COVID19 Projects – Zenki front lip work

When I was gathering up parts for the zenki front end, I wanted to get a front lip. Many of the Leopard owners are really into OEM front lips. Granted, the Zenki front end looks clean with it.

 

I asked Itabashi-san about it the front lip and he said he has an extra if I don’t mind fixing it.

 

I believe he used it to make as a template for a carbon fiber one.


Itabashi-san sent the lip with the front end, but it was divided in to 4 pieces.

 

I mounted it on the front bumper to try and align it to see where it needs to be. I would have to put keep the lip on so I can make sure I get it straight. Then I focused on the fender and put this aside.

 

I was thinking of buying another lip so I don’t have to do the work. Then I won a Piko Front lip!!!  Which made me even lazier to work on it!!!!


Well. COVID19 has happened and that halted everything. Piko racing front lip is in LA. I just need to pick it up.

But since I have downtime, I figure I needed to fix this anyway. Many projects were backing up, so I had to work on the bumper reinforcement first.


Finally, I got to doing this. I approached it as I was doing before. Align it on the bumper, clamp it, fiberglass the back and give it 24hrs to cure (overkill, but I just wanted to make sure it was done).

I also used aluminum tape to keep the bumper aligned from the front. I cleaned up the back of the lip a bit more and laid some fiberglass. I double layered too.  To be fair, the company that made this front lip made it THICK with fiberglass. I had to do it just by doing the same.

 

I gave it 24hrs and tested it by unbolting it and seeing if it would flex at the points I fiberglassed. It held!!! So I sanded it a bit and bolted it back to the front bumper. While there was not flex, I didn’t want to take a chance.

 


I glassed the front and let it sit for 24hrs… but it was late evening and I didn’t want to get all loud. I waited until the next day, but we went out and came home in the evening again.

It being slightly dark, I decided to sand it down by hand. I still got a bit to go and I will put some filler to smooth it all out, but I wanted to show progress. The final video will be put together when I am done with the front end completely.