Body Kit Materials

[Chromed CoUgaR]

I am looking to purchase a Buddy Club 2 Front bumper, Vader 2 Side and rear possibly (or maybe the Min Garage Style).

What material should I go for because I have done a lot of research on this and have come up with my most likely materials.

DuraFlex Composite
Flex Fiber
Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic
Hybrid AERO Material
Urethane
and Fiberglass is NOT an option

I have many many links for online sellers who offer the kits I want in the materials listed above, but I don't know which material is best? The kit needs to flex, look good when painted, and fit perfectly. Prices fluctuate but I have found a couple sites who have good prices, good materials (I hope) and ship relatively cheap...

My question is this: How is the fitting of these above listed kits on a 2000 cougar? Should I stick to the Buddy Club complete kit or mix and match?
I don't plan on lowering the car and I am planning on painting the entire car once the kit is installed.

Should I put the kit on myself to save money? or does a professional have to do it? That's why im asking how the fitment is which is affected by materials.

Im also looking to get a pair of the X-1 Fenders but they only seem to come in FiberGlass... Will his affect the fitting of the front Buddy Club? Do I have to "mold" the whole kit or does it just replace the stock bumpers and the side skirts just get stuck and screwed on?

[papatedroach]

DuraFlex Composite
Flex Fiber
^ I Think These are the same, just different brand names

Hybrid AERO Material
^ never herd of it

Urethane
^ only lip kits are made of this for the cougar anyways

and Fiberglass is NOT an option
^ this is what all kits used to be made from.

The only kits that fit 100% out of the box are Urethane. All others require custom fitting. Side Skirts are the what usually fit the worst.

I would say contact cougarpimp916 (http://www.newcougar.org/forums/members/cougarpimp916.html) he has a brand new set of roush side skits for sale. Those fit 100% no Probelms. Then get whatever front and rear you like.

Most likely you will be better off having a body shop who is good with fiberglass and other body kits install you kit so that it fits right.

Just rember that the most expensive part of a body kit is fitting and paint not the price of the kit. Be prepared to pay at least 3-4 times the cost of the kit by the time you buy it, ship it, and its fitted and painted.

[Bergie_dark by design]

Hybrid explanation

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[Chromed CoUgaR]

Why can't they manufacture side skirts that fit the length of the cougar? Is it really that hard for them to make it fit 100%?

KGSengineering.com has the HybridAERO material body kits, but it sounds too good to be true... heres a link to the kits that I am talking about:
TC body kits|Body kits|G35 Body kits|Mustang Hood|Civic F1 Fender (http://www.kgsengineering.com/mercury-cougar-c-1_129_130.html)

I was already planning on getting my entire car repainted, so I figured I would through on a clean semi-conservative body kit to go with the paint. So your telling me if I buy a $700 body kit in a good material I will end up paying like 4 times that just for installation and paint? Don't the front and rear bumpers just screw in where the Stock bumpers were?

[Chromed CoUgaR]

What about fenders..? Do they replace the stock fenders with 100% fitment or do they need modification as well?

[seedogg]

My fenders were fine.

[papatedroach]

That 3 to 4 times the cost is total for buying the kit and having it put on. ie you pay $400 for kit and approx $800 for paint and install. Thats why you see so many people with unpainted body kits on, They cant afford to paint it.

They screw in but wont always line up right. The kits are made from a mold of a car. The molds are speific to the car it was made from. When parts are made from the factory/company they have tolerances. Meaning no 2 parts are exactly the same. They are all give and take a little bit. So any aftermarket part will never fit perfect out of the box since your car and the part both have tolerances. You always need a little modding to make them fit 100% perfect. How well your kit will fit depends on how well the kit is made and how lucky you are. Cheaper kits dont usually fit as well, but that doesnt mean that a more expensive will fit 100%.

I belive it cost seedogg over $600 for just material for paint and fitting. Labor is usually $90+/hr min. It takes a long time to sand and prep. A good paint job on the car will cost $2500-$3000 easy. Thats why i sold my drift and got a roush kit that was pre-painted by the factory.

The only way to know how much it will cost is to get the kit and have a body shop look at it. If you are just getting a kit and having the kit painted, and it fits almost perfect, expect at least $700 for install and paint. The worse it fits the more it costs. If you paint the whole car expect over $3000 in materials and labor.

The whole point is that body work is expensive because it is alot of labor, if you have the ability to do it yourself you can save a ton.

[papatedroach]

Search the boards to see what others paid

look here (http://www.newcougar.org/forums/exterior-cosmetics/111942-quick-question-about.html)

[kpeeks]

The thing with most of the types of kits you listed is they are all fiberglass. Its just a marketing thing to sell and also not get sued.
I've yet to hear any wonder stories about Extreme Dimension's Dura Flex kits. Although I have heard some about the Flex Fiber ones...can't remember who it was on the board. All I know is they hit some road debris & hit a concrete median & there was no damage to the bumper.


The best advice I can give concerning all body/lip kits is spend money on the kit. Don't try to be cheap & get one for next to nothing because you'll end up paying for it sooner or later with a new kit. The kit on my cougar is a cheapo, almost paper thin, piece of junk. I didn't pay for the kit as it came on the car when I bought it, but now I'm having to save up for a whole new kit.

[Chromed CoUgaR]

To show you how organized I am when it comes to shopping around for things like this, I have compiled prices with materials from various websites that I have found and put them into a word document. This is what I do in my free time at work :)
As you can see I am interested in a BC-2 front, with a Min Garage (GM) rear and I don't know what sides I want yet... something that fits... but I dont really like the Roush sides too much and I dont think they will go with what I am en-visioning...

One question: When the whole car is being painted do you paint the bumpers separate from the car or do you install the bumpers and then paint the whole car at once? If so I should put the bumpers on my self and have them mold the side skirts right?


FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic)
PolyUrethane (possible sagging once installed)
Fiberglass (****ty brittle material, paint needs a flex agent to prevent crack ing the cold)

HybridAERO Material
Body Kits | Fenders | Carbon Fiber Hoods | Spoilers | Wings (http://www.KGSengineering.com) 150-GM-FK $489.25 (Min Garage = GM)
BC-2 $489.25
D-Luck $599.20
Min Garage (rear) $175
BC-2 (front) $175

FiberGlass Material?
Auto Body Kits Car Parts Accessories Spoilers and Police Headlights (http://www.AutoDirectSave.com) BC-2 $739 + $199 Shipping


FiberGlass Material
Pro-Motion Tuning, LLC (http://www.CustomCougars.com) BC-2 $359 +$175 Shipping
V-Style $559
MG Style $359 (150-GM-FK)
X-1 (Fenders) $149 + $45 Shipping


FiberGlass Material
2Loww AutoSport Ltd. - Your Automotive Customization Specialist - Body Kit - Lambo Door - Hood - Spoiler (http://www.2loww.com) BC-2 $324 + $123 Shipping


Body Kits, Hoods, Spoilers, Ground Effects Online Catalog & Ordering - BodyKits Etc, Inc (http://www.BodyKits.org) BC-2 $725


FRP Material
Krazy Kustomz | Halo Headlights | Duraflex | AIT Racing | Body Kits (http://www.KrazyKustomzOnline.com) BC-2 $595 + $150 Shipping
GT (Front) $198
X-1 (Fenders) $165

Flex Fiber Composite Material
Millennium $850
Millennium (Rear) $233
Millennium (Side) $170
BC-2 $599
BC-2 (Front) $255
Min Garage (Rear) $165

DuraFlex Composite Material
Vader 2 (Rear) $254
Vader 2 (Front) $254


Complete custom wheels and best ground effects plus body kits honda civic accord (http://www.RacerWheel.com) Zen (BC-2) $324 + $495 Shipping Freight
Zen (BC-2) w/ Fenders $324 + $495 Shipping Freight
X-2 (Fenders) $179 + $125 Shipping
Vader 2 (Rear) $279
Vader 3 (Side) $255
Zen (Front) $143 or $245

www.BodyKitz.com All Kits $799 w/ shipping (Urethane?)

DuraFlex Material
Body Kits - Wood Dash Kits, Custom Car Accessories, Spoilers, Nerf Bars, Altezza Lights (http://www.CustomAutoTrim.com) BC-2 $636 + $175 Shipping
X-2 (Fenders) $179
BC-2 (Front) $225


Flex Fiber Material
Flex Fiber Body Kits | Flexible Body Kit | Bumpers | X1 Fender (http://www.flexfiberbodykits.com/)
BC-2 $519 + $150 Shipping
BC-2 (Front) $205
D-Luck $519 + $150 Shipping
Min Garage $519 + $150 Shipping
Min Garage (Rear) $205
Millennium (Rear) $233

FiberGlass Gel Coated
X-1 Fenders $150