ADES GARAGE V2! **now with pics! **

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ingfil0032.jpg


OMFG!

i efffin love it ade

Nice read and the car is outstanding!

Top work mate - Can't wait to see it done :)

Friday 15/02/2008
Off work today (working this weekend though :mad:) so I thought I'd get the base of the bumper sorted out.

I actually started some template stuff earlier in the week but was having a brain dead moment over how the grill sits. On the New style Astra the bottom of the V sits flush on the top of the bumper with the clips on the bottom of the grill clipping into the back of the bumper - which are hidden by a slightly raised bit. However I couldnt replicate this in mine because the grill sits a bit lower so I wasted ages trying to work it all out. In the end I decided to cut a notch out for the V until I got the basic shape of the bumper sorted out then I can go back and work on it in more detail...

So - the 1st task was to make the top section of the bumper. The rest of the bumper will drop down from this (much easier that way). I'm using non resin reacting foam board to form the basic shape.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0102.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0103.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0100.jpg

This is a very rough outline - the main objective is to get the underside sorted, work out where the holes for will line up with the grill and ensure the curve of the lights and the top of the bumper are even.
This took a while to do...

The next step was to build down. I took some measurements from a standard GSi grill and added a further 5cm (which would represent an standard splitter) to get the depth right. I decided to bond large 20cm x 30cm foam board sections to the underside of the top section.
These are 5cm thick and will form the base of the bumper from which everything else is built on to (or carved in to).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0106.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0108.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0105.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0111.jpg

These images show a very rough base but give you the basic idea.

Once its smoothed back I will make a base section which will run the entire length of the bumper (for strength).

Before I can do this though I need to add the sides.

And before I can do that I needed to ensure I had a flush line on my wings.

After applying a skim of filler and whilst I waited for it to dry I smoothed the lines on the bumper front down to give a smoothish base to work from.

nice1 mate, did them pics from Mr Samples help you?

certainly did. I'll most likely take the bits either side of the V right down - like an inverted curve.

this thread never fails to amaze me, the work and detail your putting into the project is amazing, it reminds me a lot of "joff's" twin dash turbo beast, keep up the hard work and i hope to see it over the summer.

iain

Sunday 17/02/2008
Working again today but finished at 2 so by the time I got hime (3.30) I skipped into the garage to finish off the base of the front bumper...

I started by cleaning up the sides of the wings so there was a smooth line from which to line up the bumper sides.

I then cut out sections of foam and bonded them onto the rest of the bumper I started the other day. After some rough shaping the bumper started to take on a "bumper" feel -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0155.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0156.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0157.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0153.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0154.jpg

The next task was to ensure the depth of the bumper was correct.

Your standard GSi bumper is about 35cm deep from lights to underside. Add on a 5cm splitter and your'e talking your standard modded Nova bumper depth. So in theory the bumper should be about 40cm deep.

I needed to confirm this and had a dead brain moment again for a bit as I tried to work out the current ride height of my car in relation to the base of the bumper and the ground - obviously without an engine everything is considerably higher. I remembered that with my engine in and my 60mm suspension drop the distance between the top of my wheels and arch was literally about 2cm so afetr messing with a tape measure and lining up the foam bumper with the existing GSoi bumper I had I wasted probably 30 mins just to come to the conclusions I needed 5cm - basically the original quick workings I'd made

D'OH!

The foam board I'm using is 5cm thick which is convenient so the next task was to make a template for the base of the bumper and cut out some foam strips which would help strengthen the bottom of the bumper, line up the curves and give it the depth I wanted.

Heres the result -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0159.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0158.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0160.jpg

As you can see it's got a much bigger presence.

oops posted same thing twice

Sunday 17/02/2008 continued...

The next task (after I'd swept my dusty garage floor and removed all the foam cut off) was to smooth it a little and then rough out the basic look of the bumper...

Here's the original design I'd drafted several years ago (see page 7 of the thread) -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...raftfront1.jpg

which is based on the OPC Corsa body kit (pre latest faceflift version) with a bit of the new style astra in for the grill section...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/1537-1.jpg

Here's the quick draft layout I did before calling it a night. Note nothings really lined up properly yet...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0162.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0163.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0164.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bumper0165.jpg

The next task is to cut the bumper about and start to shape it...

Oh - and add the little corner bits on the sides I seem to have forgotten!