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Grill Replacement 1999 AU Forte Wagon

 
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falconboy
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 26, 2004 10:36 pm    Post subject: Grill Replacement 1999 AU Forte Wagon Reply with quote

Hi all,
Recently bought a wagon at last - always been wanting to buy a wagon, but always end up with a sedan cause it seems to be the right car at the right price. This time I found a looked after 99 AU Forte Wagon with 215000k for $5500.
The only problem is its butt UGLY. You know the one with the disgusting cheesecutter grill.
Anyway, I have had a bit of a search and cannot seem to find the info I'm after which is what grill can I do a simple bolt on swap with to make it look better - I was thinking I'd love the fairmont one with the chrome bits (I reckon will look great as the wagon is burgundy), but looking at photos it looks like the bonnet is different (bummer). What else fits? I'm not a big fan of the classic or XLS type grill....are there any other options without changing the bonnet. Keep in mind I wanna keep it a cheap work wagon. Thinking of keeping an eye out for XR6 mags or similar when there is a cheap set available, stick window tint on it, and it might not be a bad looking wagon. Whadda Ya reckon?
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Disco Frank
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 26, 2004 11:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

basically any au grill with the series 1 bonnet will fit ie xr icon_smile.gif
i got xr front end here at home...........

have a look at other au's with the same bonnet as yours and see if you can find a grill u like
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falconboy
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 26, 2004 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ta mate
Had a bit of a look at the series 1 AU's on carsales.com.au - geez - they really f**cked up with the styling of all the grilles on the first series didn't they? The forte, futura, xls grille are all pretty average. Yes, the fairmont looks great, but I'm a little unsure from the pics whether the bonnet is the same - because the top chrome strip makes it hard to tell. Maybe the chrome strip is just screwed to the standard bonnet, but I am thinking the bonnet is different.
I did find an XR6 - and the bonnet looks the same - so to do the conversion would I only need the front bar and lights? I assume the grille is part of the bar? What about bolting it on, wiring loom for the lights etc?
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ReGiE
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

im guessing u onlt need the front xr bar, the xr lights and maybe the indicators if they are not connected too the bar. the lights an indicators should plug straight into the existing loom i would think
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FLYING XR8
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Ute Grills look OK on Sedans when they are Color Coded.
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falconboy
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mmm, maybe - much prefer the Au2 Forte style front, but too much trouble and expense. The XR6 might be ok, and definately something different, but a bit pricey to stick on the cheap work wagon - plus, I don't think a Burgundy wagon would look very good with the XR6 front. I might check out the Fairmont front next time I find one in a car park as the chrome fairmont front on a Burgundy I reckon looks classy. Just gotta make sure i don't get arrested them thinking I wanna steal it or somefin!
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Disco Frank
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 1:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mmm i think the fairmont use's a different bonnet

the series 1/xr bonnet have the "fold" line down the midle so to speak

the burgany wagon with xr front look good i reckon but liek u say bit $$ for a hack
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Macca
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

$5500 what a steal.

There is a few after market bolt in grills, one that comes to mind is the one in the RTA anti speeding ad where the young bloke looses control of his AU ute.
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ghiaman
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Damage wrote:
$5500 what a steal.

There is a few after market bolt in grills, one that comes to mind is the one in the RTA anti speeding ad where the young bloke looses control of his AU ute.


Yeh I was going to post what a bargain.
The series 1 low spec cars had the XR crease down the bonnet. So the XR front would be the choice as the S1 fairmonts and all S2/3 fairmonts and low spec cars ex XR's had no crease.
The waterfall grill when painted don't look as bad as that S1 futura smiling beetle grill.The designer of that grill must have been on something.

ghiaman
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AU2SR
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 12:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

falconboy wrote:
mmm, maybe - much prefer the Au2 Forte style front, but too much trouble and expense. The XR6 might be ok, and definately something different, but a bit pricey to stick on the cheap work wagon - plus, I don't think a Burgundy wagon would look very good with the XR6 front. I might check out the Fairmont front next time I find one in a car park as the chrome fairmont front on a Burgundy I reckon looks classy. Just gotta make sure i don't get arrested them thinking I wanna steal it or somefin!



To put the fairmont front on all you need is the bonnet and the grill
look at my pics that is the ts 50 front
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ndroo
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 10:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

my parents have a 2001 AU wagon now...(sold their EL for an AU...) and its grill had paint pealing off it when they got it. Is this a common problem. I resprayed it pearl black (Ford paint) and did a clear coat over it...sanded it n cutting polished...and its a real pro look...but is this common for the paint to do this on the AU grills? It was grey...black looks way better tho.
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GlennBA
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 3:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

omg... i cannot believe no one has mentioned the hawk grille!!! this grille looks sweeeeeet icon_smile.gif

www.awcinfo.com ...... $110



The grille will fit AU Series 1 forte, s, classic, xl, xls, futura.. (any with the crease bonnet).
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falconboy
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does look pretty good - plus that mob are only a few suburbs away.

I also noticed they had an XR6 Front bar with lip for about $460 - I assume this is the bar only, unpainted, and not including the lights - anyone know what the lights are worth?

This might look good without the lip though - I think with the lip, without the rest of the car with skirts etc will look odd. But add lights, painting etc end up a bit pricey. My front bar is a bit scratched, but this thing will end up NOT being a cheap work wagon if I do all that....the options are interesting though....
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GlennBA
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

falconboy wrote:
Does look pretty good - plus that mob are only a few suburbs away.

I also noticed they had an XR6 Front bar with lip for about $460 - I assume this is the bar only, unpainted, and not including the lights - anyone know what the lights are worth?

This might look good without the lip though - I think with the lip, without the rest of the car with skirts etc will look odd. But add lights, painting etc end up a bit pricey. My front bar is a bit scratched, but this thing will end up NOT being a cheap work wagon if I do all that....the options are interesting though....

The lights are ridiculously expensive.. about $500 i think?
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6CYL
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any one know where i could get a grill like the one in the pic in Melb?
I live close to the Herrod Motorsport Workshop do they sell AU grills?
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falconboy
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why not order from the place here in Sydney and have it shipped? I'm sure freight for something that size and light in weight isn't terribly expensive....
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bud and lynn
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 08, 2005 1:51 am    Post subject: au front end Reply with quote

i have an Au forte wagon with the xr mods done factory
The XR front end is the only one of the fords for years to actually look good
they look even better when you put the headlight protectors on
i just wanna know if there is a specific XR rear bumper or were they standard
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Disco Frank
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 08, 2005 2:26 am    Post subject: Re: au front end Reply with quote

bud and lynn wrote:
i have an Au forte wagon with the xr mods done factory
The XR front end is the only one of the fords for years to actually look good
they look even better when you put the headlight protectors on
i just wanna know if there is a specific XR rear bumper or were they standard

pretty sure up utnill s3 trhe rear bar was standard but had the spolier kit on it
as for lights about $300 each
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