That's almost scarey to think about making, Charlie! Just getting some rod to the shape of the grill may be beyond me.
I like your idea of vertical slats, though. I'm thinking about vertical sheets that would complete the rounded shape of the nose. That might be easier to handle. Five slats maybe and .03 or .04 thick that could be molded to the body and body color. Just thinking out loud ... that's a lot of work too.