New Grille

[J Henderson]

Swapped my grille today for an Altezza Z-Edition one. I like the LE grille but I've always liked this one too and fancied a change. I wasn't very keen on the idea of my Lexus wearing an Altezza emblem though so I modded an "L" badge off a standard grille to replace it.

(BTW, the badge is now properly centered) :)

The OEM grille with it's black mesh probably looked a bit "sportier", but overall, I like how classy this one looks.

[Pete Shawn]

Job well done. :zee:

[IHgs300]

Very nice, suits the car to a tee....Have you still got the Altezza badge? Would you sell it?

[J Henderson]

I have and I would. Check your PMs. :)

[Noreen is200]

Very nice, it does update it. Love the colour of the car as well! :)

[uncleterry]

Altezza grille looks in much better condition than mine! Looks completely different with the L badge on too.

Are the foglamps slightly tinted?

[petayV8]

That looks amazing. IVe never liked the Altezza grill because of the badge, i know it sounds lame lol but just not my scene. but that chrome looks great mated to Lexus badge and goes great with Kodiak sky also. i think you'll have us all doing this now lol

[IHgs300]

I have and I would. Check your PMs. :)

replied John. Thanks very much your'e a gent.

[uncleterry]

Just another question - how easy was it to get the Lexus badge on? Did you have to hack apart the original Altezza one to utilise the same clips?

Only asking because Ive just seen this elsewhere...

And ive been considering painting my altezza grille for a while (it came quite badly stonechipped) and think it would work best with the L logo instead!

[J Henderson]

Altezza grille looks in much better condition than mine! Looks completely different with the L badge on too.

Are the foglamps slightly tinted?

The fog lamps are standard, but I think the chrome is a slightly darker shade than most on an LE. They're not the dark chrome ones you see on 04/05 models, nor are they the normal bright chrome. They're something in between. The rear lights are the same. They're noticeably darker than the ones on my neighbour's 51-plate SE.

PetayV8, I felt exactly the same. I had the grille for a while but couldn't bring myself to fit on the car until I had sorted out an L badge for it.

Anyone wishing to do the same, just follow this very good tutorial.

http://my.is/forums/f221/diy-l-emblem-z-edition-330118/

Some basic tools and zipties are all that's required. The L badge needs to come from an '02-on facelift model - one with 3 rows of mesh. The badge isn't removable on the earlier ones.

[HoodRich]

Wow! That looks better than awesome. So good looking and so unique. Well done....

[istanbul05]

Spot on that.

[Guest]

Looks good :)

would the LE grill be available?

[BillNick]

LOVE the LE....thinking of swapping for one. Though I wish they came with tints and a lip spoiler on the boot :-(

[J Henderson]

Tints are definitely on my shopping list. The 300 LE has them as standard, along with the boot spoiler. ;)

Looks good :)

would the LE grill be available?

Gonna keep it for now as I think I might end up wanting to revert back to it at some point. :)

[BillNick]

In that case it would have to be a 300 LE for me....hmmmmm rare though

[uncleterry]

I posted this in my thread but thought I'd put the pictures here too - done the same mod to my altezza grille now with the Lexus badge added.

Really happy with it. Still considering spraying both black as well, but I think I'd need tinted headlamp inners to match. Which means I'd need to buy a spare set of lamps - not risking it and breaking a lens then not being able to drive it!

[J Henderson]

Very nice. I think that grille looks even better on a darker coloured car.

[uncleterry]

Yeah I just filled up with petrol and kept seeing it from the pay bit, looks so much better than the altezza triangular badge. I had thought the is300 mesh three bar grille was my favourite but I think on here with the stock bright headlamps this is the becoming my favourite.
I think I need a splitter now though... always thought the front bumpers looked a bit too short... and I might have spied something that may potentially fit...

[HoodRich]

Yeah I just filled up with petrol and kept seeing it from the pay bit, looks so much better than the altezza triangular badge. I had thought the is300 mesh three bar grille was my favourite but I think on here with the stock bright headlamps this is the becoming my favourite.

I think I need a splitter now though... always thought the front bumpers looked a bit too short... and I might have spied something that may potentially fit...

I agree 100% - the front bumper does seem a bit too short. Its the only design "flaw" I have picked up with the car. Nothing a nice front lip wont sort out. I'm still trying to find "the right one"