Fitting A Car Body Kit



Posted: Friday, February 02, 2007

by
http://www.premierkitcars.com

Fitting a car body kit to your vehicle can make a dramatic difference your cars appearance. In fact, once a ground effects kit has been properly fitted it is almost impossible to distinguish where the original car finishes and the ground effects kit starts.

But why would anyone want to go to the time and effort of fitting a car body kit? Well, thanks largely to the extensive TV coverage of auto racing such as Nascar or the European Touring Car Chanpionships, people not only want better performance, they want their vehicles to look like their idols too. The street racer look is definitely in style.

How do you pick the right car body kit? Your first step is to take a look at some of the latest car magazines. There you will see some of the great, good and not so good designs already pounding the streets. Collect clippings of any styles that catch your eye and make a note of any helpful details such as manufacturer, style name or model number.

Many car accessory stores now sell body kits online so you can browse sites such as Streetbeats or JCWhitney to see what they have to offer.

As you plan out your project it is worth considering any other related jobs that will need to be done such as upgrading your brakes or perhaps lowering the suspension. Only begin the task when you have all the parts you need to complete that stage of the project. As ever, a little planning before you begin can save a lot of trouble later!

As with any job, the work is a lot easier if you have the right tools for the job. No, I’m not suggesting that you go out and buy a complete new set of tools, but you really do need to replace any that are worn out or are in a poor condition. Using substandard tools can cause expensive damage to the body kit or worse, to yourself.

While we're talking about safety, it is essential that you have a safe and clean working area. Follow the professionals and think safety first. By taking a few simple precautions you will remember the project for all the right reasons. This is especially important when the car is raised. Propping the car on a few bricks is not an option!

So you are now ready to fit the kit. I know that you are eager to get started but read the instructions first. Make sure that your kit has all the parts and tick them off on the parts list. It doesn’t matter how experienced you think you are or how many kits you have fitted for friends, read the manual again before you begin. As body kits get ever more sophisticated there is often a set way to install each piece so that it lines up with the rest of the body perfectly. Get this wrong and your car will look like it was put together by an amateur.

The final task is to spray the kit to blend in with the rest of the car. Most kit installers respray the whole car rather than try to match up each piece. As always, particular attention needs to be taken to both the fire risk and breathing hazard of the task. The working area should be well ventilated and a mask should be worn to protect your lungs.

Mark Heywood is an dedicated auto enthusiast and runs a site about Cobra kit cars
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