Body kit installation

[mx3man83]

Ok, so I finally got my body kit in. I test fitted it and it seems it's going to take some modifying, which from what I have researched is perfectly normal. The hard part is how? The skirts seem like they will need to be tweaked outward in the back. I took a heat gun to it for like 5 minutes and it would just return to its original shape when i let it go. I was thinking that i may need to really get it hot, with a torch maybe? I've got a full shop of tools available to me, including a nice lil' ole torch. Would it be wise to hit the back of the skirt in the crease where it needs to be tweaked? Definitely not so much so that it will break off, but just to make it malliable. Thanks for the help...

[GregoryChristian]

Hey Flame Thrower, What kit did you get ??

[mx3man83]

I got the "vader" kit from ebay. The quality of the kit is good, but i just need to make a few adjustments. Anybody got any suggestions?

[mitmaks]

how you want to modify it

[MazdaManiacMx3]

Do you mean the rear skirt , fiberglass really wont keep a shape if you just heat and try to warp it ??

[atlantamx3]

That, my friend, is why kits must be taken to a bodyshop to be properly installed.

They will probably have to cut it & re-shape it & mold it to get it fit properly.

All kits must be done like this, unless they are perfectly flawless-- which is never the case.

I would suggest that you put your torch up-- you are only making things worse.

[mx3man83]

No, not all kits need to be cut and reshaped and molded or whatever. Most just need to be trimmed and shaped a bit. I actually went to a professional shop and the guy suggested lightly torching the inside of the bumper while bending it in. The attitude of "just take it in to a shop" sucks. That's not how I do my thing, that's not how you learn things. Through my research and testing, I have found that with my side skirts, I am going to use contact cement and then rivets. FOr now I have them screwed on. As soon as I get free time and an extra hand I'm going to replace the screws with rivets, grind them flat, and then put some body filler over them. voila, saved myself hundreds of bucks.

[atlantamx3]

Yeah, and then when your kit falls off or cracks or whatever, you will pay MORE than those hundreds of dollars for them to fix your mistakes & re-install it correctly.

Whatever floats your boat man.

[xlr8n_mx3]

from my experiance with my installation find something that you can hold it against the car with really tight, and use epoxy resin glue, or do fiberglass in sections on the front and back after rivetting it onto the inside of your wheel wells. this will hols it in place, make sure to build the glass up good and thick, otherwise the stress will crack it. once class is done smoothe with kitty hair(fiberglass putty) andsand, then smooth again with a bondo/ fiberglass resin mix(about 60/40) this will create a smooth candable finish that is strong and won't crack.
im me is you need further details.