Hello again,
Ive been seeing many S2000 builds on instagram with a cut rear bumper and the styling has grown on me.
Some of the owners that have inspired me to cut my own rear bumper are:
Anyways, on to the blog post
After days of searching for a spare rear bumper, I came across this gray/silver bumper on offerup. Owner only wanted $50 for it so I purchased it. The condition was pretty terrible as it did not had the tow hook cover, paint was chipping/peeling, broken tabs and was missing a license plate plug. The picture below shows where I planned on cutting.
Since the bumper did not include the OEM tow hook cover and I did not want to spend an extra $30 to buy one, I created one using the left over bumper pieces. I cut out a circle out of the scrap and drilled a hole according to the position of the tow hook. Crazy glue was used to hold the custom tow hook cover in place.
I purchased bondo filler from my local Ace Hardware and promptly filled in the tow hook cover. I had no prior experience using bondo but I can assure you it is not too difficult. I used some thin cardboard to keep the took hook insert open. Once the bondo dried, I began to sand down the excess and made sure to level with the contour of the bumper. I know there is a little dent in the post sanding picture but that was filled in later.
Once I sanded down the whole bumper, I purchased some primer from AutoZone. I am not sure what brand it was but as long as its sandable, you should be fine. Once the primer dried, I also wet sanded down any imperfections. I did use the powder spray that allows you to identify any imperfections in the primer. Can also be purchased t AutoZone.
Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures during the painting process. Its best to look at a youtube video where an expert shows you how to apply paint properly. I Used R&E Berlina Black spray paint (NH547-T-Aero) and the color is spot on. For clear, I dont remember the brand but as long as it has an hardener, you should be fine. Please look at some product reviews on youtube before purchasing.
After finishing panting, I mounted my new bumper and tow hook on my S2000. For a DIY backyard job, I am very content with the quality and appearance. I really enjoy how the Remark ZAFT S2000 exhaust and my HKS Hipermax SP coilovers are easily visible. After the initial picture, I quickly went up my local canyon trail for a spirited drive and my friend advised my car spits out too many rocks LOL! If you notice, I only have one license plate bolt on the pictures but I quickly changed that and added a Circuit M titanium license plate bolt and a Lonely Drivers license plate cover. I must say, its a neat little mod.
2000 Honda S2000 BB Los Angeles