Custom mesh grille Hatch sport

[Benster]

Hello everyone, I wanted better protection for the front of the car, having gone through 3 condensers in 6 years and also just installed a PRL intercooler.

I began by removing the stock plastic lower grille. I got some small mesh from amazon and cut it up and formed it to size. I then cut tabs from it that inserted into the slits for the stock grille, bent them in and put zip ties through the mesh to keep it secure. It looks really good and should prevent most damage to my heat exchangers. I hope this helps someone wanting to do this too. Forgot to take a picture of it from afar, but you barely see the grille from past 15 feet.

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[KensBlueGenX]

Will be interesting to see some photos when it's back on.

 

[Not_Here]

That’s just what I want to do to mine. Thanks for posting! YES a pic from front, all buttoned up, would be awesome!

 

[Benster]

Here you go, just had to take the time to do it. Let's say the PRL intercooler is a bit hard to hide now.

 

[Silverbullet2019]

Here you go, just had to take the time to do it. Let's say the PRL intercooler is a bit hard to hide now.

Nice! Did you have this same lower honey comb grill as me and cut it off? I been thinking of doing that and adding mesh also for a while.

 

[Benster]

Nice! Did you have this same lower honey comb grill as me and cut it off? I been thinking of doing that and adding mesh also for a while.

Yes, same grille, you can remove it easily. It's just plastic tabs you push and push the grille out. The lower part of the grille is attached from the back and the sides and top are from the front. It takes a bit of finessing, but I was able to remove it without damage. I then used the slits to push the mesh into, bend it and zip tie it. So if you ever want to go back to stock you can. You'll also need to remove the 2 foglight covers as the grille has tabs that 2 screws thread into. What I did to hide the holes was put the screws back from the outside and thread them into a small piece of plastic. The screws are black so it doesn't look out of place.

 

[Silverbullet2019]

Gotcha,thanx

 

[Silverbullet2019]

Yes, same grille, you can remove it easily. It's just plastic tabs you push and push the grille out. The lower part of the grille is attached from the back and the sides and top are from the front. It takes a bit of finessing, but I was able to remove it without damage. I then used the slits to push the mesh into, bend it and zip tie it. So if you ever want to go back to stock you can. You'll also need to remove the 2 foglight covers as the grille has tabs that 2 screws thread into. What I did to hide the holes was put the screws back from the outside and thread them into a small piece of plastic. The screws are black so it doesn't look out of place.

I was looking at my honey comb mesh area in front of the intercooler and it connected to the bottom and side lips,if that makes sense. And under it i have my splitter attachd to it so i wont be able to do what you did unfortunately. I think im gonna take my dremel and cut a few spots up top on the closed honey comb areas are for my air too and to see the intercooler more. Or i could just dremel cut it all off and sand to clean up the bottom part is another option. cant decide

 

[Benster]

A few other members also just attached the mesh grille to the stock plastic one

I was looking at my honey comb mesh area in front of the intercooler and it connected to the bottom and side lips,if that makes sense. And under it i have my splitter attachd to it so i wont be able to do what you did unfortunately. I think im gonna take my dremel and cut a few spots up top on the closed honey comb areas are for my air too and to see the intercooler more. Or i could just dremel cut it all off and sand to clean up the bottom part is another option. cant decide

I think you should still be able to. The grille is only an inch deep once removed, I doubt you have anything directly attached to it. Plus, you will have to remove the front bumper to do this anyway, can't do this mod with it attached to the car. I'll go take a picture of my stock grille for you to see how it attaches, you'll see what I mean. I'm sure between 2019 and 2021 the grilles haven't changed.
Plus, seeing how your struts attach to the grille, if you can extend them a bit, you'd be able to use the bolt hole for the grille to attach the struts, or just go through the mesh grille and attach to the crash bumper.

 

[Benster]

I was looking at my honey comb mesh area in front of the intercooler and it connected to the bottom and side lips,if that makes sense. And under it i have my splitter attachd to it so i wont be able to do what you did unfortunately. I think im gonna take my dremel and cut a few spots up top on the closed honey comb areas are for my air too and to see the intercooler more. Or i could just dremel cut it all off and sand to clean up the bottom part is another option. cant decide

Here's a close up of the stock grille. I see what you mean with your struts, as I said in my previous post, you may be able to use the screw hole in the bumper to mount your strut. Either way, it's not a super sturdy mounting location but there's definitely a way to make it work I think. If you cut the lower part of the grille, you lose all your strength in the top portion for your strut to mount to. By modifying it to mount in the screw hole, it may end up being stronger and able to make more downforce.

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[Silverbullet2019]

A few other members also just attached the mesh grille to the stock plastic one

I think you should still be able to. The grille is only an inch deep once removed, I doubt you have anything directly attached to it. Plus, you will have to remove the front bumper to do this anyway, can't do this mod with it attached to the car. I'll go take a picture of my stock grille for you to see how it attaches, you'll see what I mean. I'm sure between 2019 and 2021 the grilles haven't changed.
Plus, seeing how your struts attach to the grille, if you can extend them a bit, you'd be able to use the bolt hole for the grille to attach the struts, or just go through the mesh grille and attach to the crash bumper.

Thanx,well I've taken my bumper off 5 times so the next time I do when I take my headlight off to buff them like new I'll do it

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