Assessment of Project Leopard's Exterior
I didn’t know how rough Project Leopard was. I knew Jon said that the bumper covers need to be replaced.
I was expecting more as the car was a drift missile. And that proved to be true.
It was obvious that there was a lot to assess and I had to make note of what I needed. That way I can grab the parts and focus on what is needed.
Not only was the front bumper cover missing the lower half, the bumper was spray painted white and looked rough. Wasn’t properly attached as well.
My solution was that I am going to change the bumper regardless.
Both Fenders weren’t in too bad of a shape. They were however, not mounted on the bottom.
Original solution – Fix it fenders for reuse.
New solution – Use Zenki fenders for front end swap.
Rear bumper cover was banged up with the left side that mounts to the side apron was broken/cracked.
Solution – replace rear bumper cover.
The right side rear took some hits too. There is a bit of misalignment with the tail lights and bumper. Again expected with drift damage.
Additionally – some dents near the rear quarter and the gas door lid was tweaked.
Solution – fix dents and replace gas cap door.
- The right side door was a bit more dinged and scratched up compared to the left/driver side.
- The lower rocker panel under the door was horribly “pushed up”.
- The door handle is also loose and not working/connected as it looks like they were trying to fix it.
The hood was one of the most concerning for me. During a drift event, it flew up. But it didn’t smash the windshield or roof. It definitely tweaked the mounts.
When it arrived, I knew I had to get a new hood. I also looked at the hood latch and locking component and they were also messed up. I made not of all of this.
Solution – get new hood, mount/hinges, latch and locking mechanism.
Conclusion
Overall the exterior needs to be addressed. What's the point of putting a newly rebuilt motor in a rough chassis. I need to make it new too. The next chapter - Sakura Garage