DIY Network

Mesh Grills Upgrade: Custom EL Logo Civic Grill and Lights Upgrade, Part 2 of 4 From "Tricked Out" episode DTRK-304

Night visions: the Civic SI after driving lights and EL grill logo have been installed.

In this project, Tricked Out host Andrew Totolos installs mesh grills, LED taillights and new fog lights on a Honda Civic. Now that the aluminum mesh has been added to the grill, it's time to spice it up even more. Andrew adds a custom grill logo made with electroluminescent (EL) wire to the center grill.

Materials/tools for this phase of the project:

template of desired logo
high-gloss black spray paint
electroluminescent (EL) wire
electrical tape
silicone glue
wire ties
misc. electrical connectors and supplies
scissors
tape

Safety Alert: As a standard safety precaution, always disconnect the vehicle's negative battery cable before you begin work on any electrical or mechanical components.

DIY Difficulty Rating for This Project: We gave this a difficulty rating of 3 on a 5-point intermediate-level scale. There's some drilling and a small amount of electrical wiring involved, but if you're comfortable with that you should have no problem.

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Figure A

Steps:

• To begin, remove the mesh that's already in your vent.
  
  
• Print out a full-size template of whatever logo you'd like to use.

• Cut your graphic out of the paper template (figure A). (If your design is larger than one sheet, you can tape multiple pages together.)

• Position the template where you want it on the grille.
  

  
  

• Spray the design onto the mesh using high-gloss black spray-paint (figure B).

• Once it's dry, you can start the EL wire accent light (figure C).

  Figure B

  Figure C

  
  

  
  

• Start at the end of the design and feed the wire all the way through the mesh--as if you were sewing with a needle and thread (figures D and E).

• Insert the wire back through the mesh at the next curve. Make sure that the majority of the EL wire is facing the outside of the mesh. Leave enough wire exposed on the end to reach the transformer mounting location, and tighten the design as you go.

• Important: As you weave the wire through the mesh, hold it between two fingers so that it doesn't scrape against the mesh, which could damage the luminescent coating. Also, be aware that the mesh is sharp--but it's better to be careful than to wear gloves because it's difficult to do the job without feeling your way through.

  Figure D

  Figure E

  
  

  	Figure F
  	Figure G

  
  

• After you've woven your design, use electrical tape to black out any areas that you don't want illuminated (figure F).

• Then cut the wire down to size and tape off the end.

• Secure the mesh to the bumper cover with silicone glue with the same technique used on the other pieces.

• Plug in the transformer and use a wire tie to secure it along the side of the mesh (figure G).

Important: Included in this summary are the steps in this automotive procedure as shown in the episode. These steps are general guidelines that are applicable to most vehicles. With any particular car or truck, there may be procedures, specifications, settings, tolerances, components, etc. that are specific to that vehicle. There are also variations according to the type and brand of upgrade-kit you select. Always consult your vehicle's service manual when undertaking significant automotive repairs, and read and follow the manufacturer's directions and precautions that come with your kit or replacement parts.

RESOURCES :

Racing Innovations, Inc.
We apologize no contact information is available.

Streetglow Inc.
www.streetglow.com

Spiderlite
www.spiderlite.com

Maxzone
www.maxzone.com