Smooth in bodykit?

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VGB
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2010 5:55 pm

Smooth in bodykit?

Post by VGB »

After advice please.

I'm have two mr2's that are both currently off the road.
A 91ish tbar in red with full autopista bodykit.
A 98 sunroof in white standard UK spec.

I'm looking at putting the white one back on the road and fitting the kit from the red one. The kit is one with over bumpers fitted to rear and front bumpers. So the plan would be to use the bumpers complete and transfer over to the white car. The kit does have gaps which let grime and water get trapped in causing unsightly mess. Now I've considered blending the over bumpers into the bumpers but have major concerns of it cracking at the seams.
Am I better off to jut use a pu wet on wet sealant and top coat over. This won't smooth it but will remove the gap where water collects.

Thoughts and advice welcome :thumleft:
tonym
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2015 12:43 am
Location: birmingham

bodykit smoothing

Post by tonym »

i have just fitted a new front end on mine i have replaced the front wings for vented fiberglass ones and a veilside bumper

i sandwiched fiberglass and while it was still wet i put several screws through the lip on the inside of the bumper where the wings meet so you cant see them i then fiberglassed over the top and smoothed over with plastic bumper filler for bit of flex and i have just sent it in for a respray and the body shop assures me i have done a good job and it wont crack because its fibre glass to fibre glass and will flex at the same rate and its all fixed securely

so aslong as it is not metal to fiberglass just be quick with sandwiching the parts together so it doesnt dry before you have the parts placed properly maybe pre-drill some holes for screws/rivets (your choice) get some secure fixings in if you can and touch wood you should be fine
make sure you have sanded the paint back to the fibre glass because the resin wont stick to paint properly good luck
CalMac
Posts: 1747
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2013 7:08 pm
Location: Northampton

Re: Smooth in bodykit?

Post by CalMac »

I believe you can get special flexible filler to minimise cracking, it was used on my wide arches when they were blended in a couple of years ago and no sign of cracking yet :thumleft:
VGB
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2010 5:55 pm

Re: Smooth in bodykit?

Post by VGB »

Thanks for replies. Any ideas what it's called Cal?
C35Rob
Posts: 2108
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 1:14 am
Location: Gateshead

Re: Smooth in bodykit?

Post by C35Rob »

sikaflex 221

apply a small bead along the join between the bumper and skirt/lip and smooth with a damp finger (or a lint free cloth moistened with white spirit works well too) then over paint when cured.

"blending" panels together with filler isn't a great idea, it'll crack eventually and what happens when you need to remove a wing or a bumper?
EX MR2 owner, currently on a '00 Honda CBR600 Follow me on Instagram @c35rob
tonym
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2015 12:43 am
Location: birmingham

smoothing bodykit

Post by tonym »

smoothing any body panels with just filler flexible or not wont work it will crack im not sure how long it will take but it will crack the paint will also crack if its to flexible on a joint even if the joint stays ok
C35Rob
Posts: 2108
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 1:14 am
Location: Gateshead

Re: Smooth in bodykit?

Post by C35Rob »

the OP is on about sealing the gap between an OEM bumper and an add on lip/skirt, like the abflug one, here

Image


absolutely the correct way to do this is with sikaflex 221 (other PU adhesive sealers are available)

like so (see half way through video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WtgDx6UOUU

sikaflex (or another PU sealer, Tigerseal for example) can be overpainted, with no problems at all. no need for bodyfiller or fibregass paste. I was merely pointing out that bodging your wings into your bumper wasn't ideal...
EX MR2 owner, currently on a '00 Honda CBR600 Follow me on Instagram @c35rob
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