Hello all.... I am trying to replace my standard metal backplate (the plate around the rear lights) with a challenge grill. I have removed most of the bolts but I can't seem to get to the top center two. They seem to be behind the top part of the mesh grill. I removed the top bolts for the top mesh grill but it seems to be held on with rivots on either end. How do I get to the bolts behind the mesh so that I can fully remove the back plate and replace it with the challenge grill? I have done a search but didn't find anything. I have a '96 spider if that helps. Thanks in advance, JAFO
I think you have to drill out 'one' of the rivets, then swing the grill strip out of the way using the remaining rivet as a hinge point.
Pap and Goth, Thanks for the replies. I will post pics when I get home tonight. Everything was going well until I I got stopped on the center two screws. I was hoping this was going to be nice and easy and it was until I realized that those two screw behind the top mesh grill were still attached. Is there any other way to get the upper mesh grill off instead of drilling out the rivots? I would like to know how others have done their change to a challenge drill. Thanks again guys and I'll post some pics of the issue that I'm talking about. JAFO
Thanks PAP, Everyone has been very helpful with tons of info in the past. This is the first vehicle I have worked on (besides doing some stereo work) and I don't want to mess up such a nice car. Thanks again and the photos will go up when I get home tonight. JAFO
I was lucky mine came with the challenge grille; seems like a good topic for you to post how to pics. I'm the opposite of you, always working on my cars (new clutch last weekend) but never did any stereo work. That's on my list though
That was the first thing my brother and I had to fix on mine, as soon as you switched on the headlights the stereo would drop out Some slapper wired it up wrong, after we fixed it I never ended up using it anyways, go figure
Sorry for the delay (got home late last night). Here are the pics. As you can see, I have all of the bolts off except for the center two. Will I have to drill out the rivots? Thanks for any help. JAFO Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Some good pics there JAFO Yeah you are correct mate, you will need to drill out those x2 pop rivots, make sure you post up some pics for us when you finish
Yep---Drill those rivets out. Use a small bit about the size of the hole and usually the rivet will just pop off. Be careful not to go too far with the bit. Hold it tight and only go as far as you need for the rivet to come apart. When you replace the new grill, you can use small sheet metal screws to replace where the rivets were if you don't have rivets laying around. I spray painted 2 small sheet metal screws black and did mine. Unless you know what to look for no one will ever notice...
Great info as my challenge grill is being delivered today and I will be installing it soon. My challenge wing is already on and looks awsome.
A good "while you are in there" would be to replace all the bulbs in the third brake light. You have to drill the rivets and remove the strip to get to the third brake light, so by changing the bulbs now, you save yourself some potential work later.
Thanks to everyone for the great info. I hope to work on this as soon as I get hom. F355spider, You make a great point. I will replace those bulbs while I am in there. I may go the route of the sheet metal screws so that if I have to replace the bulbs again later, it will be easier to remove the upper grill. Thanks again and more pics when it gets completed. JAFO
Before any holes get drilled, I put a challenge grill on my 355 and did not have to drill anything. I know this for a fact because at the time I didn't own a drill! It was a while ago, and I don't have the car anymore, but from memory, those upper grills come out with some additional framework by removing some additional nuts from the inside. Search around a bit and see if any other threads have dealt with this. I'd hate to see holes drilled unnecessarily. It is always possible that any rivets in my car had been removed before I got it.... EDIT: Just found the parts manual image - it shows the rivet, but also shows the riveted piece as separate from the grill. Dave Image Unavailable, Please Login
Goth, You are right, I had to drill out the one rivet. The top mesh will come out after the single rivet is taken out The challenge grill is almost in. I will have pics once it is complete. The top screws hold the top mesh in place as well so those had to come out. I replace the rivet with another rivet. When I get some time, I will take both rivets out and replace them with some sheet metal screws. I think that will give me the best of all worlds incase I decide to remove the grill. I looked at the third light but couldn't see what type of light it was. It more or less looks like a led. I could be wrong but I decided to leave well enough alone but will probably go back and see if it can be replaced. More pics to come once it is completed. JAFO
I changed my grill today. Took me about an hour. No rivet in mine(95) judging from the above diagram the rivet is used to hold in the rubber edge trim. Its funny because when I asked my dealer how much they wanted to change the grill, they told me around 4 hours because they have to fiddle with it to make it fit properly.
Here are some pics of the finished job. Wing and grill. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The Hella housing for the third brake light can be carefully pried open....I think there is a latch on one end. You will need 7 each, Sylvania 2723 bulbs.
Yes, I replaced all of them when one of them went bad. Use electrical contact lube to prevent oxidation on the connector interfaces too .
