CCColtsicehockey

i hope you either get this thing and get it on and painted before the first week in august so we can do a complete new photoshoot for azine or you are going to have to leave the stock bumper on eric. I cant have the car having two differnt bumpers. We deffinitly need to meet up he 5 through the 14th sometime to do pictures though.

ACCURATEin

I hate backorders.

I'm being patient though. Way too anxious to get this stock bumper off already. Been running the car for two years with no aftermarket bumper. and NO center air dam like you TSX guys have.

Well hopefully the wait won't be too much longer..it will go to paint right after it arrives. I'll have to figure out which aerodynamic components to run on the front.

ILLustriousUA6

iTrader: (2)

dam i can't wait to see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! looks pretty nice.. would be better if u slam it =) ...

CCColtsicehockey

well I am not sure I want to do a whole new shoot since we could knock out the rolling shots in less than an hour and then just chill afterwards. I think you shouldnt put any of the front aerodynamics on to begin with. give it a little time to and think it over. I think if you put a splitter back on you buy a new one that goes the entire way across since the bottom of the bumper is flat. maybe ditch the canards since the bumper is a different shape.

brigsaz

After a little more than a week, I finally got my baby back!
















This was my first bodykit experience and I must say that I learned alot for the next time I decide to do this. I am very happy with the results except for the rear skirt fitment. As you can see, it is about an inch below where the Aspec skirt comes to on the sides of the rear bumber. The gap on the sides of the rear skirt also leave alot to be desired. Other than that, I love the way it turned out!

The body shop was supposed to debadge for me, so I will need to take it back and have them take care of that as well as the top of the front grill. If you look closely, the stock grill above the emblem is still there. They had some issues with the mesh and ran out of time as I need the car back today.

Regarding scraping- YES, I scraped the bottom a hair coming up my driveway. I have to get used to the extended front end and come and go at more of an angle. Hope you all enjoyed this process.

CL Platano

Props for being the guinea pig on this kit. I think the front is just too aggressive for a non FI TL. I think it's perfect for the supercharged guys to throw a intercooler in there. It kinda reminds me of the big mouth front bumper I had on my civic back in the days. I like the rear though.

lookinco

The bodykit looks great from a certain angle, but from head on, the mouth seems to be too big. Still looks very nice though! Good job !

dragonlord

It lokks all right. I'm glad someone got the kit and put it on, but for me the kit looks bad. Particularly the rear fitment. Guess I'll wait for ther 07 Type S.

ACCURATEin

Congrats on the successful install and being the first AZ member with the versus kit painted.

From the looks of it, the front is definitely more aggressive which is great. I can see the radiator behind the air dam.

The rear add on lip could use a little adjustment as it doesn't line up, but it still doesn't bother me.

Overall I am impressed with the kit. Definitely looking forward to get that front bumper on my TL.

Thanks for the pictures man!

lifetimeofwar

It looks very nice, however some gaps and fitting problems really take away from the overal wow factor

Props to you anyway bro

Oh just wondering, what do you think about making the mesh parts black?... any thoughts?

Laxplaya11385

The front looks really aggressive now. However, something about it just doesn't look right to me....maybe the color of the mesh? Possibly the way it flairs out on the sides. I dont' know. Can't really pin point it. I'm about 70% for the front though. (The other 30% just lies in that area i can't pin point haha)

The rear fitment is a little upsetting too. I'm thinking this kit might look better with a aspec rear.

Kudos on the kit though!

Accuratein, hope you get your kit soon. I'd love to see what this looks like on a WDP. (or if someone had it on a NBP)

ussi

iTrader: (1)

I'm definitely digging the agressive look. Not ricer, so it looks nice.

Is the mesh painted.. maybe its the light but its giving off a weird color..

otherwiise looks sweet!!

lookinco

I have the ASpec now and want to get the front, but I am not sure if it would look right with my NBP. Anyone with a NBP gonna try it out?

special-ed

yeah, i agree with LAX. I actually like the a-spec rear. Something about how this front bumper flares ou. Maybe it's the color/type of mesh. Can't really pinpoint it. I'm not feeling but glad someone here had the cajones to open up the door and give us other 3gener's another bodykit look.

There was another custom front bumper design floating around but nothing ever came about it. Had front center dam and everything. Tried searching for the pic/thread but couldn't find it. Maybe someone has this pic laying around??

ding069

try painting the sides of your radiator black, it sticks out too much behind the mesh.
other than that, it doesn't look too bad.

rondog

iTrader: (1)

maybe I'm partial, but the front looks seperated from the car regarding the diseign, like it was takin off another car and just molded to the tl. sides and rear are just aspec replicas.

Black_05_TL_6SP

It turned out pretty nice!! The rear and the sides where meant to be molded and that is why they look the way they do. If you really want to make it look impressive, have the body shop mold it to the rear bumper and mold the side skirts to the car. This would require more paint work, but the final look would be very impressive.

Thanks again for posting the project. Jason

brigsaz

Thanks for all the comments guys. All in all, I am happy with the results. I'll point out a few things that people have commented on:

Rear skirt- Obviously the biggest disappointment of this kit. I honestly think the Aspec rear skirt would be a better choice for this kit. Something I may consider down the road.

Gaps- The gaps on this kit compared to the factory equipment is almost identical (minus the rear skirt of course). I think only the Ron Jon kit would have tighter gaps. Of course this will vary from car to car as the tolerances vary.

Mesh- I was in a bind on this one as I could not find anything local that would match the mesh that came on the kit to cover the side holes up front. I had to replace all of the mesh with something I could find locally. I may replace this at a later date with something different or paint it more of a gunmetal color. Yes, depending upon the angle, the mesh will look different and be more see through.

*NOTE- With the front of the car more open now, the AC is MUCH colder and the outside temp gauge is more responsive to outside temperature instead of being superheated by the engine compartment.

XjoEnX

iTrader: (2)

im not feeling the mesh grill, it's too thin to see.

however, i love the outcome on everything else. great work man! the front bumper isn't overpowering the car like the original RRP one from the photos at versusmotorsport. im definitely considering this front bumper now.

special-ed

maybe that's what it is......the mesh. I'd try going with a mesh with smaller holes to make it more classier looking.

holybear

Good looking, you did a great job.

ACCURATEin

...Thats good news as far as function is concerned. She will be able to breath a lot easier with this bumper. Very good.

bigman

That kit looks like something erebuni put out for the eclipse back in 1995. The rear is terrible, the gaps are Huge and the kit doesnt follow the factory lines at all. And the front Any elegance that the TL had is now gone. It looks like TSX with a ricey kit now from the front.

I have to get this off my chest. Why are some people going nuts over the bigger openings? The factory, or even Ron Jon Openings are more than enough to cool the car and brakes. Unless you have a turbo with a front mount intercooler, you do not need an opening that big. One of the nicest parts of the TL is the Split openings on the front, it gives the car character. Now the car looks like half the accords with ricer kits on. Back to the cooling......Unless you are autocrossing and have a big brake kit, or doing 100-0 stops on a hot day, you will never heat the stock brakes up enough to need extra cooling. And if you think that opening will cool much more over stock, then i have some magic beans to sell ya. The fact that some guys are going crazy over cooling is laughable, considering when they pop the hood the most they have is an intake. The kit has terrible fitment, doesnt flow well at all, The mesh on the front looks like it doesnt fit, and worse of all, you have to cut the rear bumper to make the mesh work. Aspec owns this kit. The Ron Jon kit owns it even more. Versus needs to loose the ricer look, match the TL's angular lines (that soft versus front end makes it look weak), and make a full rear bumper. How are you going to have a full front bumper and an add on rear. I'm sorry, i dont mean to insult anyone, but this kit makes your gorgeous $30k+ car like a 90's ricer accord. Just my Also the fact that i can see the radiator and all the lines up front makes the kit incomplete, you will never see Brabus, Shnitzer or any other top names leave the front end workings so visible. Why, becasue it looks cheap.

againstallodds1

JMHO
RonJon kit looks HOT!!
A-Spec kit looks good!!
Versus kit looks

Again JMO

ACCURATEin

...Well it doesn't look like people in Yonkers are too fond of this kit.

I've already ordered the bumper, i figured it would fit my car perfectly with all my other little riced out components. I cant wait to get it on there and drive around with my big mouth rice bumper. Its gonna be great.

ludachrisvt

iTrader: (2)

brigsaz

You dont like the kit... thats cool. Peronally, I like the more aggressive styling up front which is why I went with this kit. You really have no ground to stand on when you make comments about the functionality of the front openings; you dont have the kit. Don't be ignorrant. I can tell you from personal experience that the openings up front DO make a noticable difference. I live in AZ and its 110 plus right now. I notice the slightest increase in cooling. I've learned alot from this experience and I hope the knowledge I have shared in this thread will benefit others.

bigman

The only thing it will help is your ac in hot and humid weather, but then again, you have to be driving for a decent amount of time at a good rate of speed to increase cooling. You cant really be calling me ignorant because your temp guage is a dummy guage. It will read roughly the same temps all the time unless you are running too hot. My TL even in on the hottest day always read the same. Your computer is programmed to kick the fans in at a certain temp. Not to mention your t stat will open at that temp as well. Do you think Honda designed the car with the small openings to run good only in cold weather, hell no. I'm speaking more from experience, as i have an LS1 Trans am making tons of power and heat, and it doesnt even have openings in the front, just a small scoop underneath. And i do have a fully functional, non dummy temp guage. And you know what keeps my car cool when i plug in a scanner and check temps, not a cold night, MY FANS. Like i said, not to insult, but it looks ricey, cheap and takes away from the upscale look of the car. Simply put, it doesnt flow well with the rest of the car's angular body.

bigman

Yonkers has nothing to do with anything. It's an ugly kit and doesnt match the lines of the car at all. If it was nice i would say hey, that kit is nice, there is no hidden agenda. I have told members and sponsors alike when i dont like something and when i do. Ive been on this forum for a long time and am not afraid to speak my mind. Some people like certain things some people dont, and some people just want to be different, and thats ok. But what i am saying is that if i spent over 30 grand on an entry level lux car, i would want to get a kit that enhances the look of the car. This kit clearly takes away from the car and makes it look cheap. It looks like a shogun kit. It really looks like all the ricer civics with the big mouthed bumpers wishing they had an intercooler behind it. And have fun with the fiber glass. Remember that it wont take a hit like eurethane.

ACCURATEin

Allright Doctor. Quick test for ya here...

Does the picture below fit your definition of rice?

ACCURATEin

And this one?

ayethetiense

nice job taking the plunge. to be honest though, i dont like chicken wire on body kity. feels like its back in the days when the only cars being fixed up were civics and you had to make it sound like a tin can. same config as old body kits as well, "big mouth" bumpers. Next time, go to a better body shop. going back and forth is not worth it. who knows what else they might damage. is that a ding on your left rear fender right where the stock bumper curves???...

bigman

Are you really tring to make yourself look smart by posting two big mouth bumpers with intercoolers behind them? Seriously. They both serve a purpose, and that CL's front bumper follows the lines of the car and body work way better than that shitty TL Versus kit. Like i said before, putting an open mouth bumper on a car with a radiator and lines showing behind chicken wire looks ricey and cheap. Slap an intercooler behind it, and although i still dont like the style, i would like the function of allowing an intercooler. I dont know why you are so on my nuts about a shitty body kit that does nothing more than cheapen a beautiful car. You remind me of the guy that bought the v6 mustang in highschool. He knew the v8 was better, but fought long and hard about why his v6 was better. Dude, i'm not knocking the kit because you like it, I'm just telling you why i dont like it. And by posting 2 cars with intercoolers vs. your TL's without intercoolers, you are showing me your ignorance in the way a car's cooling system works. I said this before and i'll say it again......You car was designed to be cooled well with the stock openings, the bigger openings will not change the computers mind unless you are traveling long enough for cooling to take effect, and at that rate, even the stock opeings will cool enough. Sitting in traffic on a hot day will cause a motor to get hot no matter the bumper. This is why cars have fans. If you really want to run cooler, get a fan switch and lower tstat(mugen). The car may run a little worse on a hot day, but your bumper wont make a difference is what i am saying.

ding069

All aside, you know as well as i know that the increased bumper openings will increase the cooling ability of the TL. The stock design sucks and allows no direct airflow onto the coils. yes, a fan does pull air across the coil, but you are at the mercy at whatever CFMs that it can pull. If honda engineered their fans to cool the radiator without any direct front airflow, good job.

i agree it is not nearly as functional on a car without an innercooler, but it DEFINATELY WILL LOWER the engine temp of the TL. it may not be substantial, but it will be lower.

Black_05_TL_6SP

It will increase the cooling ability once the car is in motion!! But at a stand still it doesn't matter. You could have the bumper off and it still wouldn't cool any better at a stand still. But moving, yes this would actually make a large difference in the way the car cools, both for the car coolant and the AC.

It really doesn't matter, the kit is on the car and the OP is happy with it, so let it be. If you don't like the kit, so be it, its not your car so why should you care. We all have opinions, but there is no reason to argue about something that nick picky. If he feels it makes a difference cooling, then it probably does. I have lived in Tempe, AZ and if this would help for the 115+ days, I would even consider it.

ACCURATEin

You did not answer my question.

bigman

Your right, no reason to argue if someone likes it and i dont. I was just pointing out the cooling abilities of the bumper's opening. Like i stated before ding069, it would help if driving for a good amount of time. Making a quick run to the grocery store isnt going to make a difference in cooling. And you would have to be on the highway to see any real gains, and at that point, the stock openings and fans would make the car run cool enough as well. you forget, a car can only get so cool before the computer shuts the fans off. It will not run any cooler than stock, the cars computer will not allow it. It just might get cooler faster when driving on the highway at speed. If only you guys knew my history with modding big v8 cars, we tried evertyhing for cooling, and noticed that getting more air to the radiator wasnt as important as tuning the fans to come on at a lower temp, and installing a lower temp thermostat. Also Having a manual fan switch helps tremendously, becuase it doesnt matter how much cfm it pushes, when you are sitting in traffic on a hot day, controlling your fans to come on earlier and longer, will outcool a big mouth bumper anyday.

ACCURATEin

The purpose of that exercise was to determine if you think those cars in particular are 'ricey'. If you answered YES then you probably don't know the definition of rice. If you answered NO then you are a smart guy.

Both of those cars are in your +30K range. Both of those cars feature center and side air dams. The IS300 features a Veilside bodykit. The CL has a custom fit front bumper off a G35 if i'm correct. The design of the Versus front bumper is not far off the design of these bumpers. You are correct, they both have intercoolers mounted in the center air dam which are vital to the boosted 2JZ and J32.

Both of those cars DO NOT fall in the definition of rice under any circumstances.

chill_dog

Let it go Eric, there's no point. By the way, that CL is awesome! Got a link with more pics?

Meek32v6

iTrader: (7)

well i like the front mostly. didn't car for the rest of the kit. THe only reason i would get it would be to fit a IC for a turbo setup. Either way, props for getting the kit , putting it on and painted. the front does look kinda empty but im sure you are happy as well as i am for you. Good luck with your future mods.