How to Mold a Car Body Kit

Front bumper of an aftermarket body kit

Body kits are a popular aftermarket accessory that can be installed on a car to completely change its looks. Body kits consist of a front and rear bumper cover and a side skirt that goes along each side of the car. The downside of a body kit is that the gap or seam between it and the car can be noticably wide. Learning how to mold a car body kit can eliminate those seams and make the body kit look like it was built on the car at the factory.

Things You'll Need

• 180-grit sandpaper
• 220-grit sandpaper
• Flexible body filler
• Wax and grease remover
• Microfiber towel
• Spray can primer
• Spray can paint
• Spray can clear coat paint

Instructions

1. Install the body kit as per the kit instructions. Make sure the kit lines up with the car perfectly. Once the kit is completely installed, use the 180-grit sandpaper to sand all of the edges and seams where the kit will be molded. This includes both the edge of the car and the edge of the body kit where they meet along the front and rear bumper covers and along the side skirts. Sand until the clear coat is removed, which leaves the surface dull and matte.

2. Using a plastic squeegee, apply a thick layer of flexible body filler along the seams until they are completely filled in. At this point, it doesn't need to look good or smooth as long as all of the seams are filled. Allow the filler to dry for one full hour.

3. Use 220-grit sandpaper to sand the filler until it is smooth and level with the surrounding surfaces of the car and body kit. Place masking tape and paper around the seams so that the paint stays where you want it, not getting overspray on the other areas of the car. Wipe the molded areas with wax and grease remover and a microfiber towel to remove any remaining wax particles or greasy fingerprints.

4. Spray a moderate coat of primer over all sanded and filled areas. Wait 30 minutes for the primer to dry completely. Spray three to four thin coats of paint over the primer, waiting 10 minutes between each coat. Move the can left to right, not up and down, and hold it 6 to 8 inches from the surface. Apply three to four thin coats of clear coat paint to the area using the same techniques as with the color paint.

Tips & Warnings

• If flexible body filler is not used, the molded areas will crack and break apart as the car is driven down the road.