Awesome work D!
Thank you Shawn!!
I'd have to bust out the Play Doh to make a bumper with those clean curves & bends.
I don’t know about Play Doh, but this one’s held together with welding wire and a dream.
Thanks for the compliment.
BUILD THREAD “The Juggernaut”
- Thread starter Rktpwrd
- Start date
Thank you Shawn!!
I don’t know about Play Doh, but this one’s held together with welding wire and a dream.
Thanks for the compliment.
I know you've done a lot (a LOT) of work on the other pieces/parts of the car, but this has got to be one of the most intensely detailed "remaking" of an entire bumper darn-near that I've ever seen.
It might have been simpler just to get a custom molded fiberglass piece. But you stuck with it and did it the "right" way. Kudos, dude. Mucho Kudos. Great piece of work. The details are astounding, yet without this context, I fear it will go unnoticed on the finished project because it will look like the factory did it.
It might have been simpler just to get a custom molded fiberglass piece. But you stuck with it and did it the "right" way. Kudos, dude. Mucho Kudos. Great piece of work. The details are astounding, yet without this context, I fear it will go unnoticed on the finished project because it will look like the factory did it.
Thank you sir, I do believe that’s one of, if not the nicest thing anybody’s ever said about my work. And that’s saying something with all of the flattering comments and support the good folks on here have said over the years.
I’m truly humbled , thank you.
It’s always been my belief that a truly successful modification is a double edged sword. One the one hand, it should look like it belongs, as if nothing was ever done to it, but on the other, it’s likely that no one will ever truly appreciate the time, effort, determination and perseverance that it took to accomplish it.
Yes, I suppose I could’ve gone the fibreglass route, but then it wouldn’t be unique and different from what others have. Which somewhat defeats the purpose. It’s all about customizing YOUR car, to YOUR own individual tastes. I’ve been approached by folks wanting me to build them another one of this or that that I’ve built for myself, but the answer has always had to be “no”. I will build them something similar, but no, not exactly the same.
That’s just for me.
Again, I appreciate the compliments and kudos. Thank you.
Thanks, it’s much appreciated!
Absolutely 100%. Could not agree more.
Since completing the fabrication on the front bumper, I’ve been asked a couple of times if I’m going to re-chrome it. The answer has unequivocally always been “no” and these pictures should confirm that for everyone.
First of all, chrome is no longer going to suit the theme of this reincarnation. Second, the chrome plating process has become prohibitively expensive, with very few good, renowned shops being able to truly do an exceptional job. Which is also my third point, there’s no one locally that I’d trust to do it to my level of expectation.
So we’re going to treat it just as with any other body panel and fill, block, prime and paint it.
I’ve been chipping away at it for the last few days, and am making good progress. I have a few new tools and knowledge that I’ve acquired since my last bodywork endeavour that I’m applying to this project, so look for this to turn out (hopefully) significantly better than my previous undertakings.
On the bumper, I started at the bottom and have been working my way upwards. Other than having a couple pinholes to address, today I have already reached the halfway point.
It’s pretty tough to get just the right lighting and angles to showcase it, so unfortunately this is the best I could do.
“Oh my gawd, would you just LOOK at all that filler?!? It must be a bondo bucket!!!”
Um, think again. Just look at these cross section views through the light openings and tell me the filler is thick:
These next couple pictures are a little better, standing up on the stand showcases the lower body lines better, and is easier to visualize in it’s natural position.
I’m officially on holidays this week and am going away for a few days starting tomorrow, but when I return it’ll be right back on it. I believe I’ll be on track to have it ready for primer before the end of the month.
In related news, the bumper shock substitutes have been dropped off for shortening at the welding shop and now I’m just awaiting their return.
I also reached out to a buddy of mine who does 3M paint protection film, and had him apply some smoked film to the front of the marker lights:
I know they look a little out of place at the moment, but I think by the time the car is painted it won’t look quite so odd.
I wanted the lights protected with the PPF, but I also didn’t like seeing the glaring white LED boards plain as day through the lenses. So the smoked look is a bit of an experiment. If I hate it and it continues to look out of place, it’ll come back off and go into the circular file.
The one thing that’s bothering me the most about them currently is the purplish hue they have due to the white LED boards in behind. The jury is still somewhat out on the subject.
D.
First of all, chrome is no longer going to suit the theme of this reincarnation. Second, the chrome plating process has become prohibitively expensive, with very few good, renowned shops being able to truly do an exceptional job. Which is also my third point, there’s no one locally that I’d trust to do it to my level of expectation.
So we’re going to treat it just as with any other body panel and fill, block, prime and paint it.
I’ve been chipping away at it for the last few days, and am making good progress. I have a few new tools and knowledge that I’ve acquired since my last bodywork endeavour that I’m applying to this project, so look for this to turn out (hopefully) significantly better than my previous undertakings.
On the bumper, I started at the bottom and have been working my way upwards. Other than having a couple pinholes to address, today I have already reached the halfway point.
It’s pretty tough to get just the right lighting and angles to showcase it, so unfortunately this is the best I could do.
“Oh my gawd, would you just LOOK at all that filler?!? It must be a bondo bucket!!!”
Um, think again. Just look at these cross section views through the light openings and tell me the filler is thick:
These next couple pictures are a little better, standing up on the stand showcases the lower body lines better, and is easier to visualize in it’s natural position.
I’m officially on holidays this week and am going away for a few days starting tomorrow, but when I return it’ll be right back on it. I believe I’ll be on track to have it ready for primer before the end of the month.
In related news, the bumper shock substitutes have been dropped off for shortening at the welding shop and now I’m just awaiting their return.
I also reached out to a buddy of mine who does 3M paint protection film, and had him apply some smoked film to the front of the marker lights:
I know they look a little out of place at the moment, but I think by the time the car is painted it won’t look quite so odd.
I wanted the lights protected with the PPF, but I also didn’t like seeing the glaring white LED boards plain as day through the lenses. So the smoked look is a bit of an experiment. If I hate it and it continues to look out of place, it’ll come back off and go into the circular file.
The one thing that’s bothering me the most about them currently is the purplish hue they have due to the white LED boards in behind. The jury is still somewhat out on the subject.
D.
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The bumper is coming along nicely (and quickly), have you considered making a fiberglass mold of it and popping out a lightweight version? I think that would be awesome!
I hear you on the LED boards showing through- it just diminishes the look and acts as a distraction in my opinion. The lights definitely look cool with the tinted film and the protection it offers will undoubtedly make a difference in how long the lenses last. If the purple undertones don't please the eye is there a way to have them match the color hue of the window tint? I'm completely new to PPF so I don't know what the selection is like.
Looks great, Donovan, going to look nice painted to match the car! I think the smoked lights will fade away once everything is painted and assembled for keeps.
I’m on holiday this week as well, enjoy the time off!
I’m on holiday this week as well, enjoy the time off!
Awesome work as always. Curious what filler you’re using? Looks like 3m platinum plus, which is my go to. If you haven’t been already, I recommend weighing your filler. It’s been a game changer for me. If I’ve already mentioned this, I’m sorry. But accurate measurement is crucial, especially when it’s hot out. It’s also made gauging how much I need for a job way more precise, leading to less excess.
The bumper is actually surprisingly not all that heavy now after all the fabrication and grinding on it. I haven’t actually weighed it yet, but I would gamble that it’s actually lighter than a stock one, even with the extended end caps. I’m not sure how that’s possible, but definitely feels like it.
I can appreciate the fibreglass suggestion, however I have an extreme aversion to the stuff. Like, love to hate it type aversion. Factor in the fact that it’s the front bumper and vulnerable to rock chips and other front end impacts that can lead to spider-webbing, and no, I don’t think that’s the best option. Once completed and painted, it’ll be receiving a complete wrap in 3M paint protection film to help mitigate any potential road damage.
As for the tinted PPF, I had my choice of 3 options: 25, 30 or 50% light penetration. I chose the 30% as it seemed to be the best compromise between making the LED board the least visible and not looking TOO dark. Those are about the only choices when it comes to the tinted PPF.
Looks great, Donovan, going to look nice painted to match the car! I think the smoked lights will fade away once everything is painted and assembled for keeps.
I’m on holiday this week as well, enjoy the time off!
Thank you Mike, I’m looking forward to a couple days away to just unwind and relax. I appreciate you weighing in on the lights, that seems to be the general consensus amongst the couple people who I’ve shown them to so far as well.
I sure hope that’s the case!
You’re bang on, it is indeed Platinum Plus. My go-to as well. You have suggested weighing the filler and hardener before, but I still haven’t gotten there yet. I really should, as a cheap scale would be easy enough to find on Amazon.
I did however take your recommendation to switch to acrylic blocks which is one of the new tools I alluded to in the post above. I can see the advantages to using them and have been using them exclusively so far on this project. So now I’m really looking forward to seeing the difference they can/will/should make.
