1965 Ford Mustang New Billet Grille Install - Grille Thrill

The upper fasteners for the outer ends are removed next. Keep both the screws and the threaded pal nuts for attaching the new grille. If your original hardware is missing or damaged, Mustangs Plus can set you up with what you need.

There are several fasteners along the lower edge of the factory grille that will have to be removed as well. Some of the lower mounting points will be reused while others will not.

The larger 11/42-inch fasteners we're removing here are the last of the grille-attachment fasteners.

Here the upper grille-support bracket comes off the car. It will not be reused because the corral won't be reinstalled. The new billet grille has its own mounting ears.

The factory grille is finally removed from the car. The black honeycomb pattern seemed to disappear in the grille opening, and we're looking forward to having something a little brighter to dress up the front of our car.

Here, the new billet grille from Mustangs Plus goes onto the car for a trial fit. We didn't encounter any problems except for one minor adjustment.

A perfect fit is possible if the corners of the hood-latch support bracket are bent flat, as shown. Once this is done, the new grille seats, achieving a perfect fit.

Mounting holes are drilled in the new grille assembly to complete the installation. Once the grille is positioned, these outer-end holes are drilled freehand without difficulty.

Because access is limited, drilling the lower holes in the grille edges with the part in place is a little more difficult. We use a Dremel tool for a drill motor and access the locations easily.

With all of the new fasteners in place, the new grille stands out and looks great. However, we didn't think ahead when we ordered the grille, and on the '65 model, the lower support of the corral doubles as the connection piece for the grille-surround trim molding. With the corral gone, a small gap remains in the trim piece. We'll order a '66 centerpiece to close up the small opening. It costs $12.95 through Mustangs Plus.