u/PikaPower424

So this is a continuation of a post I made here a while ago about making a Lexus style grille for the tC. The idea is to bridge the stock lower grille into the blank space around the emblem, kind of like a spindle grille shape.

I started by using Fusion to mock up the bumper cut, removing the section between the lower grille and the emblem area. Then I took a grille from a 3D model of an LC500, brought it into Blender, and reshaped it to fit the tC bumper profile. I had to cut it, bend it, and line it up so it followed the front and side profile of the bumper.

This is the final digital mockup so far. Next step is prototyping it with 3D prints, then figuring out the mounting, trimming, and finishing. Definitely still experimental, but I think it has potential

Don’t think this is something many people would ever want to do, but I wanted to show that it is possible to stack a single din with the OEM radio on a second gen.

This definitely is not a bolt in install. It requires a decent amount of trimming and improvising.

I removed the clock / hazard / passenger airbag indicator module and trimmed the factory radio bezel to make room for the single din. I also had to trim some of the inner dash plastic right below the vents, but none of it is visible once the bezel is back on and it doesn’t interfere with anything structural.

Another thing I ran into was the factory radio brackets. They stick out slightly past the OEM radio, which keeps the single din from sliding in, so I had to shave a small corner off the brackets as well.

For wiring, I tapped into the OEM radio’s constant 12v, accessory, and ground. Luckily this tape deck has RCA output, so for audio input I just ran an aux cable behind the dash straight to the factory aux port.

I also 3D printed a bezel/trim surround to hide the absolute massacre I committed on the factory bezel.

One thing to note: removing the clock / airbag indicator module will trigger an airbag warning light in the cluster. There is enough room behind the dash to plug that module back in and tuck it behind everything, which is what I ended up doing.

Hazard switch still needs a permanent solution, but I plan on relocating it to one of the blank switch spots next to the mirror controls.

Completely unnecessary? Yes.

Worth it? Also yes