Facelift for Skylark

Been considering and playing with this for a while. After looking at the cooling issues I couldn't understand why which a small radiator (993cc) the bumper design in front of it covered a lot of it up, and the grill was a a solid piece. Not helpful to cooling at all. So, as seen in my Restoration of Skylark thread I converted the mesh 1.3 type grill to fit my 993. So far so good but still left the main bumper. The 1.3 is a much better design (cooling wise) so that was next on the list. I know some people want to make theirs like a 993 but I like swimming against the tide and use the 1.3 bumper on the 993
Going 993 to 1.3 bumper conversion will fit but not the other way without some ahem...modification. I also wanted to keep the indicators in the bumper as a nod to the original and add fog/day running halo lights in the 1.3 bumper holes. I also didn't want to spend much! (Just in case it all went belly up!).
Managed to find a spare 993 bumper and two smashed 1.3 bumpers to use as donors for parts.




First step was to make a complete 1.3 out of the two broken ones, then create the pods for the indicators as the 1.3 bumper curves more than the 993.




Once this had been done a trial fit was required to see where the issues over fit would be. Turned out main points were the ends of the bumper bar and the fact that the 993 is more of a flatter profile and the 1.3 is curved under the front and at the sides. So to get it to fit anywhere near the original bolt locations the front of the 1.3 had to be flattened by about 40mm by moving the bottom grill bar forward that amount then building a supporting structure for it by using offcuts and sections from the bits of bumpers I had left over.
All sections were plastic welded together by use of a small butane torch and a soldering iron.

Now the front had been modified another trial fit was required to heck fit. Turned out I needed some trimming from the sides and top edge to get it to fit snugly.






OK, good so far, so now the fog/daytime lights. The final fog light holes old have been used but didn't give the fit I wanted (picky ain't I) so trimmed them down a touch, made them more circular as they seemed to be more oval. Need to attach some mounting posts where I want them and make some brackets yet though.






I will update this as I go along, been doing it on and off for a couple of months now, an hour here and there. Wasn't allowed to immerse myself in it till we had finished the new kitchen!
Now some may ask why spend all this time doing it?....simple answer is....just because I can and I enjoy doing it  

Eventually got around to start looking at the Bull Bars I purchased and how they will fit (and they will fit when I've finished!). First job was to strip the plastic coating off them so they an be modified/repaired and eventually powder coated. Thought it was going to be a long job but ended up quite quick. Just warmed it up and managed to just peel it off. Now the front bumper bar that I also need to modify is a different matter, its like a plastic skin over a rubberised coating and boy is that stuck to the tube! Currently pondering best way to remove it as parts are not in a good condition.

Pondering over, grinder to the rescue and all covering removed. Next was repairing the rust damage, so ebay to the rescue for some tube and small piece of plate. Cut out the rot and replaced with good.

nice work man

Looks great, I'm seriously thinking of giving up work so I can spend more time on my van sometimes I wish the weenybago looked all polished and cared for!

Slow progress this weekend, sorting out the front bumper bar from the 993 to fit the new 1.3 bumper. It's a matter of try it, cut it, weld it, try it, re weld it, cut it etc. Ended up with this shortened one both in length and width that fits snugly behind the new bumper and allows me to bolt the bull bars to it rather than use the normal clamp plates, much neater. To allow the tubes to fit together with the bumper and not squash it out of shape, I found some sailing plastic/rubber mast washers and bonded them to either side of the new bumper. M8 butting head bolts should secure it OK. Got to weld some threaded inserts into the small bumper tube now to accept the bolts. Slowly getting there.

Last of the mods done to the bull bar, a few brackets to secure it to the modified bumper (as well as the bolts to the new bumper bar).
Had enough time to create this small extractor fan setup for the seat unit that houses the coolbox/porta loo. The cool box generates heat so rather than have it overheat got a vent in the front of the seat and these fans to generate air flow.

Here Raggy haven't you made a mistake. You have installed the two fans in the Cool Box/ Portaloo area so shouldn't you have put it in Coolant Section under "Flushing The Hi-Jet"?

Wondered if I should put them on the front to aid cooling!

Well its getting closer to completion, trial fit of it all together. Need to get bull bar powder coated and finish sanding and painting the bumper, then wire it all up.

That's a lot of work...well done!

It becomes an obsession doesn't it?

That looks superb Raggy. I know you have been putting a lot of hard work into this Bumper and Bullbar project. It has certainly paid off. Well done for your persévérance.

Thanks all for the comments, yes it gets to be a bit of an obsession on an off, don't get much done at all during the week so it's all down to what time I can grab at the weekend (if my wife is working...quite a lot! ).
Dropped the bull bars off at the powder coaters this morning for a nice matt black which should be ready to pick up next week. Just in the process of sanding down the bumper and sorting few bits out I had left until I knew it all fitted together. Getting good at taking the bumper on and off now! Fitted the extractor fan unit in the seat base where the cool box goes so just need a double to single cig power adaptor from my friend flea bay.

Just thinking (a dangerous habit) was going to put mesh the same as in the upper grille in the openings of the bottom bumper, worth doing? The 993 bumper has virtually nothing but the 1.3 has similar mesh...decisions....? Any opinions?

Well I have got one off at home Raggy, if you decide you want to. Drop me a line or give me a ring when you decide.

Thanks Woodie, already got the mesh and must update that avatar pic as remember one of my early mods was changing that flat grille to a modified 1.3 grille) but just pondering now I have seen the new bumper on the van. Greater cooling without but open to stone damage, less cooling effect but safe from stones...hmmmm

nice work man
at first i thought it wasnt going to look good, but i was wrong.
looks nice

Very well done. Nice craftsmanship. Awsome job.

Pretty pretty pretty nice bumper!

Time for a bit of colour. Bullbars back from powder coaters and first couple of coats of colour on the bumper. Slowly getting there.

Looking better and better

Todays job was how to make a simple job complex just so it looks like it came from the factory! Wanted to cover the gaps in the bumper with mesh as per the original 1.3. This is an easy job if you just want to put the mesh flat across the gaps but thats not how its done from factory. From factory the mesh is formed so that it comes i to the air flow gaps, so thats what I wanted. A quick google on youtube and I had my answer, make formers and press the mesh onto them.

Sheet of 9mm MDF with all the holes cut out, formers are the middle just a bit smaller

Shows how the former sits to allow the mesh to form around it. Next time (as if!) be better with a smaller gap.


Mesh formed and trimmed to size



And how it all looks when they have all been done and fixed in place. Happy with it. Next step is to fit it all on Skylark and try and wire the fog, daytime running an driving lights.

That looks absolutely awesome...... Incredible patience and dedication the whole project. As Matt said earlier this year, Skylark is the best project he has ever seen on the Forum - - and it keeps getting better too.

As said earlier it's become an obsession

Slowly getting there, just wired up the spots and fogs (but not got my head around how to switch or get power to them yet) Mounted the driving lights on the bull bar, all ready for trying to put it all together tomorrow.

What are you going to do with all that spare time when you finish this?

Hmmm will it ever be finished! Start another? Ooops dont tell my wife! Few ideas, i.e underseal the van, fit better fan, fit adjustable fan temp switch, make sat nav to fit under that flap on dash where radio pod would have fit, replace front carpets as mine have holes in it from heels etc, see there is still plenty to think about...a man must have his projects and dreams...that dont involve decorating or gardening!

Taken a while to get there but its nearly done, just got electrics to sort out. Just a few before and after pics

This is so rad, and the bars are exactly what I want Roger on my Piaggio Porter, although as they are hard to come by I am considering a nudge bar if I think I can find one which might fit.