Products needed to cut, shorten, & splice a bumper cover

[Schroeder]

This is the only rear shot I have. As luck would have it, it’s coming back this weekend for a final buff. I’ll take some pics then.
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Thanks. Good move on the roll cage. I wish I would have done that. I swapped the entire tops out to remove t-tops for added rigidity. At the time I didn't know how the bar through a wide open t-top window would look when the tops were removed. Yours is one of a handful I've seen over the years that has made me think 1.) It looks fine, and 2.) Even if it looked weird with the tops out the cool and fun factor of t-tops would still make it worth it.

Please do share those pics when you have some time! Thanks.

 

[Slofut]

No. The adjustments I had to make for the tail light hole locations were a quarter inch or less. They were actually slightly down too. Nowhere along the way have I seen an inch discrepancy. Is that even possible? Nothing would even clamp together for well being that far out. Anyway, this is supposed to be an OEM replica. This picture is a bit deceiving. I think I mentioned somewhere along the way that I can push this some and make it line up. It is such a push that you hear the fiberglass creaking and giving though. I would not want to do a final install like that. It needs cut and relieved. Obviously this pushing the edge in and up does not address the discrepancy in the radii. The radii in the quarter panels are tight while the outer radii on the bumper cover are too wide.

Someone above mentioned that these areas that need built up should not be done with AdTech. They should be done with traditional buildup of glass layers. Is that correct?

Yes, I agree with what Dhutton said "Given that it’s a fiberglass bumper I guess you should just get cutting and sectioning it with fiberglass mat and resin. Adtech can be used for filler but you’re going to need mat and resin also."
I wasn't saying do the whole repair with P17, you'll need glass and resin to remake the piece like you want, but for fairing and if you need a quarter inch of fill on a corner or edge etc that's what I'd use. It sands well, and is great for making contours and edges.

 

[Schroeder]

Yes, I agree with what Dhutton said "Given that it’s a fiberglass bumper I guess you should just get cutting and sectioning it with fiberglass mat and resin. Adtech can be used for filler but you’re going to need mat and resin also."
I wasn't saying do the whole repair with P17, you'll need glass and resin to remake the piece like you want, but for fairing and if you need a quarter inch of fill on a corner or edge etc that's what I'd use. It sands well, and is great for making contours and edges.

Thanks. I do have the mat and resin from US Composite. Would it be unreasonable to build these areas that may need 1/4" thick of adtech-17 with the mat, or is that too many layers? Can I just just the evercoat ultra or duraglass that I have? 1/4" thickness is on the upper end of the allowable thickness of duraglass and I believe out of the allowable thickness of the evercoat. If not, I'll pick up a quart of adtech-17. I'm just trying to not end up with tons of products with a spoonful out that I'll never use and have to store. I don't do this every day like you guys! If it's needed though I'll get it. I'm not going to take a shortcut.

 

[Strangersfaces]

Notice the angle of the top section in relation to the spoiler...

Compare that to the same section of the original...

Seems to be a good 15-20 degrees off, making the top section of the bumper an inch or so taller.

 

[Schroeder]

Notice the angle of the top section in relation to the spoiler...

Compare that to the same section of the original...

Seems to be a good 15-20 degrees off, making the top section of the bumper an inch or so taller.

Thanks, strangersfaces. Do the pictures on this note accurately summarize and capture your comments and the fix for the issue?

 

[Slofut]

Thanks. I do have the mat and resin from US Composite. Would it be unreasonable to build these areas that may need 1/4" thick of adtech-17 with the mat, or is that too many layers? Can I just just the evercoat ultra or duraglass that I have? 1/4" thickness is on the upper end of the allowable thickness of duraglass and I believe out of the allowable thickness of the evercoat. If not, I'll pick up a quart of adtech-17. I'm just trying to not end up with tons of products with a spoonful out that I'll never use and have to store. I don't do this every day like you guys! If it's needed though I'll get it. I'm not going to take a shortcut.

No, that would be fine of course. The evercoat or duraglass I would personally never use. That's what I was getting to with the Adtech, it's very high quality. I would even use a regular bondo filler before the fiber bondo fillers. Just my personal pref but others probably agree.

As for that last pic, I would just take a little off the mating edges instead of cutting the cover. If you sand through anywhere you can back it up with a little glass and resin

 

[Schroeder]

I'm looking at this closer trying to determine where the issue is and trying to make the case to stinger to refund me. Today I'm feeling like using the crap endura bumper just to get this thing on the road sometime before im thrown into a re-education camp. Let's go Brandon!

The OEM endura bumper fits a lot better. I don't have it all finished, so I'm not going to share all the pics yet. Even the OEM was a touch too wide it seemed. My outer spoiler pieces have a gap between their outer edge and the quarter panel flank anyway, so to address this fitment issue with the spoiler pieces- something I detest on the 2ns gens and something my eye always darts to- and fit the bumper cover better I put small cuts I. The rear tail light opening. It's a stretcher metal effect. The body line only dented in .5mm- an amount I'll cover with filler.

This moved the back edge of the quarter out ~7/16". I know that's a lot. Now there's too much gape between the quarter and the tail light but it can be chester over in the tail panel if I elongate the holes where the tail light housing studs go through the panel. I think I can chest it over just enough. Sliding the tail light over outboard will make it line up better with the license plate cut out in the center of the cover too!

Was this a moronic idea? Right now it seems like this will be quicker in the long run and will still be a quality job.

The profile of the fiberglass is even wrong on the outboard sides. It bows out. BY A LOT! Here are some pics of the profile from the side of the fiberglass bumper cover and put on the OEM endura cover sides.

Here is a pic of the cuts I made to make the quarter pop open just a bit to fit right with the bumper cover. Then a pic to show how much tighter the spoiler is to the body. Minimal work is required at the spoiler piece's bottom rip to make it tight to the body. I know the bumper cover is still shown out past the quarter. It's flush now, like I said earlier I this post, fitment isn't complete I don't have everything bolted down

 

[Schroeder]

I'm investigating the profiles on these quarter panels and how they have a significant dive in towards the tail lights. It's always looked slightly off, but it is there to some degree on OEM quarters. Today I took a profile gauge to two different examples on my donor car and the OEM quarter panels that were cut off here before I installed the AMD quarter panels. This picture shows that the AMD quarter panels dive in towards the tail lights and make the tail light opening smaller by a minimum of 5 mm per side. I couldn't hold a steel rule up to the gap in this picture while holding the profile gauging camera, but I didn't measure it off camera. This discrepancy in the AMD aftermarket panels explained so much. The tail lights didn't fit in the opening, the bumper seems too wide, and the fit of the side spoiler pieces to the quarter panels doesn't work. Addressing this profile issue and popping the quarter panels out at the body line addresses every single one of these issues. I wish I would have noticed this sooner. I've modified the tail panel heavily due to this and will probably have to do so again to pop the lights back outboard. AMD panels even have issues I guess, and they're supposedly the best of the best. I'll let them pass at this point. Their stuff fits better than the dynacorn and good mark stuff. Not to mention, it's MUCH thicker. This is really where the AMD stuff shines in my opinion because while many say goodmark and dynacorn fit like total crap, that gas not been my personal experience. They're just slightly less good than AMD.

I think at this point I'm best just cutting my losses and buying another $400 tail panel. It's sickening. I know, I know. If I stay in this hobby this isn't the last time it will happen either. On a positive note, I suppose this is bit of a breakthrough. No more head scratching and now to get down to the actual business of addressing the issue. Unfortunately, making the quarter panels pop out a little bit to match the OEM profile of the quarters will still not be enough to make this fiberglass bumper work I fear. I believe I will still have to use the endura bumper cover which is a bummer to me.

I have not reached out to stinger fiberglass concerning the issue yet. However, I imagine they will stand behind this product that is wrong in every way imaginable. Everyone expects to have to maybe do a little sanding, cutting, and rework on a couple edges on a fiberglass panel like this, but there is literally nothing on this piece that is right. Besides need reprofiled. The width is wrong. As you guys have pointed out, it really is not economically feasible to buy this bumper cover and then have to basically reconstruct it anyways.

 

[Schroeder]

And some questions. These questions all pertain to which product I should be using to do body work on endura. I've read about some 3M products people discussed actually building on endura as I am asking here. I want your opinions. thanks.

 

[roger1]

Wow, looks like a lot to get worked out there. I sure don't know the answers to your questions but I will be interested to see what others say.

 

[OJ86]

Do you have any pics of the front of the fender, the flange that meets the front bumper cover?

 

[OJ86]

I am in search of a decent fiberglass rear cover for a car I am currently working on. Someone put quarters on it and they aren't even close to the factory cover I have. I think I am just going to get a glass cover and cut and fit it to "work"

 

[Schroeder]

I am in search of a decent fiberglass rear cover for a car I am currently working on. Someone put quarters on it and they aren't even close to the factory cover I have. I think I am just going to get a glass cover and cut and fit it to "work"

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What does it measure from side to side under the quarter panel extension that houses the lights? If multiple points match what my bumper cover measures I'll sell and ship it to you for reduced price. Otherwise you might consider building up your bumper covers short comings with 3M EZ sand product. See my recent, active other thread. Its a flexible filler that will bond with your urethane cover. I'm amazed by it.

 

[OJ86]

Ya I know what it is but I'm not going that route. This isnt my car so I told the customer I would find him a cover from a site and he can order it and have it shipped to my house. At this point in the project I am not really interested in saving him money at any point really. I am fine with fiberglassing so that doesn't bother me too much, I'd just like to start out with a fairly decent product even though im going to hack and wack it all up.

Not trying to come off like a dick, sadly this job has gotten the best of me and my attitude is shit towards it.

 

[OJ86]

I wish this was a missile target at the moment.

 

[crashtech]

I get where you are coming from about just wanting the job gone, but unless you know the 'glass bumper is going to be decent, building up the original is almost certianly less work. "Better the devil you know," as they say.

 

[OJ86]

I dont know. Looking at how far off this factory cover is I dont feel comfortable piling on filler on top of urethane. Not saying its wrong, just not sure I am comfortable doing it.

 

[crashtech]

Oh, it's really not that different than 'glass work. The repair material is pretty strong, but to make it more structural you just embed layers of drywall tape in it. Do what you are comfortable with, but I will bet you a dollar that pretty much any fiberglass part for that is going to be garbage.

 

[roger1]

Make that one fit perfect by piling on the filler just to get it out the door. But make a fiberglass mold from it in case you need to make another one down the road.

 

[Mustang408]

I would get some chopped glass mat and epoxy resin (because for the extra money you have better adhesion, less shrink, and longer working time) and just tear a lot of mat in to workable pieces and build it up.