I’ve just talked to a metalworker/fitter about having protective grilles fitted to the rear side windows (i.e. the ones behind the passenger doors) of my Landrover DefenderTd5 County Station Wagon 110 (year 2005).
One of the ideas he mentioned is as follows: weld a number of bolts (specifically the bolt head), as appropriate (six or eight) to the grille itself; drill holes through the black frame surrounding the window (is this steel or aluminium???), and also through the plastic trim, if necessary/appropriate.
The entire grille could then be placed and bolted into position. By undoing the bolts (which are of course on the inside of the vehicle) the grille can be removed for cleaning the windows or if not needed.
Holes in the window frame would need to be drilled very accurately: towards the outer edge in order to avoid the glass, but not excessively near the edge. Also, very accurate alignment of each fixed bolt and its respective hole would be essential.
I’m wondering how feasible this would be. Can’t afford to drill (or have the grilles made, assuming they’ll be fitted as I’ve tried to describe) and then find out it doesn’t work.
The grilles themseves could be powder-coated stell, or could be aluminium (I’m not sure in that case how they’d be finished). I’m told that powder coating doesn’t last as long on aluminium as on steel, which would indeed coincide with my recent experience.
Any comments, please, about what I’m thinking of having done? I’m looking for your ideas as to the feasibility of welding bolts to the grille, and drilling, in the way I’ve tried to describe.