Thinking ISUZU in bold large-print letters

[E-ZooZoo One]

This post will probably contain more information than anyone really needs (or wants) to know - but that’s just how I roll… long-winded to a fault.


A couple of winters ago, while driving the Rodeo in some absurdly slick conditions, I had myself a little encounter with the back of a Ford Explorer… This resulted in some minor body damage, including a nicely cracked front fascia/grill insert.

Last April, Andre (Starchild) was kind enough to supply me with a replacement, which happened to include one of the larger Isuzu emblems ever to grace the nose of a Rodeo (almost the size of the big one that they used on the 1st Gen Troopers). --- This grill has been on honorable display, sitting on a shelf in the back of my garage, awaiting its eventual installation… But since I have to repaint it before it goes on the Rodeo, I’ve kept putting it off. --- Something more important always seems to come along. --- You know how it is.

More recently, since this had already become one of my back-burner projects, I decided to wait a bit longer - pick-up a few more pieces - and do the re-badge ‘Euro-conversion’… turning it into an Opel Fronterra.

Rusty Davis hooked me up with the Opel grill and hood badges, and threw-in a North Carolina “FRONTERRA” license plate to-boot… Now all I need are the ‘Fronterra’ emblems for the fenders and tailgate. --- Sooner or later I’ll Git-er-done.



So what the heck does all of this have to do with my VX?

Well, yesterday evening I was thinking about the Rodeo’s Euro-Conversion, and it occurred to me that I have that nice-big Isuzu emblem sitting in the garage, just going to waste… So I decided to see how much trouble it would be to install it in-place of the not-so-pretty (rock-chipped and worn) miniature OEM Isuzu emblem on the front of the VX.

(* Yeah, I can just hear some of you De-badgers now! )


Anyway, because of the molded-in section for the original badge, this isn’t going to be quite as easy as I thought… *If* I end-up doing it, I’ll have to cut a couple of notches into that flat section for the mounting posts on the back of the larger badge to fit… Not too much really, but enough to give me second thoughts about the whole idea - because once it’s done, there’s no going back – and I’m a bit concerned about the overall proportioning with the fangs.

SOOOOOOOO…
Has anyone ever tried this before – and if so, are there any photos floating around?


TIA!

[VehiX]

If you insist on displaying the Isuzu logo and don't really want to modify the stock grill....just tie the logo to the grill in several spots with a strong see through fishing line. I have cut out and inserted grill mesh in the stock locations and used the fishing line to hold it all in place. This has survived high speed runs on many occasions and has even stood up to the harsh New England weather for over 2-3 years now.

Just a thought

here's a pic of the mesh I'm talking about



The fishing line worked very well for this and is barely noticable to the eye unless I point it out to you

[Raque Thomas]

I have an emblem on mine (VXR) that is slightly larger than the depressed area. I used moulding adhesive strips and doubled them up on the back of the emblem so that it is just barely higher than the rim around that area. Looks great, and has been on for 10,000 miles with no probs.

[innercore]

http://youremblem.com/catalog/

An easy and inexpensive way to put your own "Signature" on your Vehicross. Most impressive.

[E-ZooZoo One]

…here's a pic of the mesh I'm talking about



The fishing line worked very well for this and is barely noticable to the eye unless I point it out to you

I did a very similar grill insert on my Rodeo several years ago…
In fact, it looks like we may have used the exact same mesh – however, I opted to put some black rubber aquarium tubing around mine to enclose all of those sharp edges, and then attached the rubber sections to the grill with a rather contrived arrangement of small black Zip-Ties.

I did use some fishing line though…
After cutting a slit down the full-length of the rubber tubing, and fitting it tightly over the edges, I hand-sewed all of it onto my upper and lower grill inserts with UV-stable multi-filament line.


Here are the best close-up photos that I could find:



(It looks a wee-bit better when everything’s mounted...)




I may end-up doing something very similar on the VX - but this time, if only for simplicity’s sake, I think I’ll probably mount the mesh BEHIND the grill.

I have an emblem on mine (VXR) that is slightly larger than the depressed area. I used moulding adhesive strips and doubled them up on the back of the emblem so that it is just barely higher than the rim around that area. Looks great, and has been on for 10,000 miles with no probs.

Cutting the tabs off of the larger Isuzu emblem and mounting it with double-sided 3M tape probably would be a whole lot easier, huh? (DUH!)

If it turns out that I don’t like the look of the larger one, I can always use the same adhesive tape to re-mount the original.

Thanks for the suggestion (…and for not pointing and laughing!)

[Joe_Black]

Have you seen the titanium "VX" that many here have replaced the front logo with? IMHO that is the best thing going. Really suits the nature of the beast, so to speak.

[E-ZooZoo One]

And while I was at it, I went ahead and did something to prevent any future road debris-induced radiator damage...



Although, I think I'll probably go back and rattle-can the mesh in satin black to subdue the ‘Bling’ effect a bit.


Cheers!
Smiley

[biju]

I love it. Way to go!

I like the surroundings even more, tho. Looks like a beautiful place to live...

-biju.

[E-ZooZoo One]

...I like the surroundings even more, tho. Looks like a beautiful place to live...

Many thanks! - And you're right, panoramically speaking; this truly is an exceptional little mountaintop town. --- In the coming weeks, as spring really starts to roll-in, I'll have to be sure and post more pix that backdrop some of the local scenery behind our VX...

We are indeed blessed with some mighty nice vistas to share!