I'm with Darrelk on NOT grafting the lip onto the bumper cover.
For just "show" then it's fine. But for a daily driver, bad idea...

So with the experience of Han, and DarrelK...suggesting a re-inforced bracketing system....

thats where we are headed.

I am not confident enough to graft directly to the face of the bumper, and my concern is that the graft would splinter/peel/crack off due to incompatible materials on winter freeze, and spring thaw.

The car is my daily driver, and its my second wife. I'm not chancing having to do this project twice. Its going to get done once....done right the first time.

It's going to take time, but that's how we will go from here. My father in law has 35 years experience full time welding, so to get a sub frame done properly will be a matter of asking him for help. After that...it will be prep, paint, mount.

I'm going to continue to peruse the website for further suggestions regarding paint....but I have one final question for either Han, or DarrelK.

Do I need to add a flex additive to the paint where this lip is concerned? Or is it true that most paints, and clears have incorporated this additive already?

Now you're headed in a good direction. If my son-in-law swings a six pack of micro-brewed beer my way I help him with stuff like this, too. He'll probably incorporate stuff you've never thought of. Good welder is worth their weight in gold. My minor in college was Welding/Engineering so I know a little about that stuff, too.
Flex additives are needed ONLY if the spec. sheet for that particular paint calls for them. It's not even so much that clears have flex in them as it is the new clears and paints are just THAT flexible to begin with. Just check your P. sheet for your clear.

I would not try to blend fiberglass parts onto a plastic bumper cover anyway. Unless there is an adhesive that Im not aware of, plastics and fiberglass adhesives really arent compatible with eachother anyway. If you were to use epoxy resin to attach the lip to the bumper itself, I think even with an adhesion promoter sprayed on, the epoxy still wouldnt have any "bite" into the material, and the first good bump into a parking stop or tall curb would delaminate it.

Here's an idea for you. It does require drilling some holes in your stock bumper. What about using some 1/4-20 or so bolts, an inch and a half or two inches long, and fiberglassing them head first to the backside of the lip, so they stick out like studs. Drill out some corresponding holes in the bumper itself, and slip in in place, put a washer and nut on the backside, then a jam nut to keep it from loosening after you pull the lip back tight enough it has no gaps, but not so tight you risk pulling the washers through the plastic. Then in the wheel well area you could use some clean self tapping black head trim screws that lots of older cars used around their wheel wells. Heck you might have some laying around.



Ok, as for puttin the bolts on, I'd grind the heads at an angle so they set as flush as possible against the inside surface of the lip. make sure they stick stragiht back, not angled up or down. You should rough up the area with 60 grit or so about a 6" diameter around where you want the stud to mount. Using some 5 minute two part epoxy, stick each one on and hold it until the epoxy cures enough that it holds on by itself. Get a can of Bondo fiberglass resin, and a some Bondo fiberglass CLOTH, not the chop mat stuff, but the cloth for repairs. This is available at Home Depot or Lowes in the paint area. cut out some 6" circles. I'd use two or three layers per bolt. Also get you a box of 1" wide "chip brushes" those cheapy throw away wooden handle brushes. Slip a disc of fiberglass cloth over the bolt, just spread the fibers with a small scresdriver so they fit tight around the bolt for makimum hold. Mix up about 4 oz of resin in a small plastic dixie cup, and wet down the first cirdle with the brush, using the brush to "push" the resin in and get rid of air bubbles. quickly put the second disc on, wet it down and pus out any bubbles, and last disk same way. Once it's done, it should be one tough **** stud sticking straight back. after an hour or so. MEKP dries that stuff fast, you only have about 5 minutes of work time so work fast with each small batch you mix up.

^ That's how I learned to do it

RamThis wrote:Unless there is an adhesive that Im not aware of, plastics and fiberglass adhesives really arent compatible with eachother anyway. If you were to use epoxy resin to attach the lip to the bumper itself, I think even with an adhesion promoter sprayed on, the epoxy still wouldnt have any "bite" into the material, and the first good bump into a parking stop or tall curb would delaminate it.

Well, I can tell you first hand I've molded a couple of front lips on, and seen many more get put on the same way. and I have yet to see it "delaminate" from the plastic if done well. I personally think it looks much nicer. Instead of looking like a lip attached it looks like a custom bumper.. Again, providing it's done correct..

Though it may look "nice," molding pieces like that can be a real pain
when you have to repair them...