85-90 to 91-92 bumper conversion! (small to big bumpers)

[jettadude]

I have to tell everyone about my experience. There is no way you are going to get the front bumper on the way it was meant to hook on... So I put it in place, and pop riveted it into place. There was this one little round peice of plastic protruding out that prevented the bumper from going flush up next to the metal part. CUT IT OFF. You'll know it when you see it. Use 4 rivets. 2 on each side to make it stay on. Rivet in a black spot so you can paint black over the rivets to hide them. Have someone hold the bumper and push on it, so you can get the bumper as close to the wheel as possible (this gives it a clean look). AS goes for the rear bumper.... there is a huge plastic moulding that goes over the metal bumper... Then the cover goes over that moulding. DON'T USE IT... BURN IT. The bumper fits onto the original mounts, but not very well... Use 4 rivets on the back too, 2 on each side. This will hold them on really well. Be prepared to do some wiring! The blinkers don't match, you'll have to re-wire your blinkers! By the way, take off that metal air dam that runs along the front of the car.... It gets in the way. Other than that, it's a pretty nice conversion... Helluva lot better looking!

[Gotturbo]

Pictures?

[sausageburner]

yes please, especially since i to will be converting

[jettadude]

its not my post its cody's from JO, im transfering our old posts. well the important ones. so ask him.

[sausageburner]

its not my post its cody's from JO, im transfering our old posts. well the important ones. so ask him.

Well that's alot of help! Thanks alot! :D

[Mr_Diesel]

Holy crap... Great memories.

[burn_your_money]

I have a question about getting the old bumper off. There's teh one bolt on the side, and then two on the bottom. Well those 2 on the bottom appear to be holding that bar up that goes across the front of the car, which in turn is holding up the engine. Do I have to block my engine up or is there more bolts underneath holding up the engine? Sorry I'm so vague, I just don't know what anything is called.

[Mr_Diesel]

Your small bumpers should just pop right off... (They slide on and off the rails). That metal piece of trim is not holding up the engine.... It's just an air dam for aerodynamics... Something which you won't need if doing a big bumper conversion.

[burn_your_money]

We aren't on the same page. I got the plastic cover off, then theres the metal one. It's held in there with 3 17MM bolts, the one on the side is off, but there is 2 on the bottom and they look like they are also holding up the engine. There is that metal crosser going from the left side of the car to the right side, which the engine mount sits on. When I take off the 2 bottom bolts, this crosser apears that it will also come off.

[Mr_Diesel]

8O 8O 8O 8O 8O

Don't take the metal one off! That one stays there! The "Big" bumpers are plastic moldings that go over these metal bumpers.

[burn_your_money]

Ahh, I gotcha. LOL thanks. So really all you have to do it rip off the old plastic bumper and put the new one on top of that? or does the old metal bumper come of but the supports stay on?

[miamiDaveGLi]

thats funny as hell everyones like , how do i get the covers off.
LOL mine just fall off randomly LOL bad clips!!
well,im gonn do a conversion to big bumpers soon,
does anyone have the performance cafe kit ? is it worth the 260$
or shoudl i just go junkyard ? :D

[WishingForSpeed]

anyone have before and after pics, I have no clue what this conversion looks like!

[miamiDaveGLi]

i heard your supposed to convert the metal bumper and all to do the conversion correctly.

[Optigman]

Hey guys, I just found this and it might help somewhat explain the process. I didn't get a chance to read this completly, but if your like me, you need the visuals so it makes sense.

http://www.matey-matey.com/big_bumper_conversion.shtml

[Optigman]

Ok, just read it myself - one problem - I don't know anyone who sells "a kit"! At any rate, it was worth the pictures. I've seen conversions done with salvage yard parts, the ones I've seen have used rebar or something equivalent to support the front bumper, and yes that single strip of metal across the front can be removed. This is sometimes called the valance or skirt, I don't think it's going to hurt anything by leaving it there unless you're planning to install a turbo intercooler up front, then remove it for needed real estate in the grill. I like the big bumper look, just makes it look that much more agressive and intimidating.

[miamiDaveGLi]

Ok, just read it myself - one problem - I don't know anyone who sells "a kit"! At any rate, it was worth the pictures. I've seen conversions done with salvage yard parts, the ones I've seen have used rebar or something equivalent to support the front bumper, and yes that single strip of metal across the front can be removed. This is sometimes called the valance or skirt, I don't think it's going to hurt anything by leaving it there unless you're planning to install a turbo intercooler up front, then remove it for needed real estate in the grill. I like the big bumper look, just makes it look that much more agressive and intimidating.
i love the look and want to convert !!.
heres a link the "KIT" is near the bottom. it says golf but i assume its the same as the jetta. correct me if im wrong.
http://www.performance-cafe.com/index.php?cPath=7_136

[Optigman]

Ok, just read it myself - one problem - I don't know anyone who sells "a kit"! At any rate, it was worth the pictures. I've seen conversions done with salvage yard parts, the ones I've seen have used rebar or something equivalent to support the front bumper, and yes that single strip of metal across the front can be removed. This is sometimes called the valance or skirt, I don't think it's going to hurt anything by leaving it there unless you're planning to install a turbo intercooler up front, then remove it for needed real estate in the grill. I like the big bumper look, just makes it look that much more agressive and intimidating.
i love the look and want to convert !!.
heres a link the "KIT" is near the bottom. it says golf but i assume its the same as the jetta. correct me if im wrong.
http://www.performance-cafe.com/index.php?cPath=7_136

Nope, your right. looks like they sell the kit for around $265 w/o shipping and it appears that they include the mounting hardware too! Not bad really when I've seen other aftermarket FRONT bumpers for the same price. I just haven't gone that way yet because I just don't like the way the others look. This kit looks really nice, might have to consider this one.

[miamiDaveGLi]

8) nice i thought it looked good too :( i wish i picked one up when i still had cash and lived in santa cruz.

[twig]

talk about reviving an old subject. the last post was in 04

Is it possible to take the bumper off of another jetta to put it on mine? or would the taking off damage the clips too much?

also, i have a coupe, not a 4 door, so would i be able to put a 4 dr's bumpers on mine? I know that the rear bumper for a golf is different than mine, i was gonna try it until i parked them beside eachother.

[Mr_Diesel]

Bumpers are the same. Clips have a small plastic cylinder that you pound in the middle to "fan" it out so it'll grip onto the fender... If that made any sense at all, anyway.

Just pop that plastic thing out of the middle (there should be two on each clip) and the clips will come right off. place them in your car and pound the plastic things back in the middle and you wont hurt them at all.