Front Bumper Indention Delete

[Jason Barnes]

On the Gen 1 ST is the front bumper one solid piece? What I am referring to is the grille (top) section and the fog light (bottom) section. If it is one solid piece has anyone tried using a some type of body filler to smooth out the indention and paint it one solid color or integrate the two sections together with multiple colors?



See the yellow outline of the indention in this pic to see what I am talking about.

If this image doesn't work, I would appreciate some help posting images to the message board.

 

[Jason Barnes]

Let me try this image thing one more time.[Broken External Image]:

 

[Jason Barnes]

Sweet!!!

 

[George T]

It is one piece. I think, I might have seen it done somewhere, but im not sure on that.

 

[Richard L]

It is all one piece. Several members with ealy Gen 1 Sport Tracs have had their front and rear bumpers and side cladding painted to match the body color. Nobody has bothered to fill in that "V" groove and just use it as an accent line.



Since that was a very desirable modification that members here wanted to do, Ford adapted that painted cladding in the 2004 model year as an option for some Sport Tracs like the Adrenelin.



...Rich

 

[Allan Reed]

Yes it is one peice.

My had to br replaced after a white tail deer jaywalked in front of me on the highway.

It only had 2 small holes in the upper part but body shop said it could not be fixed.

New one was painted 2 different colors to match what was there.

 

[Jason Barnes]

Do you think this is a Good Idea or Bad Idea????

 

[George T]

I personally think it is a bad idea. With the indention, it gives the ST a look and attitude. If you were to cover up the indention, it would look too original and odd retro looking. I dont know how to explain it, but I just dont think it would look nice

 

[Dan Long]

I don't think I'd bother trying to fill that indentation due to the flexibility needed, but the bumper can be painted a solid color and looks great when done, even with that line there.

 

[Todd Z]

Jason, I say paint the cladding on your ST black !!! Leave the lines..



But I might be biased... LOL



Todd Z



[Broken External Image]:

 

[Jason Barnes]

Ok, how about this? Line the groove with LEDs. Fill the grove with fiberglass resign or some kind of clear filler. Paint the whole bumper with some kind of "two-way mirror" paint so you can only see the LEDs when their turned on. This way the accent line is still there, when you want it to be.



Is this possible? Or is the "two-way mirror" paint idea too "Sci-Fi?"

 

[Rahul Sharma]

Jason - i too have contemplated this idea, and i don't think it'll look too bad to be honest, as long as you paint the whole thing the smae as the body color....if you were going to go for 2 different colors, i'd say leave the grove in there because then you have a set accent line and it provides a good break....



however, if you were painting your cladding to match with the body color, i see no reason why it would look bad if that grove was filled and smoothened out, and then the entire piece was one solid color. it is all one piece for sure.



I might be doing this very soon....i am going to re-do my grille as it is currently bolted on, but I will be glassing in some cross-bars i think and then fitting the perforated grille from behind. I was thinking that at the same time, i would fill in that groove and also the 2 holes from the plate brackets.



If you do decide to go ahead, post again - i have done research on materials and steps needed to work on it...