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Well Lads & Lasses, I finally conceded that the later polished stainless steel mesh radiator grille MAY look better than the original X350 Jaguar XJ8L grille; I think.....? I used polished stainless steel inserts and a chromed radiator grille surround (formerly belonging to an XJR and bought without badge at auction on eBay for £15).
Anyway, you be the judge - herewith, pics before and after (click on pics to enlarge):
The mesh upper grille looks better no doubt. However, I actually think the original bottom grille looks better than the mesh. Could you do a picture of upper grille mesh and lower grille without?
I'm on the fence with this. The mesh grill looks great but I'm perfectly happy with the original grill on my '04. But I don't think I like the bottom mesh grill. A bit too obtrusive. It draws my eyes down below the bumper.
I fitted the Adamesh grills to my last XJ6 Sport, and the car looked better for me, but everybody is different, one is not better than the other. Of course my later car, an X358 has a completely different grill, much closer to a mesh type, although still plastic !
I have always liked the body color grill surround on Stainless Mesh, so much that both my 06 XJ8L and 07 VDP got the XJR/Super V8 "Treatment" by painting it myself - I also replaced the chromed side mirrors with body color covers - The chrome looked too bling for me, and these TSW wheels are just a BIT "technical" and overly modern, but not too out of place or out of character IMO. BUT... For the ULTIMATE Grill, try finding an X350 Daimler Grill with Vertical Bars.. Good luck with the mission though. I have been hunting for a couple years and the one time I found one it was $900. A bit beyond my reach.
If you zoom the rear view shot you will see the rear plinth is fluted as well. My X308 Vanden Plas had fluted grill surround and rear plinth. Not sure why the X350 deleted them except on the Daimler Super V*, which we never saw in the US. Apparently, Tata Motors owns the name and a few attempts to trademark it in the US have failed, once in 07, and again in 2009.
If anyone has access to A Daimler Grill, please PM me! They used this grill on XJ40 varients, X300, X305 (V12) X308, X350, and X358. Back in the 1920's the flutes had purpose, on the radiator shell, creating an additional surface area for cooling. They have been cosmetic in nature ever since.
The mesh upper grille looks better no doubt. However, I actually think the original bottom grille looks better than the mesh. Could you do a picture of upper grille mesh and lower grille without?
A good point - I have mixed feeling about the aftermarket lower mesh as well. What I have been trying to fabricate is adding mesh behind the oen center section of the stock -04-07 lower section. I even bought the mesh in the same gauge, but the guy sent it cut so it sits vertical/horizontal - square instead of diagonally like the grill mesh. I won't use it this way as it looks wrong... like mini animal fencing lol! He can cut a 7 inch by 26-inch piece diagonally but explained there's a lot of waste and so my price quadruples.
Still pondering how to proceed. Here is a discussion on Grills I found interesting. The X-Type in the thread had a lower valance like my x308. Personally, I want a Daimler Fluted X350 Grill, but hold out little hope of ever finding one.
The mesh upper grille looks better no doubt. However, I actually think the original bottom grille looks better than the mesh. Could you do a picture of upper grille mesh and lower grille without?
My apologies, but I am unwilling to remove the lower mesh grille, replace it with the original plastic bar and then reverse this again just to photograph it; it is 40 Degrees C outside and probably nearer to 50 C down in my carport!
Unlike you, my wife thought the original single plastic bar 'grille' looked cheap and unfinished; just goes to show you that it is all about personal taste!
I think that if I were to leave the original bottom grille in place, I would use the original maroon coloured top grille surround (with the mesh inserts) instead of the chrome one? Anyhow, all those options are now available to me!
For what its is worth, In my opinion the extra 'bling' makes my car look more like a traditional Jaguar saloon. I actually think the X350 is the one of the best and most balanced looking Jaguar saloon models ever!! If I want less bling and less tradition I should get an XJR, which (again in my opinion) looks best with no bling and more wheel (racing style low profiles) and with a black radiator grille?
My apologies, but I am unwilling to remove the lower mesh grille, replace it with the original plastic bar and then reverse this again just to photograph it; it is 40 Degrees C outside and probably nearer to 50 C down in my carport!
Unlike you, my wife thought the original single plastic bar 'grille' looked cheap and unfinished; just goes to show you that it is all about personal taste!
I think that if I were to leave the original bottom grille in place, I would use the original maroon coloured top grille surround (with the mesh inserts) instead of the chrome one? Anyhow, all those options are now available to me!
For what its is worth, In my opinion the extra 'bling' makes my car look more like a traditional Jaguar saloon. I actually think the X350 is the one of the best and most balanced looking Jaguar saloon models ever!! If I want less bling and less tradition I should get an XJR, which (again in my opinion) looks best with no bling and more wheel (racing style low profiles) and with a black radiator grille?
Don't worry, I'm really nitpicking here. The bottom mesh looks good but the original looks slightly better IMO. If you want that extra Jaguar bling factor the bottom mesh suits that.
For reference, the XJR has a top mesh and bottom plastic front bumper:
I love that you have several options now. Interesting to me was your original grill. Body color surround over wide egg crate grill. In the US I have bever seen this as all X350's had Chrome over egg-crate, then in 06 went to Chrome over mesh, and finally in 08-09 the "Center Bar" top grill with Badge on top center over mesh bottom grill. I liked it at first, but over time have come to loathe the X358 face-lift. The full width plinth in back looks like something American, and Ford-ish (not that there's anything WRONG with that, but on a Jaguar? Heresy!!) The non functional vertical blades on the front fenders are a horror - though less so when painted body color) and the removal of the chrome wrap around blades on the bumpers might modernize the look, but need I remind people that you probably DON'T want to "modernize" a car that is intentionally classic in styling? I won't use the term "Retro" since that implies a RETURN to a style where the X350 was a continuation style that traces back to the Experimental Jaguar of 1968.
As for my idea, I wanted to try for a unique, if subtle look that keeps with the original design, but brings it up a notch or two Attaching my HORRIBLE mock ups that I did in Windows Paint. I bet you can tell I am not a graphic designer by trade, lol. The idea is keep the existing design, but add mesh at the back edge of the opening. I may also sand down the plastic horizontal bar and the two plastic covers and paint that body color. I saw covers like this on ebay, but have not seen anything like them previously.
Here is my last X350 in Radience red and with the mesh grill, I had put the mesh inserts in and then removed them when I bought my current Super V8 and put the originals back on the older car and fitted the mesh to the Super V8.
Yeah I never could stand the butt-ugly Series 1 XJ6, nor the Series 2. :-))
To continue the perjoratives, the XJ-R has CHICKEN WIRE presumably to prevent appendages at the same height being sucked through the mincers. The Daimler and XJ12 have JAIL BARS to remind the owners where they came from. The Egg Crate is…just an Egg Crate...originally designed by Bill.
But the X358 is outright dangerous. My appendage is stuck in the wider Chicken Wire, to measure it you understand (the chicken wire), and I am now typing with my left hand seeking urgent help..
You guys just crack me up. If you want a car and That Grill is important, just buy a car with That Grill?
What would you debate if it was a Rolls Royce? How much time you spent inside? If you preferred a Bentley grill, what would you do?
Seriously though, the Daimler/XJ12 grills look great IMHO. But I'll just have to stick with my Chicken Wire.
(I assume you're aware that the fluting on the Daimler grill, whilst now just an icon, was originally designed to increase the cooling area of the radiator)
Last edited by ChrisMills; 07-13-2018 at 03:43 AM.
I bought their lower mesh grill for the XJR at the same time (about 3 years ago) but I never put it on. I think it looks better without it.
I had an '03 X-type and I put the Mina upper and lower mesh grills on, and kept it that way for about 5 years.
This year I bought an 06 X-type, and I only put the upper one on.
I agree that the lower mesh grill is a distraction.
A good point - I have mixed feeling about the aftermarket lower mesh as well. What I have been trying to fabricate is adding mesh behind the oen center section of the stock -04-07 lower section. I even bought the mesh in the same gauge, but the guy sent it cut so it sits vertical/horizontal - square instead of diagonally like the grill mesh. I won't use it this way as it looks wrong... like mini animal fencing lol! He can cut a 7 inch by 26-inch piece diagonally but explained there's a lot of waste and so my price quadruples.
Still pondering how to proceed. Here is a discussion on Grills I found interesting. The X-Type in the thread had a lower valance like my x308. Personally, I want a Daimler Fluted X350 Grill, but hold out little hope of ever finding one.
Love the Daimler grill it's the best, trouble is the badge 😆 mines a Jag so a Daimler badge on the grill and Jaguar on the boot? 🥲 Be great if you could change the Daimler badge though!
06-17-2018 | 11:06 AM
Radiator Grille Debate
