Bumperette Removal

[97gtaboxter]

Hello All,

I have a 1997 986 Boxster. Would like to remove the small pair or black bumperettes at the black near the license plate. I removed them but looks they amthey are attached to a steel bracket. Do I have to take the entire bumper off to remove these? Any ideas on how to cover the holes after removal? Any ideas or even pics would be helpful.

[JBauer]

Originally Posted by 97gtaboxter

Hello All,

I have a 1997 986 Boxster. Would like to remove the small pair or black bumperettes at the black near the license plate. I removed them but looks they amthey are attached to a steel bracket. Do I have to take the entire bumper off to remove these? Any ideas on how to cover the holes after removal? Any ideas or even pics would be helpful.

Those brackets are a ******************** to remove. If I remember right the rivets used to attach them are really hard to drill out. After I got them off I bought a sheet of thin plastic and cut it to fit over that whole section and painted it to match. Now its wrapped. You also can buy a precut insert online but they want about $200 if I remember correctly.

[Starter986]

I've done the bumperette delete... and the result looks great.

Those rivets you speak of (and no you don't have to remove the entire aluminum bumper under the cover)... I started to try to drill them out and it was going to be a PITA. A moment of clarity led me to a nail punch. Positioned the punch over each "rivet", gave a smack with a hammer... and those "rivets" just popped out. Easy... all rivets took less than a minute.

The bumper cover, absent the bumperettes, will reveal those "holes". You'll need a delete "cover" (?) that will fill in where the plate goes. I got one off a member from this forum.

When you're ready to roll connect with me and I'll trace you out the pattern. You then source the plastic (maybe 20-some off inches wide by say 8 some odd inches high and, maybe, 1/4 inch thick. Trace... cut... sand... paint (?)... and install. Done.

I don't much log into the forum... so catch my attention otherwise and we'll get you rolling.



Edit: JB... you've become a pro with the wrap!

[JBauer]

Originally Posted by Starter986

Edit: JB... you've become a pro with the wrap!

Thanks! I'm an expert at doing 986s at least. 😁 Your right about those rivits, I want to know what the hell they are made out of? I ruined several drill bits.

[Radman]

This is on my list too.

[Tony986Z]

Sheet of textured plastic sheet covering the holes.

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by Tony986Z

Sheet of textured plastic sheet covering the holes.

That's it.

[Sveach756]

Where did you source the textured plastic?

[mikefocke]

An alternative is to paint the bumperettes. I did that after my originals helped save my sheet metal as I was hit stopped at a light by a Kia and an inexperienced driver. Eric of bumperplugs did mine. Perfect match.https://bumperplugs.com/bumperplugs/

[97gtaboxter]

Originally Posted by JBauer

Those brackets are a ******************** to remove. If I remember right the rivets used to attach them are really hard to drill out. After I got them off I bought a sheet of thin plastic and cut it to fit over that whole section and painted it to match. Now its wrapped. You also can buy a precut insert online but they want about $200 if I remember correctly.

Than you everyone. So just to confirm in order to remove the bumperette steel brackets I would still have to remove the entire bumper to do this right?

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by 97gtaboxter

Than you everyone. So just to confirm in order to remove the bumperette steel brackets I would still have to remove the entire bumper to do this right?

Correct. If correctly I recall... I had the aluminum bumper, to which the ettes are attached, off the car as well... easy removal. I forget... but I know that when I pounced out the rivets the aluminum bumper was off the car. I forget why that was necessary, and you might find the aluminum bumper doesn't have to be removed... once you get the bumper cover removed and can take a peek in there. Good luck.