Which Grille Do You Think Looks Better on My Truck?

[LARIAT 85]

I think the grille on that ruck is the stock chrome/argent one.  The inner bars are lighter and duller than the shiny chrome face and therefore tend to "disappear" under most lighting.  Also, the grilles angle slightly down from top to bottom, which contributes to this effect.  The early grille on my truck is the completely painted one, which is why more of the inner bars can be seen.  If I go with the early style grille, I will replace it with a chrome/argent version, and *probably* go with the colorless turn signal lenses.

I would like to try to use the 1980/1981 hood letters, but I am not about to go drilling holes in my hood to use them.  I can break off the mounting tabs, but the letters themselves are hollow inside.  There just isn't much meat around the edges to use double stick tape to hold the letters to the hood.  Plus, these are metal, and you have to be careful or they will scratch the paint.  Does anybody have any ideas on how to mount these without making permanent modifications to the hood?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Clean the wax off the hood and fill the letters with RTV silicone.

Use a plastic spreader to get any squeeze out after it is cured.

[LARIAT 85]

That's an idea.

Do you mean the black RTV silicon like in the link below?  Will that stuff damage the paint underneath?


https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-37460-Silicone-Adhesive-Sealant/dp/B000FW7V3M

There is also a "high performance" version:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FW7V3C/ref=psdc_15718921_t2_B000FW7V3M

[salans7]

How about doing the letters in vinyl decals?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Rick,

You don't want the gasket maker you want the Adhesive Sealant

It won't damage anything and you can cut the letters off with fishing line if you decide to change
(like the debadging trend)

You will have to rub the residue off with terry cloth or microfiber once the letters are off though.

[Ray Cecil]

Gary Lewis wrote

...

Anyway, I like the early grille with the faux early hood.  It just seems too busy with the later grille and the lettering on the hood.

My thoughts exactly. Id replace lariat with Ford.

[Ray Cecil]

Also, I have the 82 grill with blue oval, and clear blinkers. I think that it looks good. I think the clear blinkers are by far better looking on any year.

I prefer the blue oval grill, but NOT with letters. If you HAVE to have hood letters, go with the earlier grill.

[Rembrant]

LARIAT 85 wrote

Does anybody have any ideas on how to mount these without making permanent modifications to the hood?

I'd fill them with a two part epoxy, like JB Weld or Kwiksteel, etc...there are a half a dozen different brands. JB Weld is likely the cheapest and easiest to mix and fill the voids with imho. Then stick 'em on with 3M double sided tape, etc...

[grumpin]

Rembrant wrote

LARIAT 85 wrote

Does anybody have any ideas on how to mount these without making permanent modifications to the hood?

I'd fill them with a two part epoxy, like JB Weld or Kwiksteel, etc...there are a half a dozen different brands. JB Weld is likely the cheapest and easiest to mix and fill the voids with imho. Then stick 'em on with 3M double sided tape, etc...

That’s a great idea! I like that!

[ArdWrknTrk]

I find that even 3M's best efforts (red body trim tape) tend to loosen when you have a pocket (O,R,D) and my hood gets plenty hot to soften that adhesive.

Though I'll be the first to admit I've never tried this exact application, I would hate to see one of those NOS letters go flying off while driving.

Silicones, on the other hand, are good to 400* ( or more!) and very tenacious on clean smooth surfaces.
That's exactly why they're useful to seal windows and bathroom tile.

[Rembrant]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Silicones, on the other hand, are good to 400* ( or more!) and very tenacious on clean smooth surfaces.
That's exactly why they're useful to seal windows and bathroom tile.

Good point. I figured the regular two sided tape stuff would be better since it is easier to remove in case he doesn't like it. He's going through some test phases here. 
However, I am a big fan of silicone...that will most definitely adhere the best, but it will also be the worse to remove if he doesn't like it;).

[ArdWrknTrk]

It won't be worse than* JB Welding them to the hood!  

But we know that wouldn't let go.

[Gary Lewis]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

It won't be worse that JB Welding them to the hood!  

But we know that wouldn't let go.

I'm sure you were joking, but I thought the JBW idea was to fill the hollows in order to have more surface area to grab with double-stick tape or silicone.  No?

[ArdWrknTrk]

You DO see the evil grin, right?

[Gary Lewis]

I did and do.  But was just wondering if I was mistaken.

[LARIAT 85]

I was thinking about the F O R D hood letters a little bit more, and I had a thought.  The 1980 and 1981 models stretched the F O R D letters across the center of the hood, and the aluminum tailgate finish panel also had F O R D letters stretched across the center:



When the aluminum tailgate finish panel was redesigned for the 1985 and 1986 models, the same FORD letters were used, but they were now closer together and shifted to the right:




How do you think it would look, if I were to place the FORD letters closer together and shifted to the right of the hood?  This would match the placement of the letters on the back better to make it look more consistent - like something Ford *might* have done if they were still using hood letters in 1985?  I would use slightly smaller letters, like what was found on the 1979 and 1980 Mustang.  These are in the same font style as the 1980 and 1981 truck hood letters:

[Gary Lewis]

I don't think I'd like that, Rick.  It is your truck, but ......

[Ray Cecil]

Gary Lewis wrote

I don't think I'd like that, Rick.  It is your truck, but ......

Im not always a factory guy, but I have to agree with gary on this one.

[Dorsai]

Gary Lewis wrote

I don't think I'd like that, Rick.  It is your truck, but ......

Oh, good, you put a thumbs-down emoji on here:

[LARIAT 85]

Again, just a thought.

How do you think the FORD letters look closer together and on the right of the redesigned 1985 tailgate panel?

How do you think the FORD letters look closer together and on the right of the 1979 Mustang hood?


Would it look odd to see the F  O  R  D letters stretched across the center of the hood (1980/1981 style), combined with the FORD letters closer together and on the right of the tailgate trim panel (1985/1986 style)?