DISCLAIMER: The procedures, methods and products written up here were for my circumstances only. I make no assertions that your results will be the same nor do I claim that this is the best way to do it. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

1. Put the car up on jack stands and remove the rear wheels.
2. Remove the one screws and one bolt on each side of the wheel well.



3. Remove the five black plastic fastners three across the top by the trunk and 2 on the bottom by the mufflers.

4. Carefully remove the cover from the sides pushing up from the bottom of the cover while pulling out. The cover should now be removed.
5. Dry fit the new rear cover installing in the oppisite as you removed it.

6. Measure the distance from the bottom of the cover to the bracket to determine the size of the bracket adapter you will have to make. My brackets were 1.5" on the top and bottom and 2" between the top and bottom.

I made my brackets out of stock aluminium I bought at home depot. Drill one hole on the bottom to fit the factory fastner and the second hole on top to fit the bolt you are using to mount the bracket.
7. Remove the cover and have it painted.
8. Reinstall the cover the way you took it off. Use the adapter bracket you made to mount the bottom of the cover to the car.

Install the five fastners, two screws and two bolts. Put the wheels back on and you are done.



Mods feel free to link to DIY thread. I posted this once before but it was lost.

Jim

 

excellent Linked to FAQ

 

When I swapped my AP1 bumper with the AP2 I found the foam to be pressing on the bumper, causing the license plate to actually angle up somewhat. At some point I will remove it and get the thing down to flush.

 

thats odd my fits perfect.

 

I still haven't taken my foam out, and I probably won't until I have to replace the rear bumper after some doofus rear-ends me while on his cell phone, eating his Papa burger.

Maybe I'm wrong, but it sure seems like the foam is in the way especially when I get underneath. The plate definitely angles up, but I suppse that could've been that intentional design based on the naturally low height of the car.

 

Is it different to switch from AP2 to AP1?

 

+1

sorry to be reviving an old thread but, I was wondering the same.

 

Yes actually, the difference is the Ap1 bumper is much more attractive

 

I just put in an AP1 bumper on my AP2. The brackets (attaches to the bottom middle piece of the bumper) on the AP2 are longer that the ones on an AP1. I had the brackets cut & rewelded.

 

So does anyone know if the metal brackets have to be really stiff or can I just make some out of some soft bendable aluminum brackets or something