Tradesman

I've mentioned before that I'd post pics of my Hella Grille so here it is. I can't tell you what it costs because it was purchased and installed by the previous owner. What I can tell you is that compared to an OEM piece the fitment is poor, the build quality is poor and as far as I know these are no longer available. They were around $400-$600 when they were available. I have the regular kit, as the HID kit was around $600. They use the Hella 4000 Rallye lights that use a 100W H1 bulb. Regarding the look, compared to the stock FX4 grille I think it looks awesome. And as far as the light output, using Kydo 100W H1 bulbs the output is far more than what the OEM headlights are capable of. These Hella 4000 Rallye lights are not spot lights, they are flood lights and boy do they light up the night! You can also aim them up or down, but personally I am them high and only use them when driving in unlit country roads.

To better evaluate the Hella Grille you'd have to take it apart. That's what I did. But not only did I take it apart, but I painted it as well. I used a graphite metallic textured paint from Duplicolor. As with everthing, I thoroughly washed all parts, wetsanded them with 3M 1500 grit then 2000 grit automotive sandpaper, degreased them further with PPG DX330 wax and grease remover and then finally painted them in a low-dust low-wind environment. Preparation is the key and is the part that should never be rushed. Here is my process.

I removed the 4000 Rallye lights and painted both the housings and the trim rings. The housings are plastic but the trim rings are metal. I didn't need to use any primer as the Duplicolor paint comes with an adhesion promoter. Also, I used black for the housings and trim rings.
http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00282.jpg

Here is a slight comparison between the grille surround and the inner part of the grille. The grille surround has already been painted while the inner part of the grille has been prepped.
http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00283.jpg

Here is a close up of the grille surround. You can see the slightly metallic finish on the paint. What you can't see is the textured feel to it. Overall it feels like 220 grit sandpaper. Some people may like this while some may not. I wasn't sure whether or not I'd like it but to me it looks pretty cool. Keep in mind that whatever you paint with textured finish can not be protected with wax.
http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00284.jpg

Here is a close up of the inner part of the grille. It has been sanded down with 1500 grit. After this I use 2000 grit and then clean it off further with wax and grease remover.
http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00285.jpg

Here is the inner part of the grille after I blew it all off, and ready to paint it in my enclosure to prevent wind or dust affecting the quality of the finish.
http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00286.jpg

Here is the final product ready for reinstallation. I left it to cure fo several hours. Overall I think it is looking sharp.
http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00287.jpg

Here is what it looks like after reinstallation. It matches my factory Shadow Gray paint. It does reflect light considerably more than the metallics in our factory paint as it is not a 100% OEM match. Overall I would say it looks cool as nearly blends into the original finish but stands out enough to look different.
http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00288.jpg

I haven't reinstalled the bug deflector on the hood yet but you can see the fitment is poor. One of the unfortunate downsides of this piece. I would expect far better build quality from Hella. Also considering that this piece was originally retailing for $400+ would warrant something that fits like an OEM part. My Ram has better fit and finish than this!
http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00289.jpg

Here is a closer look at the metallic lustre that this paint has. As I mentioned this is either a "love" or "hate" thing. With a high metallic lustre and a textured finish similar to 220 grit sandpaper you have to seriously consider whether to use this paint or not. And same goes for the Hella grille. If you're looking at buying one, although they're not available anymore, you'd have to consider the poor build quality as a sacrifice for a different look with off road lights.
http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00290.jpg

Overall I wouldn't really change this, especially when I put a lot of work into it. I would say it matches any FX4 with the Shadow Gray paint. Realistically I've always liked the grille of the Lariats and would love to throw on a set of KCs on a stock Lariat grille and install that instead. However this is what I have for now and what I'll be sticking with.

The overall cost of this project, at least prepping and painting it was less than $30. The process took about 4 hours, including time to cure. It was very easy to do, and I'm satisfied with the results.

Merty

Good detail and pics on your post. Looking at the fitment between the hood and the grill surround- Something is up with yours. I'll snap a pic of mine if your interested to see the difference in fitment. I think the guy who mounted it should have used the OEM surround. When I mounted mine right out the box, I didn't like the way the PTM surround was black, left it on for a day the swapped the OEM surround one. If I remember correctly the Hella surround was flimsy.

Tradesman

Yeah, if you can post pics I'd appreciate it. The Hella surround is flimsy, it feels worse than the cheap plastic chrome piece on my Ram 1500.