FINALLY..finished the mesh grille project on my 02 Cab!

Geez, some things take forever especially when you're on vacation for a month. Finally got the Cab back with the following additions: 1. Traffic Pro 2. V1 hardwired with remote on steering column 3. Spoiler lip painted Arctic Silver 4. Arctic Silver powder coated mesh grilles installed 5. Headlght covers painted and installed 6. Following pieces painted Arctic Silver: Seatback coathook and lever; seat adjustment lever; both storage trays; emergency button surround; and the "triangular" shaped pieces that fit between the window and the "A" pillar Special thanks to the following: Custom Cars in LaGrange, Illinois for the mesh grille inserts Strosek for the headlight covers Eric (the plug guy) for painting the headlight covers Stephen Kaspar (PorschePhd) for the other silver pieces Classic Coach, Hyannis, MA for all the installations Brandywine Porsche for the heavily discounted Traffic Pro V1 for the V1 <img src="http://www.86host.com/albums/doncapecod/DSC00003_001.sized.jpg" alt=" - " /> <img src="http://www.986host.com/albums/doncapecod/DSC00007_002.sized.jpg" alt=" - " /> <img src="http://www.986host.com/albums/doncapecod/DSC00034.sized.jpg" alt=" - " /> <img src="http://www.986host.com/albums/doncapecod/DSC00013.sized.jpg" alt=" - " /> <img src="http://www.986host.com/albums/doncapecod/DSC00019.sized.jpg" alt=" - " /> <img src="http://www.986host.com/albums/doncapecod/DSC00031.sized.jpg" alt=" - " /> <img src="http://www.986host.com/albums/doncapecod/DSC00035.sized.jpg" alt=" - " />

Hey Don, WOW is all I have to say. What a drastic improvement from your avatar photo. I love the look of the paited mesh, and i must say I like the headlight covers much better on an 02 than 01. Dave

Don - Very nice mods. <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" /> Is the painted mesh some sort of kit or did Custom Cars make it up for you (I notice the bracket surrounds - very trick)? Do you mind giving us some idea of how much it cost, and if it's a kit whether they have one for the 993 Turbo? TIA

Just wondering about the grill. Is this something you can snap on and off with little drama? Cleaning out the space BEHIND the grill would be painful if you had to get a bugs and debris that go through the spaces of mesh wires. Thanks.

Hi David...thanks for the compliment. These mesh grilles are a kit of sorts. I posted a pic of what they look like before mounting. They come with little stainless steel nuts and bolts. You have to drill in the bumper then mount and attach. (Easy for me to say, I didn't mount them). They're not cheap..over $1K for the kit plus nuts and bolts. That includes powder coating of literally any color you want. I chose AS 'cause I didn't want a contrast between the car and the mesh. The outfit that sells these is: Custom Cars Unlimited, LaGrange, IL. <a href="http://www.customcarsunlimited.com" target="_blank">www.customcarsunlimited.com</a> [phone removed] Ask for Dino, he's very familiar with these. If you do a search on 'mesh' on this Forum and <a href="http://www.funcarsonline.com" target="_blank">www.funcarsonline.com</a> you'll get more info from other people. There is a DIY method of doing this wherein you buy your own mesh (very inexpensive) and glue onto the back of the bumper...but you don't get the same effect. <img src="http://www.fototime.com/C8977E7D0BE5A22/standard.jpg" alt=" - " /> <img src="http://www.986host.com/albums/doncapecod/DSC00014_001.sized.jpg" alt=" - " />

NOW, you tell me Doug! Wonder if I can do that w/o taking the whole friggin thing apart again?

Don, I did the bird install last weekend. It came out ok. I was not impressed with the quality in the locking hardware. For $500 bucks it would be nice if the design included moving the original lock to the insert, allowing a much higher quality lock and negating the need to have a seperate key. I also sent my strosek covers out to the paint shop. Mine have 4 holes, including the washer nozzel reliefs. Are yours the techart ones?

VERY NICE! I like the Carbon Fiber Steering wheel too. I just bought the Decor rings for my gauges from performance. I am wondering whether to spray them like the blue velvet cab. Your rings look stock. I also have carbon fiber around my instrument cluster. I wonder if it is too much with the decor rings too. Those wire mesh grills definitely set it apart from most 996s.

Beautiful! Wow, what an improvement, not as if it looked bad before...but it looks absolutely amazing. Great job! <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />

Very high caliber look, Don. I can only imagine how great your 996 looks coming at other drivers. Even more heads are going to be turning.

Looks great Don, very classy. Edward, Eric at BumperPlugs.com is doing a group buy on the instrument rings and painting them AS.

Edward, I can't visualize what the rings would look like painted blue velvet. However, since AS is such a neutral color I don't believe your instrument cluster would look too "busy" with the carbon fiber.

Wow. Congrats Don. Your car looks beautiful. I count on people from this board to help me define "Porsche Nut". You are it, Don! :&gt

Gretch, I didn't even know Techart made the headlight covers.. 4 holes? I agree on the Bird lock. How did you like assembling 800 little nuts and bolts! Did you pull the old lock set out and cover it with the plug that came with the armrest? Arthur, the grille inserts do not snap in or out. The insert is "tied in" with little stainless steel nuts and bolts. However, there is the same amount of space behind the inserts as there is with the stock fins.

I saw a Cab, same color as yours with AeroKit II side skirts; was very surprised at how good it looked, really set it off.

very very nice. I am envious. Could you share with me where I can get the lower console trays in silver? I would love to get rid of the casset holders and use the space. Painted is a plus. Thanks MK

I love the new look! The front end looks classy, yet menacing at the same time. Time to take the hard top off!

MK...I don't have the part nos for the 2 storage trays, but they are slightly different. I got mine from <a href="http://www.suncoastporsche.com" target="_blank">www.suncoastporsche.com</a> They just pop right in. I had them "silverized" by Stephen Kaspar(PorschePHD) <a href="http://www.imagineauto.com" target="_blank">www.imagineauto.com</a> I sent the black plastic trays to him and he sent them back in a couple of weeks. Hope this helps.

Don the four seperate holes (mine is a 2000 cab) relieve the headlight, parking light, fog light and washer nozzle. I notice that you do not have washer nozzels. What is the silver cap on the covers? My covers do not have those. <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2407272494&category=36475" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2407272494&category=36475</a> These are the ones I got. I paid $147.50 plus shipping. The reference in the ad is to Tweeks, but I could not find these in the catalog. Yours look like the ones in Tweeks. They get $250 for them unpainted. I prefit them before I had them painted and they were a perfect fit. I left the lockset in. To be honest, I am not sure I will leave the insert installed. I will run with it this season and see how it works out. I am not happy with the magnetic hold down and locking hardware. The install looks very nice, but these functional shortcomings are not in my mind up to Porsche standards.

Getch I guess the "4 hole" covers are for pre 02 996s. I do have headlight washers. It doesn't show up very well on the pics but it's there. In order to install my covers, I had to take out the assembly, and pull the head before attaching the cover. The only covers I've seen for the 02 996 are from Strosek. Did your hinge hold up when you mounted Bird Armrest? There is a recall on that hinge shouldit break. Porsche replaces the plastic with metal. Since I carry a lot of crap with me...I like the extra storage. I did not install Birds cupholder because that interfered with the available storage area. I did pull the lockset and had the provided plug painted AS by Eric, so the installation looks very clean.

So many mods... and yet the net result is so integrated. A classy work of art! How about some pics w/o the hardtop!

The hinge is fine. I hardly ever open the thing anyway. It is very awkward to get into for anything you need on a regular basis. I keep my hard top wrench and my lug bolt security key there and really nothing else. I did go with the cup holder but did not pull the likset. Instead I put the velcro pad down over the lockset face. I like the look, I just don't like anything else about it, well maybe the added storage..... On the headlight covers, I was under the impression that the headlight units were all the same for 99 - 02, save with and wo the washer module. Did you look at the link I included for the covers? I was contemplating attaching them with a commercial automotive 2 sided tape. Any thoughts on that?

The magnetic latch on the Bird armrest must be very precisley adjusted. I had some trouble w/mine at first too. All those little nuts and bolts don't make things any easier. I also got the cup holder as my car didn't come w/any because of the PCM. I copied Don and had my plug painted AS - I just take it out and put in the cup holder base when need be. <img src="http://members.rennlist.com/robinwa/BirdPlugRingsWEB.jpg" alt=" - " /> I know I'm nit picking, but Gretch why does it say Strosek in your sig. when your headlight covers are from Tweeks? The Strosek covers are a little different. <img src="http://members.rennlist.com/robinwa/FronyangleWEB.jpg" alt=" - " /> In 02' all 996s got the Turbo style "droopy" headlights. The washer is the under the chrome colored cap. Strosek supplies the glue to attach the covers. It's black and strong, like my coffee. I'd go to an autoparts store and get some glue vs. the tape.

Erv...topless pics in a couple of weeks. Got to find a wall hanger to hang the top on. Am selling the trolly that I had.

Hi Rob, I was under the impression that the covers I have are Strosek. I looked in the tweeks catalog, they are not listed. I am unsure if the seller used the tweeks reference out of convenience or what. I have seen the covers I have on one other car and the reference was Strosek. The ones I have do not have any markings on them at all. I intend to remove the reference to Strosek until I can confirm the source. (right after this post). BTW The wood interior looks great. I have it but with black leather. The contrast on your car is stunning.

I don't know if they make mesh grill covers for the 996 but <a href="http://www.boxsey.com" target="_blank">www.boxsey.com</a> (look under product)has a similar product for the boxster grill.