autopaul

ok so heres how i did it.
(continuation from the fc front end on fb thread)

well no offence to those who love the factory front end look but since i got my car ihave hated the front end. looks like a bullet, or something so heres how i changed it.
started out with a trip to a local bumper shop where i had previousely seen a lage pile of plastic/eurothane bumper skins, and it gave me a killer idea that i like to think worked out well. i asked the owner if it was ok to take a look and take a few out of the pile and he was more than happy to accomidate my request. so i picked out a few that looked about the right size and hight and threw them in the back of my brothers k car (not an easy task)


i test fitted the bumpers that i found and both looked really good and matched the width and hight, (one was from a miata, and the one i used was from a 05 civic) dont flame me till you see it all you purists out there,

so heres what i did
fitted the piece
cut piece to match lines of car, and then started thinking of ways of attaching eurothane to my upper metal front bumper (stock piece) after a week or two of fibreglassing, and scratching my ways i finally got the two pices together and sanded it down into a smooth refinished restyled front clip for the fb, and im very pleased with the way it turned out, hope you like it too, here the result.

finished product
http://photobucket.com/albums/b345/a...t=DSC00869.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/b345/a...t=DSC00868.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/b345/a...t=DSC00872.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/b345/a...t=DSC00874.jpg

"in the works"
http://photobucket.com/albums/b345/a...t=DSC00832.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/b345/a...t=DSC00833.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/b345/a...t=DSC00834.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/b345/a...t=DSC00831.jpg

if you have any questions about attaching eurothane to fibreglass pm me, (its not easy)

also id like to say that i didnt just do it for looks i also saved "a ton" of wieght by removing my stock front bumper and skin,

d0 Luck

i like! it came out pretty good, and it's a good alternative if you don't like that bullet look

nick1

i love it!....i really do.

its funny you said you ended up using the civic skin rather than the miata skin......because it really reminds me of a miata front end.

i personally would probably have to follow your instructions and make my own for my car if i hadn't already found an original 3 piece urethane air dam already....

nick

dantheman

iTrader: (4)

It looks alot like a miata front end. I like it as well.

kenn_chan

Nice piece of fabrication work there Auto Paul. How well do you think the Urethane to metal to fiberglass junction will hold together with vibration and all?

If it holds together well it definitely opens up doors for those who don't like the bullet nose look, (me I prefer the IMSA front dam style).

I think you did an outstanding job of being creative, and useing your head for something other than a place to hang a hat

cheers

kenn

steve84GS TII

Same here,looks Miataish, which at least keeps you in the Mazda family.I think it looks great,very original and very nice finished product.

2wankel

iTrader: (1)

Looks great, best looking non-standard front spoiler I've seen to date!!

nopiston_racer

iTrader: (2)

the front looks really good....im impressed with the sanding work to make it look like it was actually made for the fb....its hard finding a front end for the car that doesnt make it stand out like a ricer and ur choice of front ends was a good one....gives me a little bit more of an idea for finishing my 3rd gen front end on my fb.....once again great work......Parker

grantmac

Thats awesome! I really like it. I'm not really good at bodywork, but if I was I'd definately go with this. How much do you have into it this far cost wise? Also is it removeable like the stock pieces.
Grant

frigidmonkey

i absolutely love it, I wish I could afford to do that to mine

Paradox

iTrader: (1)

i like it, would like to see a pic from directly infront tho

kudos on the work!

Directfreak

iTrader: (2)

Looks good.

Looks like the love child of an FB and FD. I like it.

Rogue_Wulff

Odd, Unique, Interesting, Original, Different, and good looking, all at the same time.
Nice fab work there.

TurboSE

kinda looks like a porsche 914 bumper........
i like it!

autopaul

Thanks!! turbo se... well cost total so far in the front bumper alone has been about 30$$, 20 for fibreglass and 10 for paint and misc sandpaper or whatever. thanks for all the posetive feedback i actually really wanted to do an fd front bumper but this was free and i liked the style. and im sure its unique so im very pleased with it.
oh and the motegi wheels are gonna go im just borrowing those from my brothers prelude because i did an fc subframe swap aswell. so ive got 4x114.5 on the front and 4x110 on the back, looks bad, thats how come i left the back wheels out of the pic

pinkfloyd

i like it a lot, but there is something about the stock front end of a 1st gen that I cant seem to part with

TurboSE

so are u gonna sell these? build more?
How much? I'm in!

LaRazaUnida

I agree... But it is awsome work my friend!
Well it only costed him 30bux...so I would say a 50% increase and make it 60dollars :P

autopaul

haha,
it would cost so much to make a mold, maybe ill try making a few limited production, and ill burn the mold after, so nobody can copy it
haha
i was considering cutting the middle vent lager later, for an intercooler, how do you think thatd look?

cendo54

iTrader: (2)

cool! enlarge the front and let's see an fmic in there! awesome job!

TurboSE

I think that's enough air flow 4 an I/C

TurboIIGuy

why did you opt ot use fiberglass instead of polyester resin?? which is often used in body work. It adheres to paint, plastic, and urethanes.
Just curious.......

autopaul

haha

i guess i just didnt know of the stuff, ive never done anything like this before, but its holding really good, and its fibreglassed on both sides of the joint, so now i know what to do next time
thanks turbo11guy

rotary emotions

Maybe I'm wrong, but isn't the polyester resin used to keep the fibreglass together? Like using fibreglass cloth to form and polyester resin to "glue" the stuff together (don't know a better way to describe).

Anyway, I like the job, but would prefer somewhat different turn signals with that shape. Good work nevertheless.

83rx-7

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!, that is all I have to say about that.