I got the income return and decided to consider some mods. They are selling many HHRs in Sandstone down here so I want my to look different from all the others. I went looking for a new grill and found several varieties and many price ranges. I saw a picture of one with the word Chevrolet inscribed in it like the really old suburbans. Does anyone know whether that was a custom grill? If not, where can it be purchased?

Also, I have the satin chrome door handles and grill. Most of the grills I found online are bright chrome. Any idea who sells them in the satin chrome?

 

There is a T-Rex grill that has Chevrolet on it. Also some have been customised with vinyl letters. Check here: https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/picture-media-11/first-three-mods-1244/
This is the T-Rex:

 

The Carriage Works HHR grille is sold in polished, satin, and black.

 

I just bought a Factory OEM Grill from my dealership for $114.

They told me that they had three different kinds in stock in their warehouse. According to their computer they had the following.

Satin Finish
Chrome Finish
Chrome Pre-Prep

All three listed, all cost the same price of about $114.

They had no idea what the Chrome Pre-Prep was so I asked to look at one. Th guy went and got one, I looked at it... and it looked like one solid chunk of plastic molded to look like chrome. Even the backside looked the same as the front side. The front does not feel metallic at all; it felt quite plastikey ( if thats even a word! )

After looking it over, the guy in the parts department who got it out of the warehouse for me, commented that he thought it looked like it was prepped to be painted; or used as is... but he wasn't sure.

I'm going to take it into a body shop soon and see if I can get their advice on whether or not it can be painted.

I'll post a picture of it later, along with its Part # from my invoice.

 

 

that would save us some time!

 

Ok, I haven't been out anywhere yet... but I've been looking this Grill over, and comparing it with the one on my car.

They both look identical; except they have different Part Numbers. The one on my car is Part# 15780440.

Now for the new one.

First Image is the backside showing its Part Number... then a full shot of its frontside and a fullshot of its backside. It seems too shiny to be Satin, even my roommate commented on that; and it in no way feels metallic or like chrome.

I nicked the backside with a small pocket knife and found that there is in fact a white plastic underneath... so it is coated with something; that has some sort of chrome look. Unfortunately the nick that I made was so small, that I can not get a clear picture of it, I didn't want to leave any obvious marks in case I decide to return it.


Image of Part Number



Image of Frontside - Spots are from sticky bubble wrap it was packed in.



Image of Backside

 

In looking at mine, I too noticed it was nothing more than molded plastic. Will that cheap plastic really protect the radiator from flying objects? Probably not! I wonder how long it will take before the chrome plating starts falling off like it did on the window trim of older cars? That's why I'd like to get a metal mesh replacement grill. You can see it's really easy to remove one and install the other.