My easy DIY; 996 C4S front radiator Mesh Guards and Daytime Running Lights Install.
#1
03-01-2016, 04:48 PM
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Seattle
Age: 60
Posts: 15
Rep Power: 0 
My easy DIY; 996 C4S front radiator Mesh Guards and Daytime Running Lights Install.
A recent weekend project of mine.
My 2003 996 C4S is like the wide body turbos which have the large twin front intakes that feed air to the radiators............ these large wide open exposed ribs also feed the radiators lots of leaves and other road crap too. I wanted to add white LED daytime running lights. So a DIY here we come:
Go to Lowes and buy this $5 powdercoated zinc nice heavy metal gutter guard. Used frugally one sheet will cover both vents both above and below the Running Lights. On the way home Buy Beer.
Shop Spectra Armour Lock Metal Gutter Screen at Lowes.com
Pull the bumper skin. Pretty easy to do. Buy more beer and much mentally over-engineering WTF am I going to do now pondering.
Cut a cardboard template for the intake from the back side. Take your time, trim to fit the whole thing, (you'll cut in half later for the 8 LED strip lights.) and want excess material so you can roll back the mesh edges.
Buy these super bright white LED's, has 8 per side. YUP only $5 for the pair. geez the project is up to $10 now.
2 X Car 8 LED Driving Daytime Running Head Lamp Day Light White - US$4.29
Get double sided sticky-tape Velco to mount light bar on top/bottom. At $175 for each side of a new OEM Black factory guards, I'm not going to drill any friggin' holes in the Genuine Plastic that's for sure. Make sure to Velcro mount the light bar recessed pretty far back, but just slightly protruding. Looks very Classy and not Ricer in any way. With the Velcro you can always adjust angle/depth.
Transfer cardboard pattern to Mesh, I used painters tape, then cut on my bandsaw, but even small wire nippers or tin shears would work fine. I used Wire Dikes for fine trimming, but Band Saw = Power Tool = Good.
Use super thin 3" black zip ties to affix black screen through and around vent ribs. Radius back the edges of tin with pliers, or roll the mesh on a table top thinking like a English Wheel.
Hey Where did all the beer go?, after 5-6 hours into this project?
Use some 20 AWG Speaker-wire to cleanly to wire them both together, I routed cleanly through the middle grill, then on the drivers side a single speaker wire will snake up tying into my Side Marker lights for power. I didn't want them Key On, I wanted them on the running light dashboard light switch.
This DIY turned out GREAT for super cheap, heck the beer consumed cost more than the products used. I've got a fair amount of hours in this project, hope it inspires someone else.
While the bumper skin was off, I installed a new aftermarket front spoiler air dam lip as mine was pretty thrashed on the bottom. Where the OEM factory skirt went straight down, this one has just an ever so slight Aero lip on the sides:
Porsche 996 911 Turbo Carrera 4 4S Front Bumper Lip Spoiler Urethane Bodykit | eBay
Protection of Radiators + Daytime Running Lights = easy DIY.
plus it looks awesome!
These next photos really sum up the installation. VERY CLEAN INSTALL and worthy of high speed track days.
I'll post some night photos of it later once I get the bumper mounted back up, gotta buy more Beer first.
But I really think this DIY project turned out as a 12 on a scale of 1-10.
Hope this shows the way for someone else.........Go for it, easy project.
My 2003 996 C4S is like the wide body turbos which have the large twin front intakes that feed air to the radiators............ these large wide open exposed ribs also feed the radiators lots of leaves and other road crap too. I wanted to add white LED daytime running lights. So a DIY here we come:
Go to Lowes and buy this $5 powdercoated zinc nice heavy metal gutter guard. Used frugally one sheet will cover both vents both above and below the Running Lights. On the way home Buy Beer.
Shop Spectra Armour Lock Metal Gutter Screen at Lowes.com
Pull the bumper skin. Pretty easy to do. Buy more beer and much mentally over-engineering WTF am I going to do now pondering.
Cut a cardboard template for the intake from the back side. Take your time, trim to fit the whole thing, (you'll cut in half later for the 8 LED strip lights.) and want excess material so you can roll back the mesh edges.
Buy these super bright white LED's, has 8 per side. YUP only $5 for the pair. geez the project is up to $10 now.
2 X Car 8 LED Driving Daytime Running Head Lamp Day Light White - US$4.29
Get double sided sticky-tape Velco to mount light bar on top/bottom. At $175 for each side of a new OEM Black factory guards, I'm not going to drill any friggin' holes in the Genuine Plastic that's for sure. Make sure to Velcro mount the light bar recessed pretty far back, but just slightly protruding. Looks very Classy and not Ricer in any way. With the Velcro you can always adjust angle/depth.
Transfer cardboard pattern to Mesh, I used painters tape, then cut on my bandsaw, but even small wire nippers or tin shears would work fine. I used Wire Dikes for fine trimming, but Band Saw = Power Tool = Good.
Use super thin 3" black zip ties to affix black screen through and around vent ribs. Radius back the edges of tin with pliers, or roll the mesh on a table top thinking like a English Wheel.
Hey Where did all the beer go?, after 5-6 hours into this project?
Use some 20 AWG Speaker-wire to cleanly to wire them both together, I routed cleanly through the middle grill, then on the drivers side a single speaker wire will snake up tying into my Side Marker lights for power. I didn't want them Key On, I wanted them on the running light dashboard light switch.
This DIY turned out GREAT for super cheap, heck the beer consumed cost more than the products used. I've got a fair amount of hours in this project, hope it inspires someone else.
While the bumper skin was off, I installed a new aftermarket front spoiler air dam lip as mine was pretty thrashed on the bottom. Where the OEM factory skirt went straight down, this one has just an ever so slight Aero lip on the sides:
Porsche 996 911 Turbo Carrera 4 4S Front Bumper Lip Spoiler Urethane Bodykit | eBay
Protection of Radiators + Daytime Running Lights = easy DIY.
plus it looks awesome!
These next photos really sum up the installation. VERY CLEAN INSTALL and worthy of high speed track days.
I'll post some night photos of it later once I get the bumper mounted back up, gotta buy more Beer first.
But I really think this DIY project turned out as a 12 on a scale of 1-10.
Hope this shows the way for someone else.........Go for it, easy project.
#2
03-02-2016, 12:27 PM
A recent weekend project of mine.
My 2003 996 C4S is like the wide body turbos which have the large twin front intakes that feed air to the radiators............ these large wide open exposed ribs also feed the radiators lots of leaves and other road crap too. I wanted to add white LED daytime running lights. So a DIY here we come:
Go to Lowes and buy this $5 powdercoated zinc nice heavy metal gutter guard. Used frugally one sheet will cover both vents both above and below the Running Lights. On the way home Buy Beer.
Shop Spectra Armour Lock Metal Gutter Screen at Lowes.com
Pull the bumper skin. Pretty easy to do. Buy more beer and much mentally over-engineering WTF am I going to do now pondering.
Cut a cardboard template for the intake from the back side. Take your time, trim to fit the whole thing, (you'll cut in half later for the 8 LED strip lights.) and want excess material so you can roll back the mesh edges.
Buy these super bright white LED's, has 8 per side. YUP only $5 for the pair. geez the project is up to $10 now.
2 X Car 8 LED Driving Daytime Running Head Lamp Day Light White - US$4.29
Get double sided sticky-tape Velco to mount light bar on top/bottom. At $175 for each side of a new OEM Black factory guards, I'm not going to drill any friggin' holes in the Genuine Plastic that's for sure. Make sure to Velcro mount the light bar recessed pretty far back, but just slightly protruding. Looks very Classy and not Ricer in any way. With the Velcro you can always adjust angle/depth.
Transfer cardboard pattern to Mesh, I used painters tape, then cut on my bandsaw, but even small wire nippers or tin shears would work fine. I used Wire Dikes for fine trimming, but Band Saw = Power Tool = Good.
Use super thin 3" black zip ties to affix black screen through and around vent ribs. Radius back the edges of tin with pliers, or roll the mesh on a table top thinking like a English Wheel.
Hey Where did all the beer go?, after 5-6 hours into this project?
Use some 20 AWG Speaker-wire to cleanly to wire them both together, I routed cleanly through the middle grill, then on the drivers side a single speaker wire will snake up tying into my Side Marker lights for power. I didn't want them Key On, I wanted them on the running light dashboard light switch.
This DIY turned out GREAT for super cheap, heck the beer consumed cost more than the products used. I've got a fair amount of hours in this project, hope it inspires someone else.
While the bumper skin was off, I installed a new aftermarket front spoiler air dam lip as mine was pretty thrashed on the bottom. Where the OEM factory skirt went straight down, this one has just an ever so slight Aero lip on the sides:
Porsche 996 911 Turbo Carrera 4 4S Front Bumper Lip Spoiler Urethane Bodykit | eBay
Protection of Radiators + Daytime Running Lights = easy DIY.
plus it looks awesome!
These next photos really sum up the installation. VERY CLEAN INSTALL and worthy of high speed track days.
I'll post some night photos of it later once I get the bumper mounted back up, gotta buy more Beer first.
But I really think this DIY project turned out as a 12 on a scale of 1-10.
Hope this shows the way for someone else.........Go for it, easy project.
My 2003 996 C4S is like the wide body turbos which have the large twin front intakes that feed air to the radiators............ these large wide open exposed ribs also feed the radiators lots of leaves and other road crap too. I wanted to add white LED daytime running lights. So a DIY here we come:
Go to Lowes and buy this $5 powdercoated zinc nice heavy metal gutter guard. Used frugally one sheet will cover both vents both above and below the Running Lights. On the way home Buy Beer.
Shop Spectra Armour Lock Metal Gutter Screen at Lowes.com
Pull the bumper skin. Pretty easy to do. Buy more beer and much mentally over-engineering WTF am I going to do now pondering.
Cut a cardboard template for the intake from the back side. Take your time, trim to fit the whole thing, (you'll cut in half later for the 8 LED strip lights.) and want excess material so you can roll back the mesh edges.
Buy these super bright white LED's, has 8 per side. YUP only $5 for the pair. geez the project is up to $10 now.
2 X Car 8 LED Driving Daytime Running Head Lamp Day Light White - US$4.29
Get double sided sticky-tape Velco to mount light bar on top/bottom. At $175 for each side of a new OEM Black factory guards, I'm not going to drill any friggin' holes in the Genuine Plastic that's for sure. Make sure to Velcro mount the light bar recessed pretty far back, but just slightly protruding. Looks very Classy and not Ricer in any way. With the Velcro you can always adjust angle/depth.
Transfer cardboard pattern to Mesh, I used painters tape, then cut on my bandsaw, but even small wire nippers or tin shears would work fine. I used Wire Dikes for fine trimming, but Band Saw = Power Tool = Good.
Use super thin 3" black zip ties to affix black screen through and around vent ribs. Radius back the edges of tin with pliers, or roll the mesh on a table top thinking like a English Wheel.
Hey Where did all the beer go?, after 5-6 hours into this project?
Use some 20 AWG Speaker-wire to cleanly to wire them both together, I routed cleanly through the middle grill, then on the drivers side a single speaker wire will snake up tying into my Side Marker lights for power. I didn't want them Key On, I wanted them on the running light dashboard light switch.
This DIY turned out GREAT for super cheap, heck the beer consumed cost more than the products used. I've got a fair amount of hours in this project, hope it inspires someone else.
While the bumper skin was off, I installed a new aftermarket front spoiler air dam lip as mine was pretty thrashed on the bottom. Where the OEM factory skirt went straight down, this one has just an ever so slight Aero lip on the sides:
Porsche 996 911 Turbo Carrera 4 4S Front Bumper Lip Spoiler Urethane Bodykit | eBay
Protection of Radiators + Daytime Running Lights = easy DIY.
plus it looks awesome!
These next photos really sum up the installation. VERY CLEAN INSTALL and worthy of high speed track days.
I'll post some night photos of it later once I get the bumper mounted back up, gotta buy more Beer first.
But I really think this DIY project turned out as a 12 on a scale of 1-10.
Hope this shows the way for someone else.........Go for it, easy project.
#7
03-26-2016, 01:02 AM
I did the same, about a year ago.
Used the Philips LEDs, which dim at night to avoid blinding oncoming traffic. 8 LEds on each side.
Played around with different locations. As you can see my LEDs are 1 vent higher compared to the person who started this post.
Can't send more pics since the car is in storage at my ranch in the PNW and i'm in Japan
Used the Philips LEDs, which dim at night to avoid blinding oncoming traffic. 8 LEds on each side.
Played around with different locations. As you can see my LEDs are 1 vent higher compared to the person who started this post.
Can't send more pics since the car is in storage at my ranch in the PNW and i'm in Japan
Last edited by Yves; 03-26-2016 at 01:07 AM.
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#8
03-28-2016, 11:12 AM
I did the same, about a year ago.
Used the Philips LEDs, which dim at night to avoid blinding oncoming traffic. 8 LEds on each side.
Played around with different locations. As you can see my LEDs are 1 vent higher compared to the person who started this post.
Can't send more pics since the car is in storage at my ranch in the PNW and i'm in Japan
Used the Philips LEDs, which dim at night to avoid blinding oncoming traffic. 8 LEds on each side.
Played around with different locations. As you can see my LEDs are 1 vent higher compared to the person who started this post.
Can't send more pics since the car is in storage at my ranch in the PNW and i'm in Japan
#9
03-29-2016, 04:57 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Castle Rock, Colorado
Age: 83
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#11
03-29-2016, 11:41 PM
Nice instructions and clear pics to match (despite all that beer).
I must attempt this when there's a family interruption free day
I must attempt this when there's a family interruption free day
#12
03-30-2016, 05:07 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Castle Rock, Colorado
Age: 83
Posts: 65
Rep Power: 13
#13
03-30-2016, 09:10 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Campbell River,BC
Age: 71
Posts: 362
Rep Power: 50 
Great....thanks!
#14
04-02-2016, 03:27 AM
I bought them on amazon, but they do not seem to sell them anymore. They 'sense' battery usage, so they are connected directly to the battery.
This is the SKU, eBay still has them :
Brand: Philips
Part Number: Universal Fit Manufacturer Part Number: 12824WLEDX1
Placement on Vehicle: Front Interchange Part Number: 77715217