kyle. need your insight.

[rista]

i know i'm gonna sound really stupid, but how the hell did you get your license plate on your dragon z bumper? my kit just came in today FINALLY and am gonna start work on it within the next week or so. did you just zip tie it to the grill mesh? if so, wouldn't that cause resistance and actually pull the mesh back? and is there a way you could post or email me the pics of how the mesh actually stays on the bumper? i'm pretty sure it's just fiberglass or bondo that does the work, right?

i'll post pics for all to see when the project is complete. and hopefully i'll actually get to come to a meet sometime this spring so you people can see.

[BleedBlue81]

The answers to your questions: Zip ties held on the license plate (I actually found blue ones) In the spring when I fix my Dragon-Z and put it back on the car, I'm going to get a nice set of chrome bolts to hold it on with so it doesn't look so ghetto :) Yes, the plate will cause a LOT of resistance when you start zipping down the highway at 90 mph. (found that out from experience) When I originally put the mesh in, I tried using liquid nails to hold on some long pieces of 20 gauge wire that I used to hold the mesh on. That worked for about 2 months before the piece just fell right out :) So then I wised up and used fiberglass to do it.

My recommendations: Use the fiberglass from the beginning, and do it before you actually install the bumper on the car :tongue:. Don't put the bumper on the car until the winter is over, so you don't have a snowplow. And get it painted AFTER its on the car (long story I can tell at some other point in time).

If you would like help doing it, I'm now a certified expert at dealing with the Dragon-Z bumper, and I'd be happy to help you out.

[rista]

thanks for the help!! i am however expecting to get this kit installed within the next week or so. snowplow?? nah, that's what i got a jacked up 4x4 for :) i'll just leave the car parked at the house until all the snow is over like i did a couple weeks ago. well, anyways, me and a couple of my friends are installing and painting this kit ourselves. 1 friend works for a very reputabile body shop, and the other is taking vocational school classes for body work and painting as well. i'm sure i'm in good hands, and think of all the money i'm gonna save on labor. they said just to pay for the paint and everything and about a hundred bucks or so for labor. the only problem i think we are gonna have is working with the 5 mph bumper. what all is involved in this before we go 'hacking' away at it? and could you post a picture of what the 5 mph bumper should look like whenever we are finished? i'm sure my friends know how to do all this, but i wanna know 'for sure' that they don't screw my car to hell:rolleyes:. if you would like to come down and help you would be more than welcome to come. i'm sure there's gonna be plenty of beer drinking going on:beer:.

[BleedBlue81]

Uhhh...the 5mph bumper should look like a 5mph bumper when you are done...because you'll just unscrew 4 bolts and pull it off...no room for it under there with the Dragon-Z. Mine was sitting in the basement until I put the stock bumper back on. You should not have to cut that at all. Unless there's some way to utilize it that I don't know about :shrug: but I wouldn't want to cut it up, in case you ever want to put the stockie back on...:)

[rista]

oh, okay. thanks! i was under the impression from a couple of readings that the 5 mph bumper had to be shaped to fit in behind the bumper, but your way seems to be much easier, so i guess we'll give it a try :)

now maybe you could explain to me why not to paint the bumper until it's installed. should i do the same with the sides and rear as well?

[BleedBlue81]

I had mine painted prior to install, and some of the paint scratched and chipped in the process (you will be drilling and screwing the kit on). Plus if you ding it against the garage wall (happened), floor (happened), or other parts (happened), you will have scratches on your fun new parts before you get to enjoy them :( I am getting my car repainted as soon as I pay off my credit card! And I'm getting graphics this spring!

Oh...and ask Tom about his 4x4...it's not getting him around this winter though... :tongue:

[rista]

well, it's on!!! i definately am gonna have to get some stronger grill mesh though. the stuff i got is too weak, but i guess that's what you get when you try to rig up something with gutter guard :banhim: . i got like 40 feet for 5 bucks of gutter guard, so i figured it'd be woth it. it looks great, it's just too weak. guess it's time to get some decent grill mesh, so where's the cheapest place to order it from?

[BleedBlue81]

DON'T SPEND $27 TO GET THE STUFF THEY'LL SELL YOU!!! You can go to Home Depot or Lowe's and get wire mesh for $2 per sheet...it's the same stuff that I have in mine, and it works and looks fine...it's in the drywall area...(I believe they use it for stucco on walls) anyway, just be careful when you're cutting it...it will tear your hands to shreds custom_images/emoticons/shocked.gif

[rista]

lol. okay thanks. the gutter guard done a nice job of eating my hands as it is, so i think i'll use gloves next time:stupid:. so what do you think of the pics i posted? if you didn't see them yet, they are in the pictures section. i'm proud of it :biggrin: