The OZ Bumperguard page ...
Final update - 10 Dec 2002
Some months ago a guy in OZ was trying to organise a replica of the famous, rare, Nissan bumperguard - it suceeded.
See any collection of GTI-R's and you'll spot one with a rare original item fitted. Unfortunately, like most GTI-R options, Nissan discontinued these optional extra items years ago but they remain a popular add-on and secondhand ones still sell for lots of money. Too much ... ??? Hence the drive to make replacement items (AKA "pattern" parts).
In order for these 'guards to be made in OZ at a reasonable price, at least 20 had to be ordered in one go. So I ordered some, the quantity went over the critical number and the price was duly slashed. They arrived only a few days ago and all have now been sold (and I didn't advertise them ...).
Update 10 Sept 2003: all sold - at cost price (of course)!
The pic below is a side-by-side comparison of the original Nissan item and the new 'guard.
When they landed I was a bit worried by some of the manufacturing marks at the front. The rest of the 'guard is always hidden, so that didn't bother me. Below are some before & after pics hot off the press showing the results that an amateur like me can get with no more than a coarse file and a power sander device.
Before ... take a deep breath and think "I have to remove material for this to look pukka".
But in order to make the front of the 'guard presentable the amount of material you have to remove is, frankly, trivial. We're talking grit paper here, nothing worse!
Points A, B & C (below) are the main areas for attention.
Point A is the cut top edge of the guard (points at the radiator) and needs a coarse file. The rest just needs straightforward sanding, in progressively softer degrees. In detail ...
Point B looks like a mark left behind by the press used to shape the aluminium
Point C is the top angle - the sharpest angle on the guard. The orange peel effect is worse at this point.
Point A, again, in close-up.
Point C, again, magnifying the 'orange peel effect on the front-facing edge of the 'guard.
After ...
Point A after a rudimentary going-over with a coarse file. I could have left it alone but I'm a bit picky ... anyway it left a smooth enough finish that the camera couldn't pick up any defects!
Now, let's switch on the power tools ...
Here's the first stab at removing the orange peel effect - a first cut with a suitable power tool using the coarsest grit.
Point A, below, is the result after using a medium grit followed by a fine grit. At this point all the significant marks have nearly gone.
Point B is me being impatient and trying a final polish with a scouring pad soaked with metal cleaning paste (Solvol Autosol). Needs more work ...
After only a little more effort, the guard now looks pretty good. Not showroom (yet) and some more buffing with finer-grade metal polish is required but it will bring up a high lustre, no worries!
The only thing to do now is to add a suitable sticker ... nah!
If anyone is interested in getting one of the 'guards contact me and I will see what can be done.
These brackets are required to properly fit the bumperguard and came free with the OZ replacements!
Only 2 brackets are needed as the remaining holes line up with existing mounting holes in the chassis. Oh, and painting - I've applied three primer coats and two topcoats (all spray-on Hammerite paint ... which still seems "soft" even after two weeks of curing??? The brush-on Hammerite paint directions say 6 weeks to properly cure. I wonder if the directions for spray-on are wrong? Still - the paint here won't ever be really tested for durability!!!)
Hopefully I'll be fitting mine to the Bog Standard car tomorrow (8 Nov 2002) - weather permitting. The forecast is for 3C and snowing - on an already wet England) so final pics within 24 hrs ... and a new vid maybe?
Well - it didn't snow, so here are my fitting pics & notes
This is simply a thin foam sheet to protect the bumper from getting scratched when fitting the guard.
Update - the finished article - and the fitting required zero modification - it fits like a glove!
Click here for my vid of the finished product