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Finally, i made it. Some parts are missing, like the gt2 side skills and the techart diffusor,which are with my painter. But i received my new OZ Formula 19'' with Michelin Pilot supersport. I have to change the wheelplates at backwards wheels. But I will finished him within the next 2 weeks.
At the request of some 6Speeders and others I was able to put together another document / DIY to help those looking to add/replace the GT3 "Smile" Grill. This illustrates the process on a 997 TT and 987 Boxster S, but would apply similarly to many other models.
As always, I hope you find it helpful. If you have a better way to do it...Knock yourself out. I created this DIY and put in the time in the spirit of helping my fellow enthusiasts.
Good luck to you all. It is a pretty straightforward process, and I hope I documented, illustrated, and outlined it in a way that is easy to follow and logical!
Certainly, if you see opportunities to help others, or tips please post here for others.
As in the past, I host these on my personal web server, so if it gets a lot of traffic, it may flake out....so just try again until it works.
Followed this DIY and finally installed the GT3 smile grill+mesh after a year or so of procrastination. I also used the front bumper off as an opportunity to clean up the radiators and remove the lower grill support bars (I am already using Zunsport mesh covers).
I did have an unfortunate mishap -- after cutting out the bumper plastic, I began removing the masking tape (perhaps a bit too haphazardly) and had a small amount of paint flake off (from the cut outwards a tad just extended beyond the smile grill lip)! I touched it up and it is barely noticeable now but of course I know it is there. ARGH. Oh well, a battle scar.
That all said, the DIY guide and the Rennline video on this were both very helpful. I did end up removing the headlights but am not convinced you need to. I guess the 3-5 min or so to remove them makes it a little easier to disconnect the headlight washer tubing. The sliding clips that hold the bumper on are a bit of a PITA ...after removing the headlights I tapped on out rather than pulling on it. I didn't relocate the homelink module...not sure why it is necessary to do so...but I did give the area a quick shot of flat black enamel. The other final thing I'll mention is that I used one of those vibrating oscillating multi tools to cut the bumper rather than a jigsaw. It worked and was easier to maneuver than a jigsaw.
Sure, you can do that. But, it is a bad idea as you will be exposing your radiators to damage from rocks and other items kicked up on the road. Also, it is impossible to perfectly cut out the factory supports so having a mesh or something similar will help hide any parts of the old plastic that are not perfectly flush. Finally, if you use a Dremel-type rotary tool, make sure you are using the proper attachment for cutting plastic (so it cuts rather than melts the plastic and does not shatter/break) and wear eye protection.
thx for your reply. What I meant was that I would leave the lower grills in place and just wanted to do the gt3 “smile” cutting with a dreamt without having to remove the bumper.
Oh, I misunderstood. You really need to remove the front bumper to install the GT3 vent properly. I suppose you could VERY CAREFULLY cut out on the car using the template if you planned on just epoxying the grill in, but I would STRONGLY recommend against this. Not only do you risk damage to the Homelink unit, you will be dropping all kinds of plastic shavings into the front bumper area, will not be able to easily spray the bumper support, and miss a great opportunity to clean your radiators. Do it the right way and remove the front bumper.
Followed this DIY and finally installed the GT3 smile grill+mesh after a year or so of procrastination. I also used the front bumper off as an opportunity to clean up the radiators and remove the lower grill support bars (I am already using Zunsport mesh covers).
I did have an unfortunate mishap -- after cutting out the bumper plastic, I began removing the masking tape (perhaps a bit too haphazardly) and had a small amount of paint flake off (from the cut outwards a tad just extended beyond the smile grill lip)! I touched it up and it is barely noticeable now but of course I know it is there. ARGH. Oh well, a battle scar.
That all said, the DIY guide and the Rennline video on this were both very helpful. I did end up removing the headlights but am not convinced you need to. I guess the 3-5 min or so to remove them makes it a little easier to disconnect the headlight washer tubing. The sliding clips that hold the bumper on are a bit of a PITA ...after removing the headlights I tapped on out rather than pulling on it. I didn't relocate the homelink module...not sure why it is necessary to do so...but I did give the area a quick shot of flat black enamel. The other final thing I'll mention is that I used one of those vibrating oscillating multi tools to cut the bumper rather than a jigsaw. It worked and was easier to maneuver than a jigsaw.
Great! Glad you got it done, and glad the DIY helped....
