Removed Fascia and Cutout Honeycomb Back

[PURE_Fun]

Before starting you will need to get new plastic fasteners from the dealer!

I started work on Sunday afternoon to remove the rear fascia and paint the honeycomb grill part, but I decided to cut out the back parts of the honeycomb. There were about 200 to cut out, but first to take off the rear fascia, and cut to the point here are the promblems, 2 metal clips on each side of the fascia. First snap off the 5 plastic press-in fasteners, the fascia will be loose at the bottom. I jacked the car up and got under and put a snakelite aimed at the 2 clips.


This shows exactly where the clips are located. Insert a screwdriver in the clip to raise the prong up out of the hole in the fascia then flick your screwdriver up to get the clip off, do this both sides. Another way but harder would be to remove the wheels and then remove the plastic wheel wells and you can reach in through the wheel well. After clips are off push down the 3 tabs where the clips are and it will drop down from the rear cover.


Next take a putty knife and slip it in at 8 places you will see each place where the tabs are when you pull out the fascia towards you. You need to push the PK in and down and pull the fascia each time, this will go fast and then the whole fascia is off.


Here is the fascia removed showing all the location points for the previous info removal:


Here is info about the rear of the bumper. There is no way a center exhaust is going to exit in the center of the grill because of the bumper.




Here is the grill all cut out. But to do that I originally thought I would use a drimel but after try to cut just one hole I knew it would not work. The plastic is almost like rubber and just balls up, no clean edge. So I used an x-acto knife which worked very well, I scribed a line each side about 3 times each and the hole would come out. I cutout about 80 holes before stopping. I took the fascia inside and started to cut with a new blade and it just would not cut like before when I was in the sun. Next day I took it back in the sun, which heats it up and it was cutting as usual. All total it took 4 hours to cut cut and clean up.


I masked, primed and painted chrome which does look good. But I am going to take a sander and sand down the back about 1/32" there are just some areas that are not right. I would suggest instead of cutting use a sander.


It is raining today so you will have to wait for a finished photo outside.

[dealernut]

Nice how to post Pure_fun. very informative.

[MAKsys]

Possibly the best "how I did it" thread yet

Can't wait to see it back on the car.


Thanks

[denette]

Great job...on the car and the post. One of the best How-To yet. I think the cut outs look good. Can't wait to see the finishe mod. THANX

[PURE_Fun]

Originally Posted by denette Great job...on the car and the post. One of the best How-To yet. I think the cut outs look good. Can't wait to see the finishe mod. THANX

I was actually inspired by your thread when you painted yours, but IU wanted the front grill and the rear to match. I plan on taking the front grills out and will paint the the same color.

Also my next big job is installing the Eibach springs myself.

[GO_DRVN]

Nice instructions.

Since you are going to use the sander you will probably want the part as stiff as you can get it so being in the sun probably won't work. What will your wife say if you put it in the freezer for a while before starting with the sander?

[brentil]

That is HOT!!!

[RODEO]

pure_fun, I added this to the "how to" list - item #2
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/s...d.php?p=209531

[denette]

Now I think I'll follow you on this one. very
No problem with the sun out here...

Let us know how flexible it becomes once reattached. Thanx.

Originally Posted by PURE_Fun I was actually inspired by your thread when you painted yours, but IU wanted the front grill and the rear to match. I plan on taking the front grills out and will paint the the same color. Also my next big job is installing the Eibach springs myself.

[Lagonia]

Whoah! Well thought out how-to. I am going .... Hmmmmm....

[stang]

Wow!

Now be honest. At some point during the cutting process did you think "Oh God, I've still got 100 holes left.".

[PURE_Fun]

Originally Posted by stang Wow! Now be honest. At some point during the cutting process did you think "Oh God, I've still got 100 holes left.".

Actually before the half way, then after halfway it went fast, then you start counting them off at the end.

[dori-san]

Nice write-up, from one how-to-er to another.

I'd be doing a good how-to on painting calipers as that's what I had planned for the next couple days, but that was before the drunk stole my love. When I get Janey's replacement in I'll reshoot the sponge job on the rear grille and have higher quality pics.

[tweety]

Kind of bummed about the bumper and center exit idea.
If you haven't already assembled the piece, can you snap a couple of close ups of where the center exit might go. One up close kind of from the ground and another from directly under it to show any connections?!
Pretty please.
I just wonder if a little amount couldn't be liderated from there to pass a small arc on the bottom.

[PURE_Fun]

Originally Posted by tweety Kind of bummed about the bumper and center exit idea. If you haven't already assembled the piece, can you snap a couple of close ups of where the center exit might go. One up close kind of from the ground and another from directly under it to show any connections?! Pretty please. I just wonder if a little amount couldn't be liderated from there to pass a small arc on the bottom.

Sure it is not completely back on. Raining hard all day and is late now, but will take the pictures you want tommorrow. In fact I will take off the rigid plastic stiffener as well.