This is an update and improvement on my original grill block for the Yaris.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showt...is+grill+block
You will need:
1. Vinyl/Perspex/Styrene sheets, 1/8" works best as it can be cut easily and bends well.
I used one 16" by 20" sheet of styrene and had plenty left over for additional grill block parts.
2. All-climate rubber strip weather seal. I got the double-grooved white kind as it can be cut in half and suits the color of my car, but it can be found in black and brown as well.
3. Four 4" long bolts with 1/4" diameter, three 3" bolts with about 5/16" diameter, and one 1.75" long bolt, including washers that will fit them.
4. One 3/16 toggle bolt, three 1/4 toggle bolts and four 5/16 toggle bolts.
5. Either a very small table drill or a 1/8" wood drill for drilling holes into the plastic sheet, and any regular drill bit to enlarge the holes afterwards.
6. An Exacto-Knife (razor blade knife) for cutting the plastic.
Here are a all the materials I used:
STEPS:
I am not showing the template I used to cut out the platic shape itself as I threw it away and you may want to make one of your own design. But I basically just traced the general outline of what I wanted onto the plastic with a permanent marker while holding it over the grill opening. I then proceeded to
carefully cut into the plaster, as it can break easily if pressed to hard, and then I snapped off the parts I didn't need much as one would break glass.
Once you have the shapes cut out, place them over the grill and decide where you want to put the bolts and holes. Put the toggle bolts with the drill holes facing out into the grill itself so you can decide where you want the holes to be. You will need to position the toggles so that it is very hard to take them out, but don't push them too hard or they can fall through! It's a pain in the butt trying to get them out from there if they do.
I used to the larger 5/16 toggles for the inside of the grill, that which is closer to the center Toyota badge, as there is more space behind to put a longer bolt. The three medium-sized 1/4 bolts can go in the upper and lower right hand side and lower left hand side. The 3/16 toggle should go on the upper left hand side as there is the least amount of space there due to the engine.
Screw the bolts onto the toggles and you should get something like this:
You want to make sure the toggles are in very tightly, not so that they are impossible to take out, but so that if you screw the plastic on hard, they wont come out, which they are wont to do. If they aren't tight in one way, just turn them sideways or try another hole.
Once you know where you want your bolts, place your plastic cut-out over them, mark the spots and drill the holes in the respective zones with the table drill/wood drill. Once the holes are drilled, you want to make sure th bolts pass through them with ample wiggle room, or else the plastic may crack if you try and force drill the bolts in. Use the regular drill bit to enlarge the hole.
Now this is purely optional for cosmetic/waterproofing reasons, but now take that rubber weather seal and cut it to fit outside the extreme edges of the plastic pieces. remember to put it on the right side!
Once all that work is done, you should get something like this:
BACK:
FRONT:
Now it's just Plug-n'-Play! Place you plastic covers over the toggles that are affixed on the grill, place bolts (with washers to prevent cracking) through the holes and drill them into the toggle holes.
Voila! Upper grill block done!
LEFT:
RIGHT:
Linear Mode
