A car is not just a simple machine to be used. It is so much more than that. This is why most of us invest in making our cars look and perform better. Body kits and modifications have recently become a mainstay in the automotive industry. Body modification for cars has become a sub-culture on its own. More and more people are investing in body kits. This is not only because of aesthetic enhancements.
Body kits also provide aerodynamic balance to the car. Nowadays, you can see a host of different types of kits for cars. From lip kits to full body kits to bumper kits to even universal wide body kits. If you have a smart car, then you can even find smart car body kits. Due to this boom, there has been a lot of innovation in the sector. There are a few different materials that are used to make body kits for cars. The most common and best materials are Fiberglass, ABS plastic, Polyurethane, Carbon Fiber, Composite materials.
So how do you know what to buy? Well, each car is different and each car owner has different needs. Each different material has different properties and that too should be considered in your decision. Carbon Fiber is very expensive and is usually used in sports cars. Composite materials are very strong and durable but are very expensive. Fiberglass is the cheapest of the materials and is heat resistant.
However, Fiberglass is susceptible to cracks and breaks even with the slightest of bumps. You can get polyurethane body kit which is more durable and stronger than fiberglass but it warps under heat. So make sure you do your research and find out what you need before buying the body kit for your car. So now that you know how to get the kit installed? Well, the following passages will contain how you can install a body kit.
Step 1
The first step in the installation of a body kit is the inspection of the kit. You most definitely need to look over the product thoroughly. If you are getting a body kit within the range of 200-1500 dollars then you must check the kit for gouges, cracks, and ripples in the mold. However, if you are getting a brand replacement for a kit say for like a BMW or Mercedes. You would need to spend around $5,000 – $20,000. You would need to pay more than 5000 dollars for the superior wide kits. These OEM kits are made out of superior polyurethane material and don’t need much modification.
Step 2
Now on to the installation step. You need to dry fit your car’s body kit. You should make sure that you have dry fitted the body kit and had the panels aligned, holes drilled and all bolted up or molded before you go into the painting process. Make sure that the alignment is perfect between fenders and hood etc.
Then you can move on to bodywork. I found out that working on the body with the kit mounted on is better for movement. You can try this out as this method actually helped me when working. However, you may find that for some specific parts it’s easier to take the kit off and work.
Do It Right
There you go, these are the basics of what you needed to know before working on installing a new body kit. Make sure you do ample research and find the right kit that suits your need. And I recommend going to a professional when installing a body kit. This is because the process is complicated and has a lot of steps involving complicated machinery. Expert hands are usually required. If you end up damaging parts while trying to install a body kit, then you would need to pay a hefty fee in damages as well.
