[Mopar4Life]

I made this poll/thread to hear from you guys as well as hear your inputs since I've been receiving a lot of suggestions to get a grill made in CF. Many members on DakotaRT.com voted and these were the top two designs chosen. The first is OEM and the second my own design. Now we have to choose one final one.

The grill will be made out of carbon fiber. They come paint-able, but comes ready to install with UV protected clear. If you are interested in fiberglass you may PM me. They also come with mesh that is removable. There will be aluminum bendy tabs to hold a mesh material in.

Price is not yet solid, but lets say $200 each for 10 people.

1: OEM style
2: Design 1 Perimeter and center bar is left alone, and the horizontal bar is flat, creates more 3d look

 

[suprchgd99rango]

#2 is dumb as shit imho.

 

[Bad_banana]

Hard to depict the actual look from a sketch.

 

[Starscream]

Hard to depict the actual look from a sketch.

I going to have to agree.

 

[03SXT]

i agree...sketch is hard to picture in real life. personally, i like the center horizontal bars deleted, like cervinis grille.

 

[caulk04]

i agree...sketch is hard to picture in real life. personally, i like the center horizontal bars deleted, like cervinis grille.

Vomit. Period.

 

[Mopar4Life]

If someone can photo shop it, I guess that would help.

 

[SinCity R/T]

IMHO the flat horizontal bar isn't a good idea. It would most likely make it difficult or impossible to install grilles which mount to the center area of the grill shell (eg: SS grilles), and then it would probably look funny to have the horizontal bar recessed behind the grille material.

Using a grill shell without any grille material in the openings looks funny to me - I don't think the carbon appearance of the shell would be enough to offset that.

 

[Mopar4Life]

IMHO the flat horizontal bar isn't a good idea. It would most likely make it difficult or impossible to install grilles which mount to the center area of the grill shell (eg: SS grilles), and then it would probably look funny to have the horizontal bar recessed behind the grille material.

Using a grill shell without any grille material in the openings looks funny to me - I don't think the carbon appearance of the shell would be enough to offset that.

Well, the OEM grill is flat on the back, so that wouldn't change, the horizontal bars would just be almost flat, in, from what they are OEM style.

This picture is a rough idea of how it would look.

 

[project_dog]

I can see the difference. I would go with OEM.

 

[durangokid]

Vomit. Period.

agreed, they look AWESOME with the vert bar removed

 

[caulk04]

agreed, they look AWESOME with the vert bar removed

Vomit...a little.

Leave the grilles alone. They need nothing further than SS inserts.

 

[hwystar]

not enough difference to make any effort worthwhile

 

[eharri3]

Yup

not enough difference to make any effort worthwhile

This.

I saw the tread and thought this would be about an actual unique design for a grill replacement or insert. If this incorporated some sort of package deal of a unique and attractive insert incorporated into a visually distinct shell I'd bite. Other than that I see no benefit to this that would make me want to spend that money on this over something else. I think I actually understand the look you're going for, but it's just not a unique or attractive enough package that I'd spend money on it. That it's made of cf isn't enough for me to buy the OE design, and the other one is nothing special. You may well be able to sell to the 'I want it just cause it's carbon fiber' crowd. But I think there's more of them on the civic and prelude forums.

Continue to float this out there and get alot more input before you sink any money into it. I commend your entrepenuer's spirit and hope you can accept this honest and friendly advice without taking it personally.

And btw if I had a black or grey truck and could get this in unpainted cf with a black mesh insert it might be the only instance when I'd get excited.

 

[durangokid]

i did mesh inserts and im bored with it
looks like every other dakota and durango i see still
i want some differenece

 

[Mopar4Life]

This.

I saw the tread and thought this would be about an actual unique design for a grill replacement or insert. If this incorporated some sort of package deal of a unique and attractive insert incorporated into a visually distinct shell I'd bite. Other than that I see no benefit to this that would make me want to spend that money on this over something else. I think I actually understand the look you're going for, but it's just not a unique or attractive enough package that I'd spend money on it. That it's made of cf isn't enough for me to buy the OE design, and the other one is nothing special. You may well be able to sell to the 'I want it just cause it's carbon fiber' crowd. But I think there's more of them on the civic and prelude forums.

Continue to float this out there and get alot more input before you sink any money into it. I commend your entrepenuer's spirit and hope you can accept this honest and friendly advice without taking it personally.

And btw if I had a black or grey truck and could get this in unpainted cf with a black mesh insert it might be the only instance when I'd get excited.

Appreciate the comment and opinions, but what kind of design are you thinking about? My thinking for making designs always starts with being something different, something new but still retains the character and "clean" look. Not like the cervinis grill (not my taste). Design 1 is another version and more traditional "Dodge" signature look. Kind of like Gen1 and Gen2 Dakota grills. Then again I originally had more choices and after two weeks it came down to those two designs. And at this point I'm still unsure what to do. I'm getting a little more feedback on re-doing an OEM style grill in CF.

Don't know, but there are a lot of members on here and I'm sure we can all work on something together.

 

[Starscream]

I personally like the look of the OEM grille.

If you must make a different look I'd get rid of the crosshairs altogether, BUT I think in the long run as far as sales go OEM is what is going to gather you the most cash.
Then again the only people who are going to buy a carbon fiber grille will be those who buy your carbon fiber hood. In other words you should try to sell your hoods then figure out what they want.

 

[NPelletier]

honestly, i like the look of the stock grille over any otherone out there...i think it makes the front end...although, i would rock the one with no center dividing bar, something that looks good:drive:

 

[Jarheadoo7]

im junping on the bus of the stock grill as well... like the overall shape of the gen3s they nailed it... minus a SRT hood and roll pan you cant change what looks nearly perfect.. maybe im just a purist?

 

[Mopar4Life]

The outcome on this site is OEM style. So, 5.9 R/T, Blue Basher, dave2003, Derrick1227, Dj Wolf, Dodge4Life, domay11, durango2001, eharri3, fox racer, Hustlajustin, JCFDak01, Mikes99Dakota, NPelletier, porksoda, project_dog, Starscream and y2krtaf, you guys would be in on a OEM style carbon fiber grill group buy?