This year, just before Christmas, I decided I wanted to give me a present. So, I started by buying an used 2005 Volvo S60 rear bumper with all the brackets. So I searched the net, and in the end, I found one in Hungary at a salvage shop. After speaking several times with the owners of the shop, I went ahead and bought it, along with a pair of 2005 Volvo S60 tail lights, based on the pictures they sent me by mail:
However, they proved to be very deceitful and highly unprofessional. I ended up getting this piece of junk and no tail lights after nearly a month of waiting:
The sad truth: it wasn't even the same color as the one depicted in the photos they sent me
This was the "icing on the cake": broken plastic trim
After looking at it, I almost decided to drop the entire project, the blog and everything. After almost a month of being constantly on the road, I managed to get the car to a specialist shop, where my muffler was cut down. A few days later, my new tips arrived, so we started by changing the rear bumper. We did this for 2 reasons. First, my obsession of updating the looks of the car to the newer P2 Volvo S60. Second, it was much easier to cut the hole in that spoiler for the right hand exhaust tip.
Original bumper off
The conversion of the rear bumper is very easy if you have the side brackets. They are needed to ensure a perfect fit. Even with the '02 brackets installed you can mount the newer bumper, but the fitting will be a little off.
I'll cover the rear bumper conversion in another post in the DIY section.
What followed was a lot of welding.
The split for the dual exhaust
The split installed
Measuring the clearance of the new left exhaust tip
Final position of the exhaust tip
Left side tacked into position
The rear bumper was then cut to match the left side, and the exhaust pipe was tacked also into position.
All it took was to finish welding all the parts together and presto:
The main advantage of this system over the commercial ones like I mentioned in my wish list is that the exhaust coming out of the dual pipes is equal or symmetrical
In January I will take the rear bumper back to the specialist shop for repairs and paint and I will keep you posted. Till then, one last picture:
I will end this post wishing you all, a Merry Blessed Christmas and A Brand New Year full with wishes that will come true!
Safe journeys everyone!
UPDATE: 25.01.2014
Hello all!
I managed to fix and paint the bumper at a specialist shop. Now, the rear end transformation is almost complete. All I need now is to rebadge the car with the new spread VOLVO lettering and a pair of 2005+ rear lights.
Leaving the shop
At home, in the garage
Safe journeys everyone!
