DIY: Second lisence plate hole delete on Fab kit

no1dad1983 · 07-04-2008, 08:30 PM

Ok i'll start off by saying that i like to give things a shot before i let someone else do them for me.

what i wanted to do here was get rid of the ugly second lisense plate hole on the rear bumper of my Fab kit.
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things you'll need:
rotary tool and accessories(particulary cutting disks)
chicken wire
bondo and accessories
sand paper(however many diff grits you want to use)
and whatever safty wear you need, eye protection, masks, and/or gloves

This is how i decided to do it. i take no responsibility if you mess things up on your own kit. i just took ideas in my head and put them into motion, so i almost guarantee that things should have been done differently. Here we go.

start by cutting out the flat part in the "bottom" of the lisence plate indention. using your rotary tool.
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next cut that flat piece into two long strips in proportion with the body line that intersects the indention. and put aside.
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next cut out the entire indention. right before it starts to fold inward.

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next cut and form your chicken wire to the general shape of the bumper. i used the cheap mesh they provide with the front bumper. after using that i would recomend a smaller holed chicken wire. mostly for holding the bondo in place.
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i then put down a layer of bondo on the back edge of the hole that we previously cut.

then laid the wire down to create suport for the bondo. you need to be very quick in these bondo step due to how quick it hardens. then put a layer of bondo over the wire, so to lock the wire in place.
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time to grab thoes two strips we put aside a while ago, spread bondo over the back of them and push onto the chicken wire, almost as if your trying to put the pumper back together. bondo over the other side of the chicken wire so to hold on the strips of bumper. in doing this you've created some pretty flat spaces and gives you a good base to filing the hole.
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then start aplying the bondo. it will take a few applications to actually fill all the holes and get it relatively smooth. should look something like this.
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then comes the sanding. and lots of it. your trying to make the bondo flush and smooth with the rest of the bumper. you'll need to reaply the bondo to fill small holes and what not.
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should look something like this, i still need to finish shaping it but it's almost there. the rest is just reaplying, sanding and shaping. however many times is takes you.
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so this is my take on how to remove the second plate hole on the fab rear bumper. if you have any suggestions on how to do this better please post them up.

my only suggestion would be to follow the directions on the bondo. IE. drying and sanding times, and mixing the hardening compound. Good luck.......

uprising · 07-04-2008, 08:43 PM

nice write up!

bB626 · 07-04-2008, 08:46 PM

very nice!

beanzermin · 07-04-2008, 08:56 PM

ok so i am in the middle of doing the same thing. the way i did it was i taped a peice of cardboard into the back of the bumper and fold it to the shape. i than took a piece of fiberglass mat and put it on the frontside and threw a gal of fiberglass resin on top of it. well not that much but a lot. let it dry. waited till the next day and peeled the cardboard off. i threw more fiberglass resin on the back. all i have left to do is sand it smooth. ill post pics didnt even think of doin a diy on this but ill help add on to yours.

no1dad1983 · 07-04-2008, 10:37 PM

ya please deff do. i was actually scared to use the fiberglass. i'm sure yours is less work then mine. i'm having trouble with the angles. there was a point that i was actually using a palm sander. haha. good luck and keep me posted on what's up. take some pics 2!

Padanky · 07-04-2008, 10:38 PM

Hope that works out for you, not sure if it will though. Should of used atleast dynaglass/Kittyhair filler.

no1dad1983 · 07-04-2008, 10:43 PM

well if i need to i could use it on the backside right? are you refering to the strengh of it?

ScottyTuned · 07-04-2008, 10:47 PM

Yea bondo/body filler isnt strong overall. I would lay some layers of fiberglass matt and resin on the back. It's good experience too in that it doesnt have to be pretty. Just make sure you didnt lay the bondo too thick, as it is prone to cracking at times. Major props on your innovation. You have a good idea with this.

As for working with fiberglass, if you can do bondo mixing, you can do fiberglass resin work. Super easy. Let us know the progress!

no1dad1983 · 07-04-2008, 11:08 PM

thanks for the advice scotty, think i'll put fiberglass resin on the back. should be alright then. ya like i said i had an idea and no knowlege of what i was actually doing so i just ran with it. i'll live and learn. i'll get on that after my daughter is born. hopefully this weekend, if not the doctors will taker her on monday. keep an eye out mid week for a new thread, i'll post some pics of her.

correction, fiberglass mat and resin.

ScottyTuned · 07-04-2008, 11:23 PM

Yep no problem! Lovely thing about fiberglass it's easy to learn from your mistakes and improve on. When I first started I shaped a trim piece for my trunk area with expanding foam then just layed straight bondo around it. With 2 subs hitting, it was cracked within a matter of hours. It was after that I needed to learn how to work with fiberglass. Haha.

FABXB · 07-04-2008, 11:29 PM

How much was your fab kit?

no1dad1983 · 07-05-2008, 06:17 PM

ya my subs are there to so to save myself a headach later i took you guys advice and went out and bought the fiberglass mat and resin, just finished getting that on. hopefully that helps to strengthen it. live and learn.

beanzermin · 07-05-2008, 08:15 PM

i got my bumper for 50 bucks on ebay and 50 bucks for shipping. it was some company goin out of business. but it was just the back bumper not the side skirts. i am in need of side skirts. if any one has some they want to get rid of just let me know.

no1dad1983 · 07-07-2008, 10:19 AM

for a fab kit??? thats a needle in a haystack type of thing. the chances of hitting on that are wicked slim. you'd be better buying whatever else you need. check ebay again.

so i got the fiberglass mat and resin on there the other day and it's alot stronger, you canjust tell. i'm just worried about the weight now. just having so much weight sitting in the middle like that. might turn out to be a problem.

sbkob2447 · 07-11-2008, 11:44 PM

looks good

nice write up so far

no1dad1983 · 07-12-2008, 12:17 AM

just noticed something, it looks like you cut away the inside of the exhaust cutout. why?

did you fit your kit on yet? if so what are you going to do about the impact bars?

beanzermin · 07-12-2008, 03:11 AM

i have hotrunbb's (paolo's) old exhaust and it sticks out like 5 inches. its pushed back more than it shoud be. you can kinda see it in this pic. i had to cut at the bumper to allow the exhaust to still hang out.

as for the impact bar, it is only good for wrecks up to 5mph anyways. so im just gona leave it off unless i can get ahold of a bB impact bar. these bumpers were meant for the bBs and their bumpers are closer to the tailgate than ours. so thats why it doesnt fit with the impact bar on.

no1dad1983 · 07-12-2008, 09:45 AM

now i feel kinda stupid for not thinking about the bb impact bars. i gotta check out the price on them.

DJArchngl · 07-12-2008, 10:41 AM

^you can make the xb impact bars work with the fab kit. Turn the mounts for the impact bars upside down, bolt em' back on and it'll fit just fine.

-ken

beanzermin · 07-12-2008, 01:55 PM

i heard that was for the front bumper. would this work for the rear too? im not doin the front i have a bbist lip. if i flip the mounts upside down in the rear then i would have to redrill new mount holes.(from the bracket to the car). are you sure. wen i go back into work on monday ill try it. i left the bumper at the shop. ill let you guys know wat happens