[The Maverick]

Just wrapped up the de-fresh - literally - by having the chrome strips in the truncated upper RS grille wrapped in satin black. I opted for satin over matte, although in hindsight matte might have blended into the painted grille a bit better. Either way, the main improvement is that the too-short chrome pieces no longer stand out like a sore thumb.

I also finally got around to adding a rear RS badge. Instead of placing it in the factory location, I considered several different options and, following in the footsteps of some forum members, ended up relocating the emblem to the trunk lid (similar to the fifth gen location). I also replaced the front RS emblem with a matching black/chrome one. Both of these emblems came from Amazon.

More photos are posted in the official Satin Steel thread:

https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showt...526151&page=21

[arpad_m]

Congrats again, Maverick. This is how the 2019+ refresh for all trims should have looked in the first place, with valuable functional changes (e.g. all-LED headlights or the camera for the live mirror) blended tastefully into the beautiful original design.

[The Maverick]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

Congrats again, Maverick. This is how the 2019+ refresh for all trims should have looked in the first place, with valuable functional changes (e.g. all-LED headlights or the camera for the live mirror) blended tastefully into the beautiful original design.

Thanks for the appreciation!

It would have been nice if they had gone that route -- would have saved me a few bucks...

[The Maverick]

As is pointed out in the recent thread V6 and LT1 Recovery Points, some of the 2019+ refresh models cover up the tow hook mounting point with the redesigned front fascia. (You'd think GM could have at least included a removable plug in the fascia.)

So here's a potential fringe benefit of a de-fresh - you restore the front tow hook utility offered by the '16-18 models.

[The Maverick]

FINALLY completed the last item in the de-fresh "to do" list by hooking up the DRLs!

The 2019+ LTs don't have daytime running lights in the lower front bumper like the pre-refresh models, so GEN5DIY had made me a custom wiring harness with a fuse tap to hook up the '16-18 DRLs. When I went to hook the lights up after getting the car back from the shop last year, I realized I would need to modify the under-hood fuse box and/or lid. A forum member suggested a cable gland. A few weeks ago I finally got ahold of a spare fuse box lid to cut up, and I decided that a cable gland was the way I would go.

I installed the cable gland in the side of the lid today, and added a bullet connector to the wiring harness so I can swap back to the stock fuse box lid if necessary. Now I have full-time DRLs that come on with the ignition (via a fuse tap installed in place of fuse 50). De-fresh complete!

[DualSS]

That's some really good placement for the RS badge in the rear of the car. Overall I like everything you've done other than the rear taillights, as I think the 16-18 ones look too plain compared to the more Corvette looking 19+ taillights...

[The Maverick]

Originally Posted by DualSS

That's some really good placement for the RS badge in the rear of the car. Overall I like everything you've done other than the rear taillights, as I think the 16-18 ones look too plain compared to the more Corvette looking 19+ taillights...

Thanks!

Even though I did come to see the attraction in the new taillights, I just couldn't "unsee" other changes to the rear bumper - the main one being that small but annoying "wart" (as I call it) poking around the side of the car as circled in the photo below. There was also a thread pointing out that the refresh bumper has a bit of a "muffin top" look compared to the earlier models. And not insignificantly, for cohesiveness in styling, the diagonals on the '16-18 rear bumper match up better with the similar styling of the '16-18 front fascia.

Definitely just a matter of individual preference here, and it would be cool to see someone who prefers the '19+ tails swap the refresh rear bumper onto a '16-18!

[DualSS]

Originally Posted by The Maverick

Thanks!

Even though I did come to see the attraction in the new taillights, I just couldn't "unsee" other changes to the rear bumper - the main one being that small but annoying "wart" (as I call it) poking around the side of the car as circled in the photo below. There was also a thread pointing out that the refresh bumper has a bit of a "muffin top" look compared to the earlier models. And not insignificantly, for cohesiveness in styling, the diagonals on the '16-18 rear bumper match up better with the similar styling of the '16-18 front fascia.

Definitely just a matter of individual preference here, and it would be cool to see someone who prefers the '19+ tails swap the refresh rear bumper onto a '16-18!

A wart huh!?
Before reading this I had assumed the bumpers were the same other than the shape difference where the taillights go. Haha

[Start The Machine]

Not all heroes wear capes.