Front End Makeover for a 2012 EX Sedan

[Basic-Wedge]

Nothing too exciting, but I swapped out my stock 2012 EX sedan grill for an Si grill, JDM badging, and a coat of Plasti-Dip on the chrome moulding. From having a front end that looks like a hundred other Civics in my area, I now have something a little unique.

The stock Civic EX front end. Nice, but all too common.

Now featuring an Si grill, JDM badge, and Plasti-Dip left over from when I dipped my rims.

The effect of the new/darker front end is to make the car look a little bit lower, and a lot less like an 8th Gen.


I'd like to acknowledge this YouTube video as a terrific source of instruction for this project:

View: http://youtu.be/nC7Co9PuBLs


Watching the video made me think this was a relatively easy project. Not that it's all that hard, but I'd say it was twice as difficult as I thought it would be. I'd recommend trying to find one of those nifty tools for removing the retainer clips. I probably F'd up six or seven retainers, trying to pry them out with other tools. New retainers are only about $2 each, so having to buy eight new ones didn't hurt very much.

 

[webby]

I just use one of these
http://www.autozone.com/test-scan-a...oval-tool/oem-upholstery-clip-tool/48579_0_0/

btw, the car looks much better de-chromed (person opinion). Nice job

 

[Basic-Wedge]

The plastic pins securing the front bumper and grill to a Civic aren't really the type you can just pry out with an upholstery tool. I know, because that's one of the many tools I tried...

What you need is a pair of "push pin pliers", like these from S.E. Tools: http://www.setools.com/index.php/products/pliers/push-pin-pliers/819-straight-push-pin-plier-detail

The reason you need a tool like this is because you have to, first, lift the center button on the pin, prior to removal. This tool does that, and also pries the entire pin out. For the effort it saves, I'll go ahead and spend twenty bucks to add this to my tool set.

 

[webby]

I've used that an upholstery so much in the last few weeks on countless cars including civics & other hondas. If it's really tight I may use a small flathead to get an edge, and then pop it with the upholstery tool. Maybe I've just used it too much, but you can get an edge of the clip with the upholstery tool as well by using just one edge.

 

[Pauly99to17]

Looks great. Big improvement. Reminds me of when I did mine. Big change for the better IMO.

 

[Ron Flood]

while I agree they could have made it easier.. no biggy, I just used a screwdriver to pull the pins.. and like you say, looks a whole lot more unique... not bad for $84.99USD, altho theres free shipping for US customers, I am Canadian and had to add another $40 shipping, but still pretty good in my books. blew me away when it cam painted black and had an H emblem installed.

 

[fg3_colton]

while I agree they could have made it easier.. no biggy, I just used a screwdriver to pull the pins.. and like you say, looks a whole lot more unique... not bad for $84.99USD, altho theres free shipping for US customers, I am Canadian and had to add another $40 shipping, but still pretty good in my books. blew me away when it cam painted black and had an H emblem installed.

View attachment 53968

Now I kinda wish I got the 2012 sedan [emoji23]. It looks great! Definitely prefer that front end over the standard one


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