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What really is the difference between S4 and S5 front ends?

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Old 01-20-04, 02:19 PM
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What really is the difference between S4 and S5 front ends?

Now I have seen it both ways, they are all exactly the same, and that they are somewhat different. I really would just like to know for certain, what is different about the front ends? What I am talking about is why don't aftermarket bumpers made for an S5 fit well on an S4?

Case in point:



Now I was thinking that it just might be specific to the Bomex kit, but then I talked to Chuck at Rotary Extreme and he says that the RE Amemiya bumper has the same problem.

Now I'm pretty positive that they used the same fenders on their cars, so by that picture it looks like the problem is that the hood is too short. Is the hood on an S5 longer by that 3/4" than the hood on an S4 is? Is there a difference between N/A and TII hood lengths?

WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND HERE?!
Old 01-20-04, 02:39 PM
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i have that gap too.. and i have a s5.. now that you point it out.. im scratching my head...
Old 01-20-04, 02:43 PM
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im wondering the same.....and also....i havent seen the bomex kit on any cars except the one on the site....anyone have pics of it installed on other fc's?
Old 01-20-04, 02:45 PM
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im wondering the same....would an s5 hood fit on the s4 and cure most of the problem, except the gap at the headlights?

also, anyone have pics of the bomex kit installed besides the one on their site?
Old 01-21-04, 04:05 PM
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looks like the 'gap' extends to the headlights too. I know the headlights are interchangeable. It's not the hood, it's the bumper.

explanation: note the fender and the headlights and the hood all make one smooth line. they're flush. this is the case with zenki and kouki FCs. s4 and s5 fenders are basically the same and the headlights are the same. so it's the aftermarket kits. see how the bumper is not a straight line all the way across?
Old 01-21-04, 05:43 PM
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It is the aftermarket bumper that you have. Most FRP bumpers do not fit exactly right.......Yes even RE Amemiya's stuff!!!

Bomex is cheap, not good fitting Aero to begin with and that is the source of your problem. Look closely at the portion where the bumper meets the fenders and you can probably sand down engough to close alot of the gap. Also look at where the bumper wraps around the fender by the wheel wells you will probably need to sand that down as well. This will give you much better fitment.
Old 01-22-04, 12:04 AM
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awesome

That pic is off of Bomex's web site. I haven't even bought a kit yet because I was worried about them fitting on my S4 TII.

It's good to know that it's nothing I can't fix with a little bit of sanding and some bondo..

Thanks for the responses guys.
Old 01-22-04, 02:17 AM
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i have an s4 front lip that wraps around the bumper where the trim line is, and it fastens behind the wheel wells. problem is i have an s5 car. where i ran into the problem was, it seems that the s5 bumper skin sticks out a little more than the s4(maiking the car longer..in a sense) when i went to put on the spoiler...guess what? it came up about 1/4 inch too short on each side where it would fasten behind the wheel wells...leading me to beleive that the s5 bumper sticks out that little bit more than the s4.

that is the experience i had

hope this helps
Old 01-22-04, 02:51 AM
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s-4 and s-5 are shaped slightly different. The turn signals are shaped different and the s-5 has the fog lights. The trim is also wider on the s-5 all of this adds up when fitting aftermarket parts.
Old 01-22-04, 03:26 AM
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S5 and S4 bumpers use the exact same bolt holes. If S5 to S4 bumpers match up perfectly (no gaps) then why the aftermarket fiberglass kits? It's the kits not the body style, longer nose , longer hood or whatever.
Old 01-22-04, 04:11 AM
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hmm...

So if they're the same...

What the hell are the body kit manufacturers thinking?! I mean really, if you look at that picture it isn't like it's a mold seam drain or something, it's like it's a purposeful curve on both sides. I can understand a bit of manufacturing over-fabrication creating some uneven spots, nobody ever said a body kit was supposed to bolt right on, but why do they make them like that on purpose?
Old 01-22-04, 07:18 AM
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From what I can tell the moulding that goes around the whole car is different from the s4 to s5. There is also a piece of rubber that goes between the hood and bumper cover to take up that gap on a stock bumper cover. The lower lip is inset on a s5, and the brake cooling ducts are larger on the s5. Taking all of this into account, they bolt up the same but are different cosmeticaly.

Later
Old 01-22-04, 07:24 AM
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The S5 nose does not run straight across between the guards. There is an indentation & that is filled by 3 strips of rubber, one in front of each headlight & 1 in front of the bonnet.
Could not find them shown on the drawings in the manuals.
Old 01-22-04, 08:09 AM
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By looking the image it looks it gets more gap since the bumper skin has not gone enough close to the front fender because of a rubber between the skin and fender. The stock S5 skin has different shape from S4's on that part (so, S4's is sort of straight line from side to side, but S5 isn't).
Old 04-23-05, 06:33 PM
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trim

The trim on my bumpers is built into the actual bumper and the rest of my car has the black pieces that you attach, can you tell my what the bumpers are?
Old 04-24-05, 12:56 PM
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FREE - S5 front bumper skin

This was left over when I changed the nose on the RXX-7. It's in Westminster, MD and free to whoever wants to pick it up.
Old 04-24-05, 02:02 PM
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i hate the way the bomex looks, it chops up line ines of the car, not to mention its quality, just my opinion
Old 04-24-05, 08:59 PM
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Bomex makes RE-Amemiya aero parts too, that may be the reason.
Old 04-24-05, 09:12 PM
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well, the s4 and s5 parts are definently interchangable... i sold my s5 fenders and front bumper, and threw on some s4 ones i had lying around until my body kit arrived....... they fit perfectly!!! so those manufacturers are on speed, crack, heroien... or whatever......

the only main difference is s4's used a little black rubber strip all the way around the bumper, s5's didnt
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