yet another custom bumper thread Options

[BloodyStupidDave...]

Given the interest in Malpaso's bodywork thread, I thought I'd share some pictures of my work in progress.

This project was inspired by two threads last year, doGGy / Marchius's front bumper project and another project whose details I can't currently find. It was from the summer 2007 and had pictures of a gt4 grille being cut into an aftermarket (vader I think) bumper.

I think that I started my project before Malpaso started his (I started in August I think), but I've been doing the work myself during the weekends (without a heated workshop) plus this is the first time I've tried any bodywork mods on this scale so my progress has been much slower.

Like Malpaso, I used a damaged GT4 bumper and plastic welded it to the st202 bumper. One thing that Malpaso didn't mention was that the two bumpers are made from different plastics. The GT4 bumper is much more rubbery.

I decided to be a bit more adventurous than just doing the grille. I deleted the st202 indicators (turn signals) and relocated that functionality into the JDM headlights and made the side ducts larger as discussed in this thread.

I found it really hard to judge just how big to make the side ducts. When looking at it on the actual bumper, the way I drew them in the above thread just looked too over-the-top. I think I've got it looking about right on car.

There is still some work to do. It still needs final coats of paint, clearcoat and buffing. The ghetto upper grille is temporary - I should have the proper one on Monday with luck. There is a little repair work to be done on the mid grille, plus I need to finish modding the poly impact absorber so that the mid grille isn't purely decorative. And I have yet to manufacture the grilles for the side ducts.

[malpaso]

I'm glad to see how my project would look like with that GT-four bumper vent in the middle I have not used

[Shink]

Liking this a lot

How did you make the lower grill bars? Got pics of that process?

[BloodyStupidDave...]

How did you make the lower grill bars? Got pics of that process?

The grille bars are very simple - just U-profile aluminium tube bent to a constant radius then spray painted. The most difficult part is working out the exact 3D angle to cut each end (and yes, each row is at a different angle on the X-Z and on the X-Y plane).

Any decent metalworkers' workshop will be able to create a piece for you. However, I cheated. I acquired two DB9 grilles (one from my local scrappy, one from ebay) and pulled them apart. The radius isn't quite right if you look at it from the wrong angle (you can see that from one of the photos above) but overall I'm pleased with the end result.

If you go the metalworkers' route, you could just use metal spacers between each row and long bolts to hold the whole thing together, or weld the rows onto vertical posts (aluminium welding needs specialist kit, but U-profile is available in steel which might be an alternative). If you go the DB9 route, you can simply cut and reuse the posts that were part of the DB9 grille.

I'm afraid I don't have any pictures of either the grille or the bumper at the moment. I took lots over the months, but my hard-disk died just after Christmas and I have yet to get around to setting up a linux box to retrieve the data.