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Hello everyone, I've tried to make this guide as simple as possible as it can get a little tricky.
In order to cut down the length of this guide I have included links to other guides.
This is only my 2nd guide so sorry for any errors.
For the rear arches, you take your own responsibility for cutting them.
If things go wrong you may need to buy a new rear arch(s). You have been warned!
Tools Needed:
Masking tape
Screws - self tapers will make things easier
A drill
A star shaped screw driver and a flat headed screw driver
Coping saw
P40 fibre glass filler
P38 filler
Rough, medium and wet and dry sandpaper(s)
Pink grip (or any strong glue e.g. silofix)
2/3 G clamps
Old rags
Parts Needed:
The xr2i kit - which include
2x front arches
2x rear arches
2x mid sections
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Sleek!
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What you are aiming for
Nice
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Ok here we go :)
The Xr2i only came in a 3 door. This guide will show you how to get the same effect on to any mk3 5 door model.
Step 1: Colouring - First of all you will need to paint the body kit. Use the normal method of spraying.
Remember good preparation gives a good finish!
(Please refer to Colour Coding Guide if you are unsure of this process.
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Now you have a nice colour matching body kit, it is time to start fitting your kit
Step 2: Lets strip! - If you have a black strip along the side of the car,
the front little bit needs to come off.
(Follow this guide to do this.
Later on in this guide, a small section of the strip on the rear door will need to be cut off,
so it is up to you if you want to take the entire strip off.)
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Step 3: Front arches - Chose either the left or right side, it doesn't matter which, fitting is the same.
Start by jacking up the car and taking the wheel off.
Don't forget the bricks behind the rest of the tyres or axel stands!!
Don't leave it on a jack, just in case!
Find the corresponding front arch for your chosen side,
now with the strip off the arch should fit neatly in its place,
unless you have chosen to leave the bolts on. If you have chosen this way,
you will need to drill the wing; I personally did not do it this way, so
follow this guide to find out where to drill.
You now need to drill the holes that fasten underneath the wing and screw the arch to the wing.
I found it easier to start with the screw that fastens to the sill just below the front door,
then work along making sure the arch is pushed up.
Now the arch should be perfectly in place, but the top may not be flush to the wing.
This is where you will need your strong glue e.g. silofix, and the G-clamps.
Glue the top of the arch to the wing and fasten down with the G-clamps all the
way around - don't forget to put a rag under the bit touching the front.
Now I know you don't want to scratch your new shiny arches. And leave until dry.
Remove the G clamps and hey presto, the arch should be on, put the wheel back on
and return the car to the ground if you used a jack. Don't forget to tighten the nuts back up!
Repeat this step for the other side.
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The mid section is the last part to go on so leave that bit to one side. Now comes the part where you have to be brave.
Remember if your rear arches have the threads on, you will need to remove them.
Step 4: - Attach me - As with the front arch(s), jack up the rear of the car and take the wheel off.
Don't forget the bricks behind the tyres if you are not using axel stands!
Put the rear arch up against the car. The rear door must be open!
Drill and put a screw in the part that fastens underneath the rear door,
but no need to fully tighten it up. Start attaching the rear arch as you did with the front,
but remember there is no need to fully tighten the screws as you will need to un-screw them all!
Just make sure that the arch is lined up snug to the car and "not going anywhere". J
When the arch firmly attached to the car, it is now time to mark and cut the arch.
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Step 5: - Cutting - Close the rear door to the arch and use a flat headed screwdriver
to scratch the arch as you follow the shape/line of the door.
As you open the door, you should be able to see where you marked the arch.
Make sure the mark is as accurate as possible! As this is the line you will be cutting,
slight sanding/adjustments can be made later on,
but if the line is "way off" it may result in buying a new arch!!
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When you are satisfied with the markings, take off the rear arch.
To cut the arch I found that using a coping saw was easiest.
Also it has a thin blade so when the two parts are put back
together the gap between them is kept minimal.
Once the arch is cut, do not lose the bit you have just cut off the arch,
you will need it later!
Now re fasten the arch to the car as it was before.
Now you should be able to shut the door with it just missing the arch by a few millimetres.
If it does not shut, use some medium sand paper to sand the arch down until the door shuts.
When you have done this fasten up the screws under the arch as you will not be taking the arch off again.
If the top of the rear arch is not snug up to the car, use the glue e.g. Silofix and the G clamps
to glue it to the car, as with you may have done with the front arches.
When it's dry you will have something like this.
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Now with the arch in place you can replace the wheel, lower the car off the jack and tighten up the wheel nuts.
Step 6: - Fill me in - Make sure your door is open, and mix up some P40.
Start at the top and work down the arch pushing the p40 in with the plastic spreader included,
and stop roughly just before the bottom corner were the gap becomes bigger.
Let it dry and repeat again as the P40 may have sunk into the arch. Repeat if necessary
until you have a rough base layer around the arch.
Do not let your door close onto the P40 as this may glue your door shut!
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Instead of using lots of p40 to fill the hole at the bottom I found it easier to
use some masking tape and push it in the hole (from underneath).
This makes a base for the P40 to sit on and stops it falling through the hole.
Again apply the P40 and try to create a firm base.
When this is all dry, use some rough and medium sand paper to make a semi smooth surface.
Stop when you are able to close the door and the surface is semi smooth. It doesn't have to be perfect!
Remember, if the gap between the door and the arch is to smaller distance,
when the P38 is applied and the paint + lacquer, the door will scrape the
paint work or may not even shut. So allow that bit extra!
Before sanding you may want to put a cover over you door access as this process can get very dusty!
Also do not breathe in the dust. Please ware a painting mask or something! The dust can be hazardous to your health!
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Now you need the P38 to make the surface perfect!
Mix the P38 and apply in the same way you did with the filler, but this time only making a thin
layer along the arch. When dry, use a fine piece of sand paper to smooth the P38.
This will fill in all the tiny holes in the P40 and make a smooth finish.
Don't make the layer too thick as again the door needs to close with out scratching
the fresh paint you will be applying later
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Step 7: - Colour it in - When you are satisfied with the preparation, you now need to
cover everything that you don't want spraying! Doors, interior etc.
Spray the arch work with primer in the same way as you would spray anything else.
When it's dry (which shouldn't take long), apply a 2nd coat. A 3rd if you so wish.
When this is dry, you should be able to see if there are any imperfections.
If there is, sand the part down and re spray that section.
Also check that the door is not catching anywhere!
The out come should be something like this.
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After the coats of primer, now apply your colour to the arch. Again apply about 2 or 3 coats,
and keep checking for the door catching after every dry coat.
When the colour is dry, apply the same 2 or 3 coats of lacquer to give
it that bit more protection and a shine. Beware, because lacquer takes longer to dry,
be careful if you shut your door because if it just catches it will leave an imprint or mark,
which means you will have to sand that part down and re spray it.
This goes if you touch it when it is still 'tacky'.
So leave a good amount of time before either re spraying or touching it.
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When everything is dry, and the door is shut, it will look like this
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Step 8: - The extra bit - Now you will need the bit you cut off the arch earlier!
If you took the black side strip off earlier you will have no problem.
If you have kept the strip on, you will notice that if you hold the other
section of the arch to the door a bit of the black strip is in the way L so this will need cutting back.
Firstly hold the bit you cut off against the rear door in place,
and then mark over the black strip the small piece that has to be removed.
Then slowly cut the black strip with a saw blade but be careful or you will scratch your paint work!
Note there is a metal plate within this strip so again take things slow!
After use the same method as before to peel off the plastic piece and to remove
the glue (all the glue doesn't have to be removed as the arch piece on the door will cover this).
Then use some sandpaper then to smooth off the black strip edge.
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Now put the door piece in place and make sure it all lines up.
If happy, use your silofix and glue the top edge of the piece to the door,
making sure that the top corner of the door piece lines up with the edge of the
door and so with the bottom of the door. ….This bit is best done with the door shut.
Note: again don't make the gap between the door piece and the arch too small as it may catch,
and so the door may not open. Best to leave 3 or so millimetres gap.
Also don't worry about the piece not lining up with the arch (high wise); you will sort that out later.
Tip: before continuing with the next stage, it is advised to mask off around where the door shuts.
When you use p40 to fill the gap, if the door accidentally shuts it may glue the door shut,
or make a sticky mess. If you fill the gap and want to shut the door and leave the car to dry,
if it does stick, it will just rip the masking tape off when you open the door.
Now as before, make little balls of masking paper to put between the door and the piece to fill the gap -
helps to use less p40.
While filling the gap, u can raise the door piece so it aligns up level to the arch.
Watch out for the bottom corner while doing this process as it has a tendency to
slip out of place and get caught on the sill.
Now add a layer of p40 to fill the gap in and seal the balls within the door piece.
This will also straighten and hold the height of the door piece flush to the high of the arch.
When this is dry add another layer if necessary, and repeat until you have a good base. Then sand off any high points.
Now go over the p40 with p38 to gain a smooth flat surface - as you did with bending the arch into the door.
When happy with the finish, primer, colour and then lacquer, repeat the same process with the other side.
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Step 9: - Don't forget me! - Now grab the middle sections you previously placed to one side. With the doors open, start at the front and clip/slide it onto the front arch and set the piece in place.
Pilot drill and screw in all the places along the section to the sill.
Don't worry if you can't get a screw in the hole at the front, its tricky as there's not a lot of room to get with a screwdriver.
Don't forget to jack the car up again and do the same underneath!
Repeat for the other side.
Step 10: - Finish me off! - Finish off by giving the car a good clean, wash and polish.
Stand back and enjoy!
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I hope you found this guide easy and helpful.
If you have any questions or think I missed something or you would like to add something to this guide,
do not hesitate to post on the fiesta guides site.
I would be delighted if you can keep us updated on you're progress J
Guide Written and © On 22nd March 2007 by Steve 'Steve1127' collett for www.fiestaguides.co.uk
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