Topic: Aftershock recessed grilles

[ebrown0104]

Anybody know where I can get a set of these?  I just picked up my Black GXP on Thursday and really like how these things look, but the Aftershock website is showing they're not available.

[blackbirdracing]

I dont think they ever went past the prototype phase.

[Sly Bob]

I have a set on my car so they at least WERE available. If you can't contact Rudy you may have to hope someone has a set to sell. Here's a post I made when I installed them. I absolutely love 'em but I wish they were more robust.

http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php/topic,4298.msg58003.html#msg58003

I wish someone would come up with a set. CNC'd out af a chunk of plastic or aluminum or somethin' would be awesome, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

[idkfa]

Man, those still look good.

Mine still sit in the box

[ebrown0104]

You wanna sell them?  You probably should, just saying...

[ChopTop]

Man, those still look good.

Mine still sit in the box

Mine too, was thinking of checking into chroming the outer bezel but not sure if I want to risk sending them somewhere and lost in transit.  Been so long I can't remember if these were designed for the GXP or NA.

There was someone else on the big board who was asking suggestions of products in carbon fiber, but I don't think anything became of it. 

All I know is Rudy's can be hard to get a hold of because I think this is more a side line type job.

[Critterman]

I believe they were test fitted in the GXP, and are a bit harder to put into the NA.  I do know that there is a lot of finish work to do cleaning them up before you can install them.  I know of two sets that were returned because of that.

[Dave@DDMworks]

I believe they were test fitted in the GXP, and are a bit harder to put into the NA.  I do know that there is a lot of finish work to do cleaning them up before you can install them.  I know of two sets that were returned because of that.

The GXP front bumper cover is pushed out a little more at the bottom then the NA cars. This becomes more evident when you see a GXP next to an NA car and look at the grill inserts. On the NA the grill inserts sit flush at the bottom with the bumper cover, on the GXP's the grill insert actually sits in slightly on the bottom where it meets the bumper cover. When Rudy made the recessed grills, he made them on a GXP and when he did, he made them sit flush on the bottom when installed on a GXP, which means that if you use them on a NA bumper, they will stick out slightly on the bottom. If you followed that at all, I will be impressed

[EarthNTX]

Believe it or not this early in the morning...

I GOT IT!

[TomatoSoup]

On the NA the grill inserts sit flush at the bottom with the bumper cover, on the GXP's the grill insert actually sits in slightly on the bottom where it meets the bumper cover. When Rudy made the recessed grills, he made them on a GXP and when he did, he made them sit flush on the bottom when installed on a GXP, which means that if you use them on a NA bumper, they will stick out slightly on the bottom.

Thank you Dave!  I always wondered about the GXP/NA grill difference.  Some said they were the same, some said different.  From your explanation I see they are the same, but just sit differently.  The sun just came out from behind a cloud

[ChopTop]

The recessed grills were/are two pieces.  R/L outer bezels-R/L hexagon grills.  The outer bezels is molded smooth (but probably should be sanded with 400 grit sandpaper for adhesion/primer/finish.  On the hexagon grills there was a paper thin layer of flash on the bottom of some of the individual hexagon cells that needed to be removed/punched out/filed & smooth away.  It really wasn't that big of a deal.

On the stock grill the tabs that hold them into the urethane fascia are manufactured to be flexible.  Aftershock's tabs are the same density (hardness) so they do not have the same ability to bend/flex as the stock tabs do  (reason being Aftershock composite is different from the stock composite). 

I think the stock grill has about 8 tabs that hold it into the fascia (Aftershock does too), however since they do not have the ability to flex like the stock ones a few of them may break during installation/removal.  Not really a big deal, you just have to take your time and be patient/methodical during installation/removal.

Also, nothing is designed into the hexagon grills to lock them into the recessed grills.  Far as I know people resorted to all purpose latex/silicone to glue them in.

Regardless, I guess this is all moot since they're no longer available which sucks considering how many folks/threads requested someone to develop recessed grills, and is one of the disadvantages of owing something that doesn't generate enough interest from after-market suppliers because development/costs can't be justified.

[POS VETT]

I want those recessed grills ...

[Gentleman Jack]

I want those recessed grills ...

Me too.  I have always liked how those looked.  Just not readily available in consumer ready form.  It's a bummer.

[Jackknife]

I purchased one of the first sets from Rudy...here's a user's report:

Pros.....They look great (to my eyes, anyway)

            Can be made to fit an NA (more later)

            Hold paint well

Cons.....Material is not as durable as original grills..much too brittle.  I'm always concerned a direct hit from a rock will destroy them, but so far, no damage.

             As others have said, these were made to fit a GXP.  They will go on an NA and stick out a little on the bottom, or you can do as I did and shape them to the NA fascia (no biggie).

             The tabs are a real problem...they break easily...more so if you do more than one install/removal.  The fix is simple.  I removed all the tabs and used pre-drilled holes and sunken
       
              sheet metal screws to hold the surrounds and the grill inserts in.  Worked like a charm and allows for easy removal for repaint in the future.

              Major minus is, if broken, are irreplaceable.  Rudy's not makin' em anymore.

[Sly Bob]

I've split the topic to continue the discussion on 3D printing here. Please keep the discussion here to the Aftershock product.

http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php/topic,8673.msg135639.html#msg135639

[Go-N Def]

I believe they were test fitted in the GXP, and are a bit harder to put into the NA.  I do know that there is a lot of finish work to do cleaning them up before you can install them.  I know of two sets that were returned because of that.

Correction:

2 sets were re-sold for cheaper than the original price. 

I bought both sets, one for me and one for The Boss.  When they came in, one of the tabs was already broken and there was a TON of prep-work.  There was so much over-spill left on them from production that some of the honeycombs were completely filled in.  There were also air bubbles in the honeycombs that would have needed to be filled in with puddly before painting. 

Neither Joe or myself were impressed enough to bother trying to clean them up.  I contacted Rudy about returning them and he wanted a 30% restock fee which he offered to waive only after I called him out on the forum a few months after I had already sold both sets for 1/2 the original price.

Due to this and the cheapness of his subdued front turn signals Repaired them at least 5 times already), I'll never buy from Rudy and Aftershock again.

[jwvess00]

Hi there!

I bought a set but have never installed them.  I keep intending to put them on, but they definitely do not cleanly fit my NA bumper cover.  It looked like almost too much material to remove to make it fit nicely at the bottom.  I was planning on sticking a GXP bumper cover on my car but haven't found one yet.  That would also let me use Norm's GXP chin spoiler, which I like more than his NA one.

I would love to see some pictures of them fitted to an NA bumper cover.  It looked like a significant amount of overhang when I test-fitted them, but I was being pretty gentle during the process so maybe I was too gun-shy to see what actually had to be done.

These grilles are rough indeed.  I've done plenty of automotive paint and bodywork, and don't mind doing it but these were going to take some work to get "right".  Lots of casting flash.  Upon reading about others' experience, I stopped by Ace hardware and bought some #4 stainless screws to attach the inner grille to the ring.

According to Rudy's site, he does not make them right now:
http://aftershockproducts.com/#/pontiac-solstice-front-recesse/4530622800