Mesh.
06-14-2004, 03:34 PM
#6
VIP Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2003
Location: out on the twisties
Posts: 4,219
Car Info: WRB WRX 2003 Subaru Sedan
Well i work at Home Depot and i guess i'm picky because i've never found anything there that i'd use as "mesh"
Huck if you find something let me know. I need to do the same.
Huck if you find something let me know. I need to do the same.
06-14-2004, 03:34 PM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: _
Posts: 369
Car Info: _
Don't waste your time with that expanded-metal-gutter/ghetto-**** from home depot...
(let alone spray painting it)
McMaster Carr... (mcmaster.com)
you can get 316 stainless mesh in any number of weaves (fine to course)
and in small sizes too...1' by 3' should be a good size for your front. Do a search for "wire cloth" and you'll see the options. They take CC's, no min order, and can ship next day air if you need it fast.
If you get some course mesh (like 3x3), it can actually hold a shape pretty well into the front cowling. If you want to paint it, send it over to Richmond Pro Finishing and they can powder coat any color for cheap. No effin Rustoleum.
I have pretty strong opinions about this and if you are gonna get some mesh to put on the front of your car, don't waste your time & money buying galvanized gutter mesh, garden screen or any of the other junk like that and painting it.
Otherwise, you could go for the perforated metal route (like I did) and that worked well for my front end (powder coated flat-black). Mcmaster also has some options with perforated metal too.
Hope this helps,
Steve
(let alone spray painting it)
McMaster Carr... (mcmaster.com)
you can get 316 stainless mesh in any number of weaves (fine to course)
and in small sizes too...1' by 3' should be a good size for your front. Do a search for "wire cloth" and you'll see the options. They take CC's, no min order, and can ship next day air if you need it fast.
If you get some course mesh (like 3x3), it can actually hold a shape pretty well into the front cowling. If you want to paint it, send it over to Richmond Pro Finishing and they can powder coat any color for cheap. No effin Rustoleum.
I have pretty strong opinions about this and if you are gonna get some mesh to put on the front of your car, don't waste your time & money buying galvanized gutter mesh, garden screen or any of the other junk like that and painting it.
Otherwise, you could go for the perforated metal route (like I did) and that worked well for my front end (powder coated flat-black). Mcmaster also has some options with perforated metal too.
Hope this helps,
Steve
06-14-2004, 04:31 PM
#9
Originally Posted by stevedood
Don't waste your time with that expanded-metal-gutter/ghetto-**** from home depot...
(let alone spray painting it)
McMaster Carr... (mcmaster.com)
you can get 316 stainless mesh in any number of weaves (fine to course)
and in small sizes too...1' by 3' should be a good size for your front. Do a search for "wire cloth" and you'll see the options. They take CC's, no min order, and can ship next day air if you need it fast.
If you get some course mesh (like 3x3), it can actually hold a shape pretty well into the front cowling. If you want to paint it, send it over to Richmond Pro Finishing and they can powder coat any color for cheap. No effin Rustoleum.
I have pretty strong opinions about this and if you are gonna get some mesh to put on the front of your car, don't waste your time & money buying galvanized gutter mesh, garden screen or any of the other junk like that and painting it.
Otherwise, you could go for the perforated metal route (like I did) and that worked well for my front end (powder coated flat-black). Mcmaster also has some options with perforated metal too.
Hope this helps,
Steve
(let alone spray painting it)
McMaster Carr... (mcmaster.com)
you can get 316 stainless mesh in any number of weaves (fine to course)
and in small sizes too...1' by 3' should be a good size for your front. Do a search for "wire cloth" and you'll see the options. They take CC's, no min order, and can ship next day air if you need it fast.
If you get some course mesh (like 3x3), it can actually hold a shape pretty well into the front cowling. If you want to paint it, send it over to Richmond Pro Finishing and they can powder coat any color for cheap. No effin Rustoleum.
I have pretty strong opinions about this and if you are gonna get some mesh to put on the front of your car, don't waste your time & money buying galvanized gutter mesh, garden screen or any of the other junk like that and painting it.
Otherwise, you could go for the perforated metal route (like I did) and that worked well for my front end (powder coated flat-black). Mcmaster also has some options with perforated metal too.
Hope this helps,
Steve
06-14-2004, 05:47 PM
#11
Stevedood, that's great information. I too have been looking for some sort of mesh that looks more like the Jaguar mesh in the XJR, S-Type R, etc. and haven't been able to find anything that I've really liked. This has got to be one of the most informative posts in a long time in BAIC 
-Brian
-Brian
06-14-2004, 07:38 PM
#15
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: _
Posts: 369
Car Info: _
Originally Posted by huck
Damn, there's almost too many choices at McMaster Carr's. I don't know what the hell I'm looking at. I'm going to need to do some more research.
I would recommend that you pick a wire dia b/t 0.050" and 0.100" and then see what density of meshes you can get. The %open area will let you figure out how much flow reduction you'll get....the opening width will tell you which rocks will get through. You are obviously going to obstruct the flow and something around 40%OA should be OK, I wouldn't go less than that.
A tight mesh with a large wire diameter would look pretty close to the Jaguar front end. If you have gold wheels (which I can't recall on your white Rex), then some brass mesh would look pretty cool and wouldn't tarnish much.
For shaping the mesh: I recommend making a wood "tool" out of some scrap 2x4's. Nail a few together to make a rectangular shape larger than the grill scoop. Use a piece of cardboard beforehand to get the right shape before tracing it onto the wood. Trim the perimeter of the wood to loosely fit into your mesh location (either the upper/radiator scoop b/t the headlights or the lower/condenser/fmic scoop). Get a pair of compound tin snips (I have some you can borrow) and cut the mesh with an extra 2-3" around the perimeter. Get a brass or rubber mallet ( i also have one you can borrow) and start to "shape" the mesh over the wood tool - think Jesse James when he's making his gas tanks (minus the english wheel). After a bit of work you'll figure out what it takes to shape the stuff. Sometimes a pair of leather gloves and a bit of elbow grease will get the geometry perfect. Then clean up the perimeter edge after it's been bent over and test fit the mesh into the grill. You can buy some rubber edge gasket at McMaster and use that to cover the edges of the mesh and keep the mesh from scratching the grill when installing as well as cutting down on vibration at speed. Black Zip ties work nice for securing the mesh to the grill and you can always drill a few hidden holes if you don't have good spots to zip tie it in.
Hope this works and let me know if you need help.
-steve