[99LeCouch]

Put Dexron-VI ATF in the transmission. Also there's a DIY shift kit easily made for the 4T65. It makes the shifts much quicker, which makes pulse and glide wear less.

You likely can get away with 5w-20 since you're not going to be terribly hard on the engine. If that scares you, then a 5w-30 or 0w-30 is also an excellent choice.

For the grille block, you can shape polycarbonate (Lexan) over the grille and hold it down with toggle bolts. It doesn't have to be very thick. 2mm/ 1/8" thickness is durable as anything, and looks good to boot.