Body Kit Part 1 - How -To

This month we are starting a two-part article on the installation steps and custom bodywork required to install an aftermarket body kit on my project Civic, which includes several handmade additions. The methods presented in this article can be used as a guideline for most body kit installations. Keep in mind that all body kit components must be securely bolted to your car so that they cannot be dislodged during high-speed travel or in the event of a collision.
Most custom cars have some sort of extra body components and almost all tuner cars seen at car shows have some sort of aftermarket body kit. When I'm at car shows, the first thing that people usually ask me about is the body kit on my '05 Civic Si. When I purchased the body kit, I already had plans to add some custom pieces of my own to accent the factory bodylines of the Civic and this particular kit enabled me to do just that.
You can use many different techniques for installing a body kit. A cordless drill, a tap-and-die set and stainless steel SAE bolts were the tools that I used to attach the body kit to my car. Some shops use a product called Panel Bond by 3M, which is a permanent attachment to the car, and it greatly reduces your working time. My approach takes a little more execution and time, but gives me the flexibility to remove any single piece of the 11-piece body kit at any time. In the event that it gets scratched, cracked or damaged, I can simply detach the damaged piece and repair it without having to touch any of the other pieces on the car.
Body kits are usually made out of fiberglass, and the more expensive kits are usually made out of polyurethane. The kit I chose had a mixture of polyurethane and fiberglass parts. The poly parts are the lower body components on the car and have a flexible structure. In the event that they rub on the pavement or a curb, they won't crack like rigid fiberglass parts might.
I have installed numerous body kits over the years from various manufacturers and all of the kits needed a lot of custom bodywork before installation. This kit was no exception, despite its high price tag. I was determined to make it work on the car, and hopefully this article will help others with their body kit installations.
Next month, we'll continue this two-part article and look at the custom paintwork on the body kit and the custom hood. Until then e-mail your questions or comments to info@jasonsyner.com.