Four years ago, I had the crazy idea to make a custom bumper:

http://forums.2gnt.com/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=7&topic_id=92312&mesg_id=92312&listing_type=search

The look of it came to me in a dream. You know, the kind where you wake up and immediately grab paper and pencil to start drawing (was this a scene in Close Encounters?). Here is what I did:



Cut stock urethane bumper with jig-saw to remove parts and reposition them. Mock up new features with cardboard and craft foam. WTF did I just do?




Sand stock bumper and drill a million tiny holes in it to promote adhesion of resin. Hot glue is used to hold craft foam in place. Foam is sanded to a smooth contour.




Wrap bumper with too many layers of fiberglass and polyurethane resin. I chose to sand after each layer, removing a third of my work each time. Cheap paper masks should be good enough.




My throat hurts, but let's add a couple layers of resin and with fibers.




Make sure everything still fits.




Sand essentially all of that resin/fiber filler back off to get a nice smooth surface.




Spend 4 weeks sick from sinus and lung infection. Determine that pussies probably live longer and buy a proper respirator to use when sanding. Coat bumper with the highest quality filler available at Advance Auto.




Sand everything smooth and apply a classy gray primer. Everything still fits.




Yup. That is how I imagined it. I put some flat black paint on it soon after. That was 3 or so years ago. I have scraped it a bunch of times on entrances and my wife backed into it. It developed a couple hairline cracks that I repaired and some that I haven't. I was going to use this one to build a mold for a full fiberglass one, but I think I am just done. My car needs a paint job and I can't risk it cracking after spending the money on real paint. I have decided to chuck it and slap a stock urethane bumper on there. If anyone wants to pick it up in Northern VA, they are welcome to. Maybe this will inspire someone to try or not to try a project like this.


Corbin
'95 ESI-T

Now with more power and fewer leaks



Humble servant of the Wiki

Thanks for posting this Corbin. :thumbsup I have always wanted to try something like this and have a spare beat up bumper sitting in my backyard that I can experiment with. I'm also wondering if I can use a similiar technique to make a modified headlight panel for my motorcycle. }(

I bet that bumper weighs a crap load since you made it over the factory bumper and did not pull it off as a mold and use it. Looks good though.

Originally posted by eclipse982nrRST
I bet that bumper weighs a crap load since you made it over the factory bumper and did not pull it off as a mold and use it. Looks good though.

Hmmmm. Like your ENTIRE car?

Looks great Corbin. I have a cracked all to pieces front bumper and I was debating to buy a new on or do something like this...Maybe this will be inspiration. If not I will buy another bumper lol. Very nice.

i doubt it weighs anything. Corbin, that is very nice and one hell of an idea. As always, i have come to expect ideas from you that exhibit the age old enthusiast mentality........"Doing more with less." You have not once let me down.

I love it.

Terry

It actually only weighs a few pounds more than a stock bumper. That is because I sanded so much off after each step. Of course, that is the reason it is cracking now. This was certainly a learning experience. I contemplated making a mold from it now and recreating it properly. I also contemplated modifying a stock urethane bumper with purpose made plastic adhesives and fillers to make a full urethane bumper. I just can't invest any more time in a project with marginal potential for sucess.

Corbin
'95 ESI-T

Now with more power and fewer leaks



Humble servant of the Wiki

ok i knowthis is off the subject but where doyou get the hood from. i want one so bad.

He made it. Like everything else that he's done.