Bodykit done!! Top Secret Bumper and ING Sides!
#17
Originally Posted by tig488
looks kinda lonely without an intercooler, nice ride.
Originally Posted by Profile4
my favorite aftermarket bumper, looks good. an intercooler and a drop would be ridiculous! good work, first one i've seen/heard of in the area...and its authentic!
Last edited by G35PhatS4; 09-13-2005 at 10:18 PM.
#21
In regards to the grill failing, i saw the bumper before it was prepped and for some weird reason, TS cheaped out on the anchors for their mesh. They used wire thinner then a paper clip! It was basically a lil thicker, and I mean a little thicker then a human hair! My recco and what we use for the custom auto mesh, is 14awg SOLID copper wire. We use solid because the stranded wire doesn't hold its shape as well when it's bent. If you're worried about mesh holding, just grab the 14AWG wire and either silicon (i would recco marine silicon like 4200 or 5200 - IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE SO BECAREFUL) or some 2 part putty epoxy for fiberglass.
#22
Originally Posted by neffster
Can you send me a PM sharing the cost of this bumper? Also, maybe go into a little detail about the grill failing.
I'd really appreciate it!
I'd really appreciate it!
The fitment on the bumper is great! Even though Top Secret might not admit it, the clear corners didn't sit flush, and I had to prep it a bit, and also re-adjust/work it such that it fit in a good way.
Drew pretty much summed it up about the mesh anchors. They for some reason skimpped out on the anchors for the mesh. Literally, it's about the strength of soder wires... it's REALLY REALLY weak. The ones that came with it were cheap chicken wire type stuff, and it's silver (I'm going with the grey/black theme). Even if it's painted... it'd chip, so I got my stuff from customautomesh...
Since it was.... oh, 1am in the morning the day of rollin for HIN AC, I just said F*$% it and put it on using those. BAAAD mistake.... but the time we were in AC.... 2 of the 4 mesh I put on is somewhere on the Garden State Parkway in NJ (Drew, I need one more grill... again... lol)
Originally Posted by Diesel1
In regards to the grill failing, i saw the bumper before it was prepped and for some weird reason, TS cheaped out on the anchors for their mesh. They used wire thinner then a paper clip! It was basically a lil thicker, and I mean a little thicker then a human hair! My recco and what we use for the custom auto mesh, is 14awg SOLID copper wire. We use solid because the stranded wire doesn't hold its shape as well when it's bent. If you're worried about mesh holding, just grab the 14AWG wire and either silicon (i would recco marine silicon like 4200 or 5200 - IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE SO BECAREFUL) or some 2 part putty epoxy for fiberglass.
#23
#25
Originally Posted by Babiephat
One knock on it... the metal tabs that holds the mesh on is a COMPLETE joke. I think I had the grill on for ... 10miles before it broke. <24hours while wiping for the other ones on the bottom to break. CHEAP!! Now I need to fab my own clips, take off the bumper, or just epoxy that new mesh I'll need to get on permantly.
#26
thats awesome...you pay so much for a front bumper and you use the twistie tie thingies to hold the mesh on! yay! Maybe I can get a hold of some of those twistie ties from the grocery store and peel off the paper. Then I could have a bunch of "Top Secret" parts. ooooh I could make sooooo much money selling these on the internet. I'll call the twistie ties something really cool and inventive like "Top Secret Twistie Ties." yay!
#27
Originally Posted by TOPSECRET2001
Did you secure the grill with the tabs before installing? I've seen a million different types of grill tabs and these are by far the most odd but they do hold the grill on very securely if you twist/tie the grill with them.
Other problem is that the mesh doesn't fit well evenly and you can see where the tabs/wires are holding the mesh... so I could already foresee the issue before the install. It was almost 1am the day of the show, so I threw it on hoping it'd last 250miles.
Other complaint is the tow hook on the bottom makes the mesh install on the bottom difficult since it pushes the grill out of place.
No biggie...
I'm gonna take the bumper off this weekend, and figure a way to permantly put the grill on so that it doesn't fall off in the future when I detail. I'm thinking epoxy, but don't know if that'll hold. If not, then I'll bust out the fiberglass/bondo and put that on there permantly.
Last edited by G35PhatS4; 09-15-2005 at 12:00 AM.
#29
Originally Posted by Babiephat
Yea... problem is they broke off. It's not really a tab. It's a dangling wire sort of... It's not very strong to begin with. Some of the grill I put on fell off within 24 hours while I was detailing for the HIN show, which prompted me to do an impromptu fix at the show.
Other problem is that the mesh doesn't fit well evenly and you can see where the tabs/wires are holding the mesh... so I could already foresee the issue before the install. It was almost 1am the day of the show, so I threw it on hoping it'd last 250miles.
Other complaint is the tow hook on the bottom makes the mesh install on the bottom difficult since it pushes the grill out of place.
No biggie...
I'm gonna take the bumper off this weekend, and figure a way to permantly put the grill on so that it doesn't fall off in the future when I detail. I'm thinking epoxy, but don't know if that'll hold. If not, then I'll bust out the fiberglass/bondo and put that on there permantly.
Other problem is that the mesh doesn't fit well evenly and you can see where the tabs/wires are holding the mesh... so I could already foresee the issue before the install. It was almost 1am the day of the show, so I threw it on hoping it'd last 250miles.
Other complaint is the tow hook on the bottom makes the mesh install on the bottom difficult since it pushes the grill out of place.
No biggie...
I'm gonna take the bumper off this weekend, and figure a way to permantly put the grill on so that it doesn't fall off in the future when I detail. I'm thinking epoxy, but don't know if that'll hold. If not, then I'll bust out the fiberglass/bondo and put that on there permantly.
P.S. Sundeviljay - I think you have to be at least 13 years old to view this website...
#30
The wires MIGHT be OK to hold on the stock metal mesh that comes with the bumper. IMHO that mesh is kinda weak.
I know babie added some heavier duty mesh to the bumper which is higher quality and black so he doesn't have to worry about painting it or chipping.
If I were you guys, I would just add some 12AWG or 14AWG wires to the bumper going forward it would fit almost all mesh and it 100x stronger than the stuff on there now.
Just my .02.
I know babie added some heavier duty mesh to the bumper which is higher quality and black so he doesn't have to worry about painting it or chipping.
If I were you guys, I would just add some 12AWG or 14AWG wires to the bumper going forward it would fit almost all mesh and it 100x stronger than the stuff on there now.
Just my .02.