Radiator protection/grill or no grill??

I'm starting to button things up on the buggy and this is bothering me. I would like to cover the radiator where it is exposed without it looking like **** or some other vehicle. Mainly because I'm justifiably paranoid about a rock or stick going through it. I've had friends tell me to not worry about it.....but its not their buggy The area in question is roughly 24''x7'' above the winch and below the light bar.

That hood is sweet.

Dont know how functional it would be but a piece of aluminum dimple died with a bunch of holes or in a mismatch pattern might look pretty good and still allow some airflow across the radiator.

Buggy looks sweet are there any more pics of it any where

There's a long, uneventful build thread on muddevils4x4.com but you have to join to see most of the pics. I've had alot of ideas about this, I would just like to get some different opinions.

First thing that popped into my mind was how the grill was protected in the Bacon built Purple Passion buggy. Unfortunately don't have a pictures of its front end. Just a few saved of it upside down :****:

This video is the only thing I had that could show it.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk185/dirttoy3/Crawl%20at%20Mayhem%207-2-11/MVI_5270.mp4

It looks kinda like a WOD buggy

Not a WOD buggy lol. This started out about 4yrs ago as an M&M fab sub frame. Quite a few people have had their hands on it since then. Chris Marshall @Marsfab.com in Harrisburg NC recently built the hood and did the majority of the building aspect. Chris is a badass fabricator. I parted my old bounceresque jeep out and decided I wanted something underpowered and overbuilt. Something I could afford to beat the snot out of and not have to worry about much. This is what I came up with;
22RTE/R151/mini crawl box/fj60 split case/steering 60's w/reid knuckles, C's and chromo everything, everywhere possible.....wish me luck

I've seen this stuff used on a few buggies recently.. seems like it would look good with the aluminum hood..

http://www.mcmaster.com/#perforated-aluminum/=o9zxf5

rig looks badASS

Very cool looking buggy!!!

That is a sweet looking ride

Thanks for the complements guys. Its been nearly 2yrs since I've wheeled my own rig, I'm beyond ready to get it done.

Ya first thing I thought of was dimple died alum something rectangle with that perforated alum backing.Nice rig looks bad ass always liked the creeper locks

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I picked up a sheet from McMaster Carr, M&M off-road took care of the rest.

That is one sweet Toyota ride. Any more specs.

That hood is sweet. Really like the lines. Grill protection came out good as well.