Installing Zunsport Grills

[Grimmy]

After acquiring a 981 CS during that brief glimmer of hope between lockdowns, waving goodbye to my 987.2 Cayman after 5 wonderful years of ownership it has largely been parked in the garage with the battery tender attached.

I was hoping to write up my thoughts on going from that magic 987.2 Cayman to the 981 Cayman S however lockdown has put the brakes on that!

One thing that struck me straight away is how open the front air intake to the side radiators is on the 981. Not being particularly keen on a direct rock strike into one of the radiators, time for a bit of google research and some questions to PFA members. This pointed me firmly towards Zunsport grills. Some more Youtube research, some more questions to PFA members to overcome my concerns about these fitting correctly and to confirm the quality of the product.  I chose to only go for the outer grills, maybe I should of got a centre one as well.

Back onto the Zunsport website (after a bit of googling for a discount code voucher 😊) applied the voucher 15% off and pressed the add to cart. Come to grips with the “discounted” figure that was around $350.00 for six small pieces of perfectly formed steel. Double checked that I had selected the correct ones to suit a Cayman with parking sensors and pushed the red shiny button.

Confirmation from Zunsport was instant and a couple of hours later I had an email to advise me that the goods were packed and advised the shipping tracking numbers etc. So given the state of the world at present I thought it will be a month (maybe even 6 weeks) at least before anything arrives. Nope I was wrong 6 days later a man at the door with a very solid but light box from England. Yep I know what this is….. a little care package for my Cayman.

Packaging is brilliant, the glue used to hold down the ends of the box could bond aircraft panels, no chance of anything escaping from this package. Find Large Knife, bust open the packaging to find six individuals grills packaged into two sets of three (one for the left one for the right) and bag containing four screws and four speed clips and a colour installation instruction sheet.

Examine the quality of the grills and yes they are as good as everyone has advised, perfectly formed and the powder coating perfectly applied. Very happy so far. Now to the next stage, resist the natural Australian male behaviour to disregard the included detailed installation instructions.

Installation (using the instructions) was very straight forward the two bottom grills rely on a tab welded to the grill on one side and installing a speed clip on the other. You do a test fit to determine the location of the speed clip, push it forward from the rear and it snaps into place and grips into the plastic of the bumper cover. You then install the grill from the front, first locating the tab on one side then clip the other side into the previously installed speed clip. It is a very snug fit, and you need to protect the plastic on the bumper cover with masking tape or similar. Once installed you remove the protection. The top most grill screws into the plastic using the included self taping screws. As you are screwing into plastic care needs to be taken not to over tighten.

Installation time was about 30 minutes with about 10 minutes dedicated to breaking open glue on the box!! 😫

If anyone else is thinking of purchasing grills hopefully this hopelessly inadequate review may help a little!

[LeeM]

 Never an inadequate review if someone has never done it before mate. Nice one, they look good 👍

[nytelfer]

Good write-up @Grimmy and the installation looks very neat - I purchased a set of Rennline grilles for my car (another 981CS) that required installation from behind the bumper - so with the front bumper removed, I was not happy with the fixing method - the required clips were supplied but the fitting instructions were vague about exactly where the clips were to be located and the follow-up support from the supplier was not great - I also realised the grills are not well suited to cars fitted with the adaptive cruise control (that have a different front bumper configuration) because clearing debris that enters through the centre opening and lodges behind the outer grilles becomes near impossible to remove so I have not fitted them.

[Grimmy]

48 minutes ago, nytelfer said:

Good write-up @Grimmy and the installation looks very neat - I purchased a set of Rennline grilles for my car (another 981CS) that required installation from behind the bumper - so with the front bumper removed, I was not happy with the fixing method - the required clips were supplied but the fitting instructions were vague about exactly where the clips were to be located and the follow-up support from the supplier was not great - I also realised the grills are not well suited to cars fitted with the adaptive cruise control (that have a different front bumper configuration) because clearing debris that enters through the centre opening and lodges behind the outer grilles becomes near impossible to remove so I have not fitted them.

Thanks for your kind words. That's a shame with the Rennline experience, I was worried that it would be the case with these as well! 

The debris, probably mainly leaves is something that is on my mind as well. Hence my thoughts on maybe I should of ordered the centre grill as well!

Another friend has had leaves enter the side air intakes as well, guess I can always clean out leaves wasn't keen on rocks through radiators!

Mind you under Victorian stage 4 lockdowns at present, not much chance of rocks doing any damage.

Maybe an infestation of moths  is of more concern.

 

 

 

[nytelfer]

As a matter of interest, can leaves/debris that enters the front of your car through the central opening end up behind the grilles on either side or is it closed off between the central opening and the side openings?

Picture of mine with bumper removed - i required a little more than 30 minutes!

[Grimmy]

Yes, its guides air to both sides so yup it will end up sitting at the base of the radiators

 

[nytelfer]

Thanks @Grimmy - I will interested to see if debris at either end (behind the grills) is an issue - picture of a friend’s car after a January run up the Healesville - Toolangi Rd highlights the leave catching potential!

[luzzo]

8 hours ago, Grimmy said:

This pointed me firmly towards Zunsport grills.

Thanks for the write up @Grimmy.  It's good to have product info first hand. That will help when it comes to choosing a supplier for these. 

[Merv]

Sweet  sweeper Nytelfer?  Those leaves rot and erode the rads.  I also fitted the Zunsports to my 996 Turbo.  Excellent product and they fit perfectly.