator grille

Perhaps one of the most common tuning methods is decorative mesh. This is a metal mesh that is sewn onto the inner surface of the radiator grille. You can do this kind of grille tuning yourself.

To mount a decorative radiator grille yourself, you need to:

Remove the radiator grille, clean it of dirt and dust;
Cut the “mesh-grid” according to the dimensions of the radiator;
Secure the decorative grille. For this, self-tapping screws with a wide head are usually used; with a careful approach, ordinary construction ties are also suitable;
Install the radiator grille.

Covering the radiator grille with film

Tuning the appearance of the grille can be done by covering it with decorative film. This is a relatively cheap way to restore the appearance or tuning. The market offers a wide selection of films to suit every taste and budget. The film can be decorative or transparent (transparent protects against damage).

It's easy to apply the film. To do this, you need to degrease the surface of the grate, and, heating the film with a hairdryer, “stick” it, and then expel the air. Covering complex surfaces with film will require skill, so it is better to turn to specialists.

Radiator grille covered with carbon film

Immersion printing on radiator grilles

A good way to protect the grille surface and give it a unique texture is by immersion printing (hydroprinting). The technology for applying such a coating is as follows. A special film with a pattern is placed on the surface of the water. Then a solvent is sprayed on top, the film loses its integrity and turns into a liquid, viscous state, without losing its texture. The prepared part is dipped into a container and the coloring film envelops its surface. Next, the part is washed and dried. Coatings applied in this way perfectly protect the grille from corrosion and physical damage.

Radiator grilles painted using hydrographic printing

Painting radiator grilles

https://youtube.com/watch?v=hk1zqOXF2CY

Radiator grilles can be restored by painting. To apply the coating, careful preparation of the surfaces to be painted will be required. After cleaning and degreasing the grille, it is necessary to apply a primer. The soil is selected depending on the type of material from which the part is made. The paint is then applied to the grille using pressure spraying. To obtain a high-quality coating, several layers of paint and varnish are applied. For such work, you will need a room with controlled humidity and temperature.

Radiator grille before and after painting

Chrome plating of radiator grilles

The first method is galvanic application of chromium. The part is immersed in a bath with a special solution - an electrolyte, which contains chromium elements. A direct current is passed through the part, which provides conditions for galvanic deposition of metals, and chrome plating occurs.

Galvanic chromium plating workshop

Chrome grille

Less expensive and complex is the method of chemical metallization. The part is primed, then the chemical components of the coating are applied step by step by spraying. Chemical metallization increases the strength of parts. In some cases, this method makes it possible to process plastic parts.

Primer and chemical metallization of the radiator grille

The radiator grille is the most important part that defines the appearance of the front end of the car, so car manufacturers carefully develop its design. However, if you want to stand out from the crowd or simply improve the appearance of the car, the grille can be repainted, chromed, or covered with film.

Features of manufacturing the decorative radiator grille of the VAZ 2107

It is worth considering that when making the VAZ 2107 radiator grille, it will not be possible to give it any intended shape. When developing a sketch, you need to build on the standard lattice design. The simplest option is to make a grille from plastic. To make a grill no worse than the factory one, all you need is a soldering iron, a hacksaw and paint.

The work begins with creating the frame. You can take it from an old grill, removing the excess. Then work begins on the interior. Here you can use both parts of standard grilles and individual elements made independently. Large holes or the entire area can be covered with steel mesh. When calculating the pattern, it should be taken into account that the size of the mesh must be larger than the size of the frame being closed. This is necessary to fix the mesh on the inside of the grille. To secure it, you can use silicone, U-shaped paper clips, glue, or plastic clips. It is better not to fasten the mesh with screws and washers - such fastening is very short-lived.

Silicone adhesive is ideal for attaching letters, labels and other decorative grille elements.

Tuning the radiator grille is a creative process. You can show your imagination and use all available materials. The design of the lattice can vary and take the most original shapes. Only the frame should have a constant shape. The VAZ 2107 radiator grille, the tuning of which is complemented by changes to the bumper design, can significantly improve radiator airflow.

Do it yourself

How to do tuning VAZ-2104 with your own hands

Even though you know the catalog number of the grille that would fit your car, I suggest we talk about tuning it yourself. Still, it is much easier to install a finished element and wipe the icon with polish than to cut, glue and saw yourself.

Let's look at the process step by step. The front of the car will be pleasantly pleasing to the eye, and the knowledge that you did everything with your own hands will lift your spirits even more.

In order for the new mesh to fall into place, it must be released. To do this, remove the factory radiator grille. Usually it is held on by plastic clips, so there should be no problems with how to remove the element;
Be careful that there are no wires or hoses trailing behind the grille. Cars are different, so anything is possible. Try to avoid damage to the old frame. This is where your new grille will be mounted;

After removal, the inner part is cut out with a hacksaw. The task is to remove everything unnecessary so that the new element fits perfectly. It depends on what size the new part will be;
Be sure to clean everything and sand it thoroughly. It is better to fill all excess holes with fiberglass or automotive putty;
You can use an old frame or buy a new one. In the second case, everything is clear. If you rework an old part, you can paint it or wrap it in vinyl. By painting you will be able to chrome the part, that is, give it the appearance of real chrome. Or carbon. As you wish;
The new mesh is cut based on the dimensions of the frame. It is fixed with clamps and screws for reliability. The modified radiator grille is placed in its rightful place.

Do not forget that the radiator grille has not only a decorative, but also a protective and functional task. It prevents large debris from reaching the radiator, plus it provides air supply to cool the engine. Therefore, under no circumstances make the new grate solid or too fine-mesh. There must be good air flow to the motor, otherwise there will be problems with overheating.

In some cases, it is really worth considering not just replacing the grille, but replacing the entire front bumper. It's more expensive, but not more difficult. You just need to remove the old bumper and install a new one in its place. The main thing is that the part and the car match in size, and there is no need to drill, weld or cut anything. Although many are ready for this for the sake of tuning.

Types of radiator grilles used in Niva cars

Replacing the heater radiator Lada Kalina

Before you start tuning, you need to finally decide what material the future part will be made of. This will determine the set of tools that will be useful to you during the work, as well as the algorithm of actions that will make up the tuning. Today, four main materials are used to make radiator grilles for Niva cars, namely:

Aluminum. Making radiator grilles from it will cost the most.
ABS plastic or fiberglass. This material is the cheapest of all presented on this list, and is most often used in the manufacture of radiator grilles for Niva cars.
Stainless steel. The best option based on price-quality ratio.
Carbon. Quite an expensive material, but if you want this detail to look stylish on your Niva and add presentability to it, you should resort to it.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=-S1nBy9zOec

As a rule, aluminum grilles are installed on expensive foreign cars and SUVs, so such material would not be the best solution for the Niva. However, stainless steel, high-quality plastic or carbon fiber are equally suitable - the choice depends on what goal the car owner is pursuing when tuning his Niva. The shape and color of the part that will be installed on the vehicle also depends on them.

Choosing a grille for a car

Types and varieties of radiator grilles

When starting to make a radiator grille with your own hands, you need to know what kind of radiator grilles there are. The further work plan, the choice of the necessary tool for the job, as well as the final result depend on this. Many people don’t know how to make the radiator grill for their car more attractive.

There are several types of grilles in the automotive industry:

aluminum radiator grilles;
stainless steel;
made of ABS plastic;
carbon

The gratings come in different sizes and shapes

Each type of radiator grille has its own pros, cons, functions, design, and colors. Let's look at them.

The strength and flexibility of aluminum is known to everyone. This is the most versatile material used in industry as a whole. There are six modifications of aluminum in total. The fifth and sixth series are produced with an admixture of magnesium alloy, which adds rigidity to the structure. The sixth series of aluminum contains, in addition to magnesium, silicon, which protects against corrosion and also prevents the metal from twisting and deforming. These gratings are the most difficult to work with, as they are durable. Such alloys are used in expensive foreign cars, where strength is paramount. Do-it-yourself radiator grilles made of this alloy will bring the car closer to the tank. DIY radiator grilles made from this material are durable. Most often, such materials are used in SUVs.

The second type is stainless steel. Cheaper, but outwardly emphasizing the style of the car, the metal glows and is easy to process. A chrome radiator grille will look good on your car.

In sunny weather, the material on the radiator will simply shine and attract the attention of passers-by. In addition, stainless steel has a very high resistance to deformation, is durable and looks good on the front of the car, as it does not corrode, which means it always has a shiny surface

With stainless steel, you don't have to worry about how to make your radiator grill more attractive. Stainless steel will look best with backlighting, LEDs and xenon.

ABS plastic is what can most often be seen on domestically produced cars. This material is the cheapest, there is a lot of it in the auto parts markets. Craftsmen can train and experiment with this material without fear of consequences. ABS plastic is quite durable and also has high weather resistance. A significant positive aspect of using ABS plastic is.

ABS plastic grille

Carbon currently remains an expensive material due to its durability, weight, strength and ability to regulate heat transfer. In everyday conditions, a carbon fiber radiator grille is unlikely to work, and therefore it is better to purchase finished products. Moreover, it is not so easy to get carbon of a certain size.

What types of gratings 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

Homemade

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.

Video: homemade radiator grille on a VAZ 2107

Tuning the radiator grill with your own hands. Toyota Allion.

We make an “unusual” radiator grille from fiberglass with our own hands for Toyota Allion.
The advantage of fiberglass is that you can easily make anything from it. We did not saw or cut the standard radiator grille; it will remain completely intact and unharmed, because you cannot make from it what you can from fiberglass. The idea was initially simple, they wanted to make a radiator grill like everyone else’s, that is, throw out the middle, insert a beautiful aluminum mesh there for tuning and that’s it. But in the process of work, ideas came up to also make eyelashes for the headlights, so that the face of the car would become more aggressive. First, we made a radiator grille from fiberglass; there are no detailed photos, but I will try to describe this process. We take a standard radiator grille, glue it with adhesive tape, first regular transparent tape, then masking tape. When the surface is covered, we take an impression of the standard grille. We only need the frame, we don’t touch the middle. You should now have a radiator grille surround that needs some finishing.

We invent a model of the recess from cardboard or some other materials (what is also called a shelf), we try to make the cardboard model as even as possible, the final appearance of the product depends on this. When the model is ready, we dilute the resin, take the glass mat and add the grate.

And here it is, a brand new fiberglass radiator grille.

The next stage was making the eyelashes, even the headlights were already covered with tape, but then we got the idea to put it all together. We figured it out, thought about it and decided to glue it all together))

We carefully covered the car with newspapers and started working with resin and fiberglass. And this is what it looks like.

I advise you to immediately mark with a marker the edges that you will then trim. When the surface is impregnated with resin, the marker imprints perfectly on the fiberglass part, this is very convenient.

After drying, remove this structure from the car and remove all covering materials. Using a grinder, we saw off all the excess.

We attach the part to the car.

We carefully measure every centimeter of the radiator grille, maintain symmetry, and make sure that everything is visually even. If there is a flaw somewhere, it is better to eliminate it with a block of sandpaper. Do not saw with a grinder, as such jewelry work cannot be done with such a rough tool. It is best to take these measurements when the fastenings are ready and the radiator grille is securely screwed to the car body. Fastenings can be made from the same fiberglass, for example, by gluing bolts or creating platforms into which screws can be screwed. I do it differently, depending on the design features of the car.

Only after a clear “fit” of the part do we proceed to puttying.

First we need to remove all the roughness and unevenness from our fiberglass part. You can do this manually, with a block and sandpaper, but I prefer to save time and effort, so I use an orbital pneumatic machine. It is better to use the coarsest sandpaper or wheels; I use 40 grit wheels.

After rough processing of fiberglass, you will see many small holes, craters and other flaws. We will eliminate all this by applying a thin layer of putty. The putty can be used both universally and with various fillers (plasticizer, aluminum and others). If you glued the matrix together clumsily, the puttying process may take quite a long time, so try to glue it as carefully as possible.

Installing the radiator grille.

As I wrote earlier, it is necessary to make fasteners for installation in standard holes; some of the fastenings for this grille were made from pads for self-tapping screws, and some others were made in the form of glued bolts. We glued the eyelashes to the hood of the car using 3M double-sided tape. Naturally, the cilia do not stick to the headlight, since the grille is a monolith with the radiator grille.

The fiberglass radiator grille is ready.

As you can see, making a radiator grille from fiberglass is quite easy.

Removal and installation of the VAZ 2107 radiator grille

To work, you will need a Phillips screwdriver and an 8mm socket wrench.

To remove it you must perform the following operations:

Use a screwdriver to unscrew the six screws holding the lower part of the grille to the body.
Remove the lower part of the grille.
Using a socket wrench, unscrew the 4 nuts securing the upper part of the radiator grille to the hood.
Remove the top part of the grill.

The order in which the grille parts are removed is not important. You can first dismantle the upper and then the lower part.

Installation of the VAZ 2107 radiator grille is carried out in the reverse order.