Stonejag 10 Posted March 30, 2012 Quick one - are the front bumper skins interchangeable between models? My respray is going to feature a swap to USA side markers instead of the indicator repeaters (on my Euro bumper so I keep the plate recess) and I've been offered the ends off an American G60 bumper skin to graft onto mine - but I don't know if it'll work if the bits aren't from a late-style bumper. Any ideas? I've a sneaking suspicion the answer is no because of the VR's wider track... Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lilfuzzer 1 Posted March 30, 2012 cant see why not mate as the bumper slides into the runners so if you prep the sides of the us bumper same as yours cant see why not but thats just my opinion soI may be wrong but worth a try in my eyes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon green 5 Posted March 30, 2012 Why not just put the USA side markers into your bumper ! It is an easy job,I did both of mine in an afternoon ! That was a pre-respray photo ! lol I didn't even take the bumper off Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KIPVW 0 Posted March 30, 2012 Think you'd have to change the fogs & indicators in the front too so dragon's idea sounds the best to me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stonejag 10 Posted March 30, 2012 Why not just put the USA side markers into your bumper ! It is an easy job,I did both of mine in an afternoon ! Because their recess is quite deep and having looked at the end results of both I prefer doing it the hard way :) To clarify - I wasn't planning to swap bumper skins wholesale, I was planning to cut the endmost 16" off my bumper skin and replace with the endmost 16" off the USA bumper. The bumper needs respraying anyway so I reckon plastic-welding on the whole of both ends will give the best outcome; probably the easiest for the body shop to do as well! So really the question is, is the end portion of the bumpers the same between models - or close enough that the body shop can match it up? Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KIPVW 0 Posted March 31, 2012 Ah i see, Bloody hell talk about make things difficult :lol: But yes they are almost identical shape wise just the early one's have a slightly different Swage line at the top of the bumber but the same overall shape. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erny 0 Posted March 31, 2012 Why worry about shape etc and try and graft the ends on, if you want them to sit the same as us spec just cut an inch or so around the us ones and simply graft them in that way you getthe correct recess and don't have to worry about the ends cracking on your bumper. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stonejag 10 Posted March 31, 2012 Part of the reason was to get the spacing right...but it's a fair enough point, i'll see how awkward it looks on the day! Cheers, chaps :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StueyB 0 Posted March 31, 2012 As discussed today Nick, this is definitely the way to go, Don't see why a decent bodyshop couldn't achieve an almost factory finish with correct, recessed fitment. Simply acquire a complete pair of US bumpers ends and give them to the shop with your bumpers. Gives them the full idea of how it should look and you get perfectly fitted and recessed side markers/repeaters. I've seen this home-brewed with Mk4 Golf times and it never looks or fits right without the correct bumper recess. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
