Plateless bumper install
 

This topic has been brought up a lot, but I was unable to find a thread that really went into detail and or had pictures.

I have all the mounting hardware from a 93 bumper that I will rivet to the KBD bumper. My main question has to do with the bracket that sits along the top and bolts to the radiator support.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...17c341e81e.jpg
The KBD has that extra plastic that runs along the top that the JDM 99 bumper does not have.

Should I cut this plastic off? Because it seems it would be in the way and affect fitment if I'm using the bracket to mount.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...632c90a385.jpg
Has anyone else cut this piece where I have drawn the red line?

​​​​​​Tyler

I've never seen one of those fit properly and look like a quality piece once installed unfortunately.

Now you have https://www.rx7club.com/interior-ext...r-pics-824780/


edit: holy crap Ive had this bumper a LONG TIME. I feel extremely old now.

You must be as old as dirt! :lol:

Your car looks absolutely gorgeous! I just read thru that thread and still didn't see if you cut that piece off. Did you? I read that you re-used the 93 bumper brackets which I plan on doing.

Thanks!
Tyler

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...05a962856c.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f25e1de809.jpg
pics as best I can of that plastic edge and what I did. Unfortunately I have something over the middle section. but the long and short is I cut back the edge a bit, used the metal tab you have and riveted it to the plastic in a strategic manner. DO NOT use the drill hole marks. They are so far off its not funny. I suspect its why these often look awful. I did lots of test fitting on the car, holding in a spot, drilling holes to align, etc. It sucked, but I'm happy with the result. I ended up painting the metal thing black at some point because it was all shiny and the rest of my bay is not. So you'll have to figure out whats the bumper poly vs the metal thing in these pics from shape. The shiny metal looking things are the tops of rivets I ground down because they were sharp and I didnt want sharp stuff in my bay. Somehow I never painted those because they kind of look like bolts and I didnt hate it.

Also look close in the other thread and you'll note I used the metal bracket that goes along the headlight cutouts in the bumper from the OEM bumper too. I believe that people not using those is why they tend to sag and look gross below the headlights. Its obviously 13 years old (because I'm ancient) and I still have no sagging on my bumper.

Its winter, she dirty and on a battery tender, but quick pic I snapped in the garage a second ago. No sagging.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...5386d8e425.jpg

Ahhh. You basically shaved a bit down so the plastic would fit within that ridge area of the support bracket.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...d11adc4ddb.jpg

Yep, you got it! Just whatever you do, DO NOT trust those outlines for the holes for riveting OR mounting this bumper on your car. They are wildly wrong. Its been a long time, but I believe I bolted the metal thing down in the bay, closed the hood, and held the bumper (with a friend) in a spot that looked right, had another friend pop the hood and quickly drilled through the plastic and metal thing and put rivets in there to hold it. I did this one rivet at a time. When I got it wrong, I removed the rivet, ovaled the hole slightly, and did it again. After the first few rivets it was in place so later rivets didnt have any ovaling non-sense. So guess work involved... but it worked out. Hope you have a good eye!

This is perfect! I'm literally in the garage right now and was about to cut that piece all the way across haha which would probably still work, but I'd rather go the route you went. It still looks awesome! Even for being about 100 years old haha. Jk.

Your thread seems to be one of the more detailed ones and hopefully this one will also help others.

Cheers
Tyler

Good luck and let us know how it turns out here. Then future peeps can have even more help!