sasha@lazytrips Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I guess it's a bit hit and miss with these things. My Do-Luck fitted perfectly and has completely perfect gaps all round - but that was an original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M13KYF Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 It may be handy to know who the seller is so we can warn members of this issue Sent you a PM Mate. thanks, no need to take this any further Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 Bit of an update on this one. Basically I went to collect the car and parts last night and I expected much worse than when I got there based upon what the body shop had said on the phone. The skirts-basic problem with these is that air trapped between the gel coat and fibreglass has expanded during curing of the primer and there are about 15-20 'pin prick' type defects in the surface around the edges/corners etc. Is this normal? Did a bit of googling and it seems to suggest it is and the defects need to be gouged out and filled in then repainted. They did say they didn't feel the passenger skirt would fit as it was out of line when they offered it up. They hadn't tried the driver one. The front bumper they hadn't actually tried to fit either. They had rubbed it down ready for priming and noticed that the front section where the number plate sits again isn't a smooth radius but wavey and would need a mountain of filler to smooth. They also said it would be likely to suffer from the bubbling seen on the skirts due to trapped air. Not sure what to do now! Wish I lived near RT-Performance I would just go there! I'm thinking maybe I should offer up the bumper and drivers side skirt to see how well they would fit before doing anything else. Maybe the body shop didn't have much experience with FRP or have lots and didn't actually want to do the work. Luckily they haven't charged me anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M13KYF Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 seems weird that they started work on the bumper first without test fitting before. If then you needed to return it you could be screwed. As they they have worked on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac@TarmacSportz Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Sounds like you need to take it to a proper garage with experience to me bud. Its part and parcel with replicas you need to prep and modify, sounds like they found something that needs a bit of work and gave up Yeah RT or CS would be the guys to do this. Hope you get it sorted buddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 seems weird that they started work on the bumper first without test fitting before. If then you needed to return it you could be screwed. As they they have worked on it. Yeah Mike I agree, it does seem a little weird, when I arrived I was expecting to see holes for the mounting points in the bumper to show it had been fitted but there wasn't anything it had just been rubbed down. Sounds like you need to take it to a proper garage with experience to me bud. Its part and parcel with replicas you need to prep and modify, sounds like they found something that needs a bit of work and gave up Yeah RT or CS would be the guys to do this. Hope you get it sorted buddy Cheers mate, The place I took it is a place with a good reputation round here but maybe they just like doing OEM stuff and aren't fans of doing firbreglass. The owner said to me that they normally turn people with fibreglass parts away because of issues they have seen in the past but because he knew me (old Judo Sensei) and I told him they weren't cheap fibreglass ebay tat i.e. Shine parts they were willing to try. When you say CS do you mean Cougar Store? Didn't know they did body work. Where are they based? I looked on the website but it doesn't have an address. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MITZ@CougarStore Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Steve, you have PM... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 Cheers CS, PM replied to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexx Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Falcon Performance are close-ish to you too Steve. They'd do a top job on the kit for you if req'd, and are closer than RT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 Cheers Lexx. Never even heard of them before! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 i've only ever heard of positives from falcon performance one of the few places i'd trust a car to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted April 16, 2012 Author Share Posted April 16, 2012 Well bit of an update on this one. I'll post some pics up tomorrow. I test fitted the bumper and skirts tonight and they seem to me to be pretty much spot on. The bumper I think needs a very small amount of material around the light removing and the skirts possibly need opening up a bit as they are very tight to get around the sills. I'm now far more Amused and realise its prob the body shop who couldn't be bothered to do FRP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasso Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Good on ya Steve will look mental in Black Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cragus Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Good on ya Steve will look mental in Black Looks the business mate. As others have said Falcon Performance has had many a good write up. Sounds like the body shop you first went to is one to avoid. Did you sort the washers you PMed me about? You'll look like this soon: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted April 16, 2012 Author Share Posted April 16, 2012 Not yet mate, was having a good look at them today and how you said yours were mounted so think I'll be copying when I get it all fitted Really considering making the trip to falcon its just how to transport the bloody bumper as it won't fit in the zed. Could always tape it on lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cragus Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Not yet mate, was having a good look at them today and how you said yours were mounted so think I'll be copying when I get it all fitted Really considering making the trip to falcon its just how to transport the bloody bumper as it won't fit in the zed. Could always tape it on lol I am sure Falcon won't have any bother doing it but if they have any questions I can give you Simons number - he fitted my full kit and has done all my paintwork since! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonball Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 I like that! What kind of clearance height compared with stock do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kite 350 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Dont want to hijack a thread but i have a full chargespeed kit and the fit isnt that good def not bolt on from the box and they are all original parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted April 25, 2012 Author Share Posted April 25, 2012 Here is an update of the test fit I did last week, only just got round to putting the pictures together and uploading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Here is an update of the test fit I did last week, only just got round to putting the pictures together and uploading. sorry steve but that fit looks pretty crap, from a distance its not too bad, but up close its proper gappy. who ever it goes to will have a lot fo work making it look flush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Sorry iv not contributed to this earlier,just seen the issues with the fibre glass bubbling. This is due to poor laminating of the part from the beginning. The reason you are getting bubbles in the top coat (known as gel coat) is because the fibre glass under it is not consolidated with it. (Generally most areas are rolled when the matting is wet out to consolidate it against the gel coat,but stippling with a brush in smaller areas and using your finger in corners are other ways) Iv done some work with a place that used to (not sure if they still do) make FRP parts for car modding company in Essex. Everything is bare minimum,resin,matting,time spent laminating and trimming,as the company that makes them relies on high turn over of parts,rather than making a few good parts at a higher price to sell to companies who market them. Who wants to pay more than they have to right? Iv got a fair amount of experience in composites, so any questions regarding it please feel free to fire my way. If you have any bubbles in the gel coat,then really they need to be dug out,and filled with gel coat, filler will do,but get coat is better,and more viscous,so you will have less chance of them reappearing. Sorry about the long response,and hope that the car gets sorted and to a high standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasso Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Agreed it'll need some work, it could have been a hell of a lot worse. At least it fits and needs minor adjustments here and there. I guess it all depends on how much cash needs to be injected into fixing. Then as per your other thread the cost of painting. I was really surprised that my copy V2 fitted hassle free, and that the chargespeed costing 4 times as much needed work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke0549 Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Really, you have to think to yourself, is all the time, money and hassle worth it for a different bumper? I used to own a 106 and I spent thousands on it, full dimma kit with wide arches etc and full vts engine conversion. Also had an Astra with a copy Vxr rear end on. Tbh, I wouldn't go down the cheap copy kit route again. Far too much hassle. Why not smooth the original bumper? Or get another oem bumper and play around with that. It looks like it will be a lot of work and although the kit is nice, I personally wouldn't bother. Ild spend the money on some real nice wheels and tyres. 2p. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted April 26, 2012 Author Share Posted April 26, 2012 Suppose at the end of the day its a lottery if its not OEM. Hence why I bought shine parts due to the good reports. When I test fitted it the bumper is pretty close, the only areas where its not really right is around the lights. The gaps by the wings are because the wings have the recessed fitting that protrudes and would sit in the bolt hole in the bumper which obviously doesn't exist as its not been drilled for any holes. The bumper was that close in person I would consider fitting it myself. I'm not going to though! The skirts are a bit further away but only really seem to need openeing up a bit so they fit snuggly around the sills. We'll see how the quotes come back this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky370z Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 shame really, ive heard that the shine parts a pretty good. the finish looks pretty wonky around the bottom for the lights. skirts are way off IMO. but thats what you pay the bodyshops for i suppose. i have heard nothing but good reviews at falcon!! they know their stuff!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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