HOW 2: Mesh your grill (another method) ADMIN - not yet finished I need to edit please dont lock

[scatter]

Still editing...nearly done need to add a pic

Ok so this has been done three ways that I know of, here is link to another how2 showing one way.

http://www.ukstarletowners.com/topic/3218-how-2-mesh-your-front-bumper/?hl=mesh

Initailly I tried to rush this job but I just fucked it up so had to start again! The second time I was patient and it paid off, job looks much better. Below are the basic steps with some things that I learnt along the way...

1. saw out the the slats with a junior hacksaw

In hindsight it is best not to saw the vertical ones completely, i.e leave a few mm and sand them down this way you dont

damage surrounding bumper and create the need to use body filler to fill saw scratches, as I did.

2. Remove bumper to make the rest of the work easier.

There are 2 screws on top of the grill; 2 bolts at sides of number plates; 4 bolts at front of bumper and 4 screw-bolts on

the sides, 2 on each side, one at bottom and 1 inside of wheel arch cover.

3. Fill in the sides, where you cut out the horizontal slats, using bumper filler.

Also use some alunimium body mesh, as suppourt on inner side of filler (I used cardboard and grill mesh as I'm tight, but in

hindsight wish I spent a couple more quid and used the fine aluminium stuff used for body work).

Once done smooth with sandpaper.

If you aint used filler before I advise watching a video or reading some info to get some tips - After trying to rush it I

found its best to be paitent and build up small layers rather than doing loads at once.

4. Sand down the top of the bumper, smoothing where you cut out the vertical slats and if there are holes/saw-scratches fill them with filler and sand to smooth.

5. Now the paint with primer, base coat and lacquer - basic instructions (things I learnt) for those new to painting are at the bottom of the page

6. Paint horn and bonnet latch to help hide them behind grill

7. FINALLY on with the mesh.

I wasn't sure what to do here, didn't want to use the method in the other HOW2 and other users who meshed their cars said they stuck it to the crash bar behind the bumper - shown in the pic below. But I wanted to find a way to stick it to securely to the bumper itself, forvever! Luckily when preping I noticed that toyota conveniently made a ridge that is perfect for sticking mesh in...

^. 7.the step...Make a carboard template - so you can test the size before fitting mesh

I wanted to get this right as to avoid cutting it to size once on, as this would result in sharpe edges. rather than measure it I sized it (if that makes sense). Sorry I forgot to get a pic, its not hard to work out though but just incase here are some steps.

1. cut out a suitable sized rectangle cardboard template fitting it to bumper ridge.

2. bend it towards the grill so it bends in an L shape.

3. cut it so its flush with the screw holes in on top of the bumper

4. cut own the corners so that you can fold the far ends around the inside of the bumper where you body filled, now you should have a basic template, next step is to make it high enough (look 4 pictures down if this makes no sense)

5. take template to car and stick it with some tape to the top, so that lines up with the screw brackets on top of bumper.

6. Now you can add some strips of masking tape on the template to build up to the corrcet height - as shown in pic

8. use cardboard template to cut out the basic shape of mesh

9. Cut bottom to fit in ridge.

I found that the bottom of the mesh needed further shaping to fit properly in the ridge. It needed to be made into 'steps' -like in pic below. I did this by trial and error, but if you look at my pic you can just about make out the cutting i did.

At this stage do not bend the mesh into an L shape as excessive trial and error bending may bend or snap it, as i noticed with my mesh at least.

10. Warm metal up slightly - So once you have cut it to fit the ridge warm it up with a hair dryer before bending it (I stupidly used a fire, which burnt some paint that I had to go over in a permant marker)

11. 'Mould' it to fit, Once warm put mesh in the ridge and gently bend into L shape to fit bumper, like cardboard did.

Once this is done if you take it out it will look like this

12. sticking the grill in. I used tiger seal for this. I had to weight down one side with a heavy text book and then push the sides in with some copper coins (i knew they would come in handy one day!) but apart from this I didn't need any other pressure. I left it to dry for 24 hrs...

13. FINALLY put bumper back on car and admire! Soon I think I will mesh the rest of the bumper and the splitter vents. You might also want to cut a finger hole to make opening bonnet easier...

Painting Tips for users new to painting

WARNING! I rushed painting initially and as a result had to start over (also I didn't take bumper off - step 2 and left out step 4 - which made paint job even shiter!).

If you aint sprayed before watch some vids on techniques etc its imporatnt to do painting right, here are some basic things I learnt: preparation is everything, surface inperfcetions will be prenounced after painting so get rid before painting; make sure surface is prperly clean; spray lightly and build up coats slowly or solvent gets trapped and messes it up; ideally do it in a well ventillated area or outside on a dry, non windy day when its not really cold (warm day better) away from the road (otherwise cars passing may dust up your paint job) actually I ended up doing it inside because it was cold and wet and I'm impatient, as a result I got quite high :-) remined me of sniffing glue in D&T lesson at school; finally paint needs to be warm (well not cold at least) and shaken for 2 mins or so before each application. I warmed mine up with a hair dryer

Now what to do (for those who haven't paited before):

(i) Clean sanded surface with some soapy water then washed with clean and left to dry (ii) clean it with white-spirit to remove left over grease etc - some people use pur alcohol or more expesive paint prep stuff (iii) mask off the bumper except the surfaces to be painted (I've) Primer it, I did 2 coast 20mins between each and then left for 24hrs as can suggested (v) after primer sand out any imperfections with 800 grit sand paper if nessessary (vi) wiped clean with dry lint free cloth (should of used liquid I think but was paranoid of fucking it up) (vii) sprayed with colour (6P3, which i got made up at halfrauds) and left to dry for 24 hours (viii) as 6p3 is pearlescent I read that pearlesecent and metallic paints need lacquer to oxidation/dulling - lightly sand painted surface with grit 800 or so to dull (this didnt feel right but worked) then spray with lacquer (since i heard that apparently you should only spray lacquer in one direction) which you are suppose to leave 1 week before polishing, havent polished mine yet)

Edited May 7, 2013 by scatter