Front end fitment - headlights, bumper, fenders, etc.

[SixStar]

Been at this all day. So frustrating. Gaps are MASSIVE. The main issue seems to be the headlights. They're pushing the fenders up. We have the ABS buckets and with them either under or over the lip of the bumper nothing fits. BOOOOOO

http://imgur.com/a/S3mrO#0

[Mechie3]

I had to cut out the channel on the bottom of the headlight buckets and bend my under bucket. Racket nearly in half.

[Frank818]

Your rad support brackets aren't for sale, by any chance?

[07FIREBLADE]

Is the bucket lip suppose to sit on the top or bottom of the front bumper?

[AZPete]

If you haven't already cruised these useful Build Threads, crack a beer and read what has worked for others. it seems all bodies are not exactly the same and one panel influences others, so here some ideas for body fitting that helped me:
Honolulu - page 7 - 12
RM1SepEx - page 14 - 19
Metalmaker - page 12
VCP thread on mounting the doors

If you or anybody else can list other pages of build threads that show body fittings, please do it.

[SixStar]

I live a little far from the shop so boozing isn't an option

Pete you hit it on the head, HUGE variance in the panels. I mean I really expect after building two of these to have to get out the saw/file/drill/hammer for every single part but I'd never expect a 300% difference from panels left to right. The third one is from kit 80 for flavor.

PA242166.JPG
PA242165.JPG

PA242167.JPG

As far as the rad brackets, those are for a 1994 Legacy SS turbo rad so they wouldn't do anyone much good. They're just factory ones that were notched, bent, welded and we're good to go!

[SixStar]

Is the bucket lip suppose to sit on the top or bottom of the front bumper?

We went back and forth on this. The book says above, we put one under and made a new supporting bracket and it fit WORSE if you can imagine.

[SixStar]

http://imgur.com/a/SkYqC#0

[GUNS]

Trim trim trim. I had to trim my headlight buckets quite a bit to get the headlights to sit even, not on top or bottom, but even. I also had to trim the area of the front fenders that go over the top of the headlights a lot (down to about 1/4"). I spent more time on the front than the rear (so to speak), but by trimming all of that the fenders lined up much mo betta.

[metalmaker12]

You have to:

Trim fender edge image.jpg

Drop light bucket edge below front covers edge image.jpg

If you do this you will get it to look like this: image.jpg

[SixStar]

You have to:

Trim fender edge image.jpg

Drop light bucket edge below front covers edge image.jpg

If you do this you will get it to look like this: image.jpg

So throw that manual in the trash and make it fit. Got it.

[metalmaker12]

It came with a manual, knew I was missing something.... I deemed it a reference, but it is your canvas. You guys painting this for sema?

[07FIREBLADE]

I can definitely imagine how making a new bracket can make things worse. What do you think I was doing all day today. Working on this stupid front end. Its really pushing my patience to try and figure this out.

Im going to take metal advice and work his method and see if I can get satisfactory results. Hopefully things workout for once.

[RM1SepEx]

Virtually every panel needs to be trimmed somewhere. The headlight eyelids need to be thin, I went below 1/4 inch, the fenders need to be cut at the corners for the inside ends of the headlights as per metal's photos. Also as Chris (Metalmaker) indicated the manual will drive you to frustration. you need to trim and check, trim and check almost everywhere it is NOT done to finish size at FFR. The nose needs to be cut a bunch in the area where it interferes with the radiator support/nose support tubes allowing it to slide back.

The hood, engine cover and trunk all need their returns trimmed a ton, the rear corners of the hood need to be trimmed a ton too. (and how to trim depends on type of hood, early hoods have sharp pointed corners, new ones have a revised, stronger shape.)

Once you realize this fact, it gets a bunch easier. It is scary as once it is cut unless you want to do a bunch of bodywork its far easier to cut than to add back.

I'm going to use Pete's method to allow adjusting the headlights and scrapping my headlight brackets from underneath.

The rear of your front fenders are waaaay too thick, shoot for 1/4 at the top and a knife edge at the bottom to get the door to clear when opened

I do wonder why FFR doesn't setup a proper process to cut them to the desired shape vs leaving us to cut the final shape by hand.

BTW I found that if you buy rolls of cheap 1/8 pin striping tape its easy to lay down a nice smooth line to follow to get a nice smooth trimmed edge

[SixStar]

Virtually every panel needs to be trimmed somewhere. The headlight eyelids need to be thin, I went below 1/4 inch, the fenders need to be cut at the corners for the inside ends of the headlights as per metal's photos. Also as Chris (Metalmaker) indicated the manual will drive you to frustration. you need to trim and check, trim and check almost everywhere it is NOT done to finish size at FFR. The nose needs to be cut a bunch in the area where it interferes with the radiator support/nose support tubes allowing it to slide back.

The hood, engine cover and trunk all need their returns trimmed a ton, the rear corners of the hood need to be trimmed a ton too. (and how to trim depends on type of hood, early hoods have sharp pointed corners, new ones have a revised, stronger shape.)

Once you realize this fact, it gets a bunch easier. It is scary as once it is cut unless you want to do a bunch of bodywork its far easier to cut than to add back.

I'm going to use Pete's method to allow adjusting the headlights and scrapping my headlight brackets from underneath.

The rear of your front fenders are waaaay too thick, shoot for 1/4 at the top and a knife edge at the bottom to get the door to clear when opened

I do wonder why FFR doesn't setup a proper process to cut them to the desired shape vs leaving us to cut the final shape by hand.

BTW I found that if you buy rolls of cheap 1/8 pin striping tape its easy to lay down a nice smooth line to follow to get a nice smooth trimmed edge

Thanks!!

Doors don't open, it's an R.

From what I understand of the fiberglass industry it's usually piece work that's contracted. So you get paid per panel quality and fit/finish notwithstanding. The amount of flaws is pretty bad on all three kits we've gotten. I'd say the best bet is to ignore the air holes and chips and know that it's just a kit car. But a few days of body work or even a wrap would solve most issues.

I'm going for a GOOD ENOUGH on the body panels. I know it's going to SEMA but it's only 3 days and I have to race this for the foreseeable future. Plus I love the mantra, "A race car is always a show car, but a show car is rarely a race car."

[Mechie3]

I like the mantra "you can sleep in your car, but you can't race your house."

[Frank818]

As far as the rad brackets, those are for a 1994 Legacy SS turbo rad so they wouldn't do anyone much good. They're just factory ones that were notched, bent, welded and we're good to go!

They would for me, as I have the same rad you got. But they aren't bolt on, so since I already made home-made brackets, I'll see later what I can do. Mines look like sh i t compared to yours.

[SixStar]

They would for me, as I have the same rad you got. But they aren't bolt on, so since I already made home-made brackets, I'll see later what I can do. Mines look like sh i t compared to yours.

Let me know. I could easily make two more.