S14.5 Conversion Questions

[The Inflicted]

I'm in the midst of converting my 1995 to an S15 front end and am running into a problem mounting the S15 bumper. I can't get it to fit over the Zenki's front bumper support, but I don't want to remove the support altogether and run without it. So, I've got a few questions:

1. Is it possible to to use the Zenki bumper support with the S15 bumper?

2. If so, how does it need to be modified to get it to fit?

3. Do I need a factory S15 bumper reenforcement, and if I bought one would it bolt directly onto my Zenki radiator core support?

4. What kind of bulbs does the S15's turn signals take?

5. What's a fair price for someone locally to charge me to make conversion fenders for this car? I've got a pair of nearly-useless fiberglass fenders on there right now, but I have a set of both S15 and S14 OEM steel fenders I would like patched together. I can't do this myself.

Pictures of the work in progress:
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9886/mockup001ru2.th.jpg (http://img138.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mockup001ru2.jpg)
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/7927/mockup004cb3.th.jpg (http://img138.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mockup004cb3.jpg)
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/5268/mockup017pk2.th.jpg (http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mockup017pk2.jpg)

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/5263/img1272ab5.jpg
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6579/struts004jq9.jpg

[blueshark123]

ur best bet will be to modify the zenkis support when i did the conversion i removed it all cause of the intercooler so i cant really help u.

[The Inflicted]

ur best bet will be to modify the zenkis support when i did the conversion i removed it all cause of the intercooler so i cant really help u.


See, again I don't feel safe driving the car without any bumper support at all.
What I really need are pictures of how the support can be modified.

[fliprayzin240sx]

Trim it till it fits. USDM bumper supports are bulky as fuck compared to anything JDM. You will have to trim the sides and bottom of it till it fits. You can trim it small at a time till it fits.

If your iffy about cutting it too, what I would recommend is once you got it trimmed to the point that the bumper fits, take it to a weld shot and have them weld some rebars or something to restrengthen up whats left of the bumper support.

[The Inflicted]

Does anyone know what a fair price would be for someone with experience in welding to join my S15 fenders with my S14 fenders? I've talked to one local welder who's done it before and he quoted me $300 for the work.

[GSXRJJordan]

$300 sounds like a lot, unless he's going to do the 'body shop' work of grinding/sanding/bondo'ing.

I'm with Ray here, trim the USDM bumper support until it fits and then weld in some support if you want.

[The Inflicted]

I went to the fender guy today and I don't think I want him to do the work. He seems fairly experienced working with Honda and other import fender splices, but I don't think he does a whole lot of conversions, and he had never done an S14-S15 job.

Besides that, he was doubtful such a thing could be done. He pointed out to the fact that the S15 fender is narrower at the front of the wheel well and that the S14 fender has a much wider and flatter angle at the top of the arch alongside the hood. He thought he might be able to cut and bondo it to make it smooth but wasn't sure.

What I need are people who have done the S14-S15 fender weld. I could really use measurements or pictures because my project is completely stalled until I get them.

Better yet, anyone in the Nashville/Atlanta areas know of someone who can do the job?

[MikeisNissan]

all my panels were straight bolt on and fit like a dream! I am lucky..

[g6civcx]

1. Is it possible to to use the Zenki bumper support with the S15 bumper?

Not in stock form. USDM cars have to meet 5mph bumper test and use different bumper support. JDM cars only have to hold the bumper up.

2. If so, how does it need to be modified to get it to fit?

You have to trim to fit the shape of the S15 bumper.


3. Do I need a factory S15 bumper reenforcement, and if I bought one would it bolt directly onto my Zenki radiator core support?

No. The bumper support mounts in the frame rail, and has nothing to do with the core support.


4. What kind of bulbs does the S15's turn signals take?

I don't know.


5. What's a fair price for someone locally to charge me to make conversion fenders for this car? I've got a pair of nearly-useless fiberglass fenders on there right now, but I have a set of both S15 and S14 OEM steel fenders I would like patched together. I can't do this myself.

$80/hour

[The Inflicted]

all my panels were straight bolt on and fit like a dream! I am lucky..

This was using conversion fenders, right?

[MikeisNissan]

yep correct.

[cashed240]

i made my s14 fenders work, yea i had to do alot of cutting and welding around the s15 headlight area but the end result looked great, as for the blinkers the outside bulbs are the same as the ones in you stock bumper, 1157 i think. actually i know a guy that could do them but he is up here in chattanooga.

[SC_S13]

I'm slightly confused why you can't buy s14.5 conversion fenders and put them on? Re-working the zenki and s15 fenders together is going to be expensive and time consuming.

ps. Is your frame bent from the front passenger impact?

[The Inflicted]

I'm slightly confused why you can't buy s14.5 conversion fenders and put them on? Re-working the zenki and s15 fenders together is going to be expensive and time consuming.

ps. Is your frame bent from the front passenger impact?

Was. I've already had the frame pulled out.
The reason I'm hesitant to use fiberglass fenders is that I already have a set of S15 metal fenders that came with my conversion. I've also got a set of fiberglass conversion fenders that I bought separately; you can see them in the pictures above. The problem is that they're absolute crap and between the fact that none of the mounting points (the one's that aren't broken off) don't fit, I'm afraid they're so fragile that they might break apart and take my bumper with them.
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/2010/test3002ug3.jpg

i made my s14 fenders work, yea i had to do alot of cutting and welding around the s15 headlight area but the end result looked great, as for the blinkers the outside bulbs are the same as the ones in you stock bumper, 1157 i think. actually i know a guy that could do them but he is up here in chattanooga.

Actually I AM in Chattanooga. Has this guy done the conversion before?

[The Inflicted]

I just read in another forum that to make S14-S15 conversion fenders you have to cut the rear of the fender in an L-shape to match up the lines. Can anyone confirm this?

Pictures are especially helpful.

Also, anyone in Chattanooga with an S14.5?