CF Panel Replacement

[circmand]

Some old *** in a Ford PU tried to mate his truck with my VX. Only CF panels were damaged. Due to my deductable I am thinking of fixing myself. How easy/hard is it to replace the carbon fiber panels and bumper cover?

[Rene M]

Easy...
go here for used parts....

www.car-part.com
it looking up all salvage yards in the US and Canada.
Enter your car and year and it will search for you.

[circmand]

Yeah it searched and even brought up a recycler in my town. I called him and he does not have it. I have to say their search function is very user unfriendly and apparently not very accurate. Sorry

[Hotsauce]

Front bumper cover is not difficult to change yourself, but he part is hard to locate. I waited 3 months for a new one from japan.

What parts are you calling carbon fiber?

John C.

[Rene M]

Yeah it searched and even brought up a recycler in my town. I called him and he does not have it. I have to say their search function is very user unfriendly and apparently not very accurate. Sorry

Well if they have say a door its a safe bet the panel is still there? I have found a bunch of stuff on that site and i have not found better yet, but im looking>

[johnnyapollo]

Pretty much all the exterior cladding panels are once again available new - Merlin mentioned when I asked that the rear was showing 40+ in inventory, so I'm guessing a new shipment has made it over recently from Japan. Call St. Charles for pricing (free shipping plus 10% off to VX.info members - just mention that you got the number from here). 1-800-727-8066 ask for Merlin (he's the Isuzu parts guy).

-- John

[circmand]

Sorry not CF but exterior cladding. I already confirmed availability with Merlin and will use him but I have fund another site with same prices but probably not as good as service. I need to replace at a minimum the front bumper cover and right front quarter panel pieces. Is it simply a matter of popping in the plastic pieces and then screwing in the panel? That is all I see so far but figure others here have actually done it.

[johnnyapollo]

All the cladding pieces are held on with Torx screws, phillips head screws or rivets - you'll need to drill out the rivets but the rest are pretty easy. You have to remove some parts on the front like the front grill (phillips head screwdriver) and the fog lights (they twist out and have disconnects for the wiring) - take the indicator lights off first as they're easier and you can feel around behind them once removed. I think the fender piece just unscrews but there may be a rivet in the wheel well (I know there's on in the back).

FYI - when you order from Merlin the parts are drop shipped directly from an Isuzu distribution warehouse - and someone has to sign for the parts (they won't just leave them). Another advantage from ordering from them is there's no tax.

-- John