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Thread: How to: remove Mirage/Space Star front & rear plastic bumper covers (front pic)

  1. #1
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    How to: remove Mirage/Space Star front & rear plastic bumper covers (front pic)


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    {Admin edit: copied from thread Possible rust concern - something to watch out for.
    }
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    HOWTO remove the front and rear "bumpers"
    (from memory):

    The front bumper (actually just the cladding) goes off like this:
    Two bolts have to go off, one in the left and one in the right part of the black part of the "bumper" visible from the front. You need a size 12 or 14 mm socket.

    Then remove the inner wheel linings, those half-round black plastic things around the front wheels. They are clipped on with plastic fasteners, and these need to be used again later, so dont wreck them. After that look at the pointy tip of the bumper pointing into the wheel housing. Another fastener there. There are fasteners all around the perimeter of the bumper waiting to be taken off.

    Put some carton on the floor under the bumper before taking all the fasteners off, and have a second person hold it to the car. When all fasteners are off, the bumper simply comes off forward, and readily without any force. Have a second person hold it onto the car, and take it off very slowly so you dont get scratches. Actually very easy and simple once you've done it.

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    ADMIN EDIT: North American bumper may be different. See post #5 below for photo showing locations of 6 (six) 10 mm bolts and all the plastic clips.
    -----------------------

    How to remove the rear bumper:
    More or less as the front, but with a few minor differences.
    Remove both taillights first, just as if you needed to chang a bulb.
    There two bolts, one on either side now becoming visible. They need to come out.
    Remove the inner fender linings, the lining around the rear wheels. They are clipped with fasteners. The pointy top parts of the bumper, pointing into the left and right wheel housing has one fastener each end.
    I dont remember if the numberplate-lights have to come off now, or if they are mounted on metal, but I think there on metal and can be left be.
    Now all other fasteners have to come off. Just as with the front bumper, have someone help you in order not to avoid making any scratches.

    Note:
    On the front and also on the rear bumper, you need zero force to actually take them off once all fasteners are off. Actually the bumpers will probably fall off and get scratched if a second person doesn't hold the bumper in place. If it won't readily come off, you've forgotten a fastener somewhere. Its all very easy once you've done it, and shouldnt take more than five minutes.


    Last edited by MetroMPG; 11-22-2019 at 05:06 PM. Reason: (added info)

  2. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to foama For This Useful Post:

    BeanSproutExpress (09-23-2018),Daox (03-27-2015),Fummins (11-18-2016),MetroMPG (02-23-2015)

  3. #2
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    That's brilliant - Thanks Foama! Will come in useful when I get mine - eventually!!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage 3 CVT 1.2 automatic: 47.9 mpg (US) ... 20.4 km/L ... 4.9 L/100 km ... 57.5 mpg (Imp)


  4. #3
    Thanks, foama! Copied your post to a dedicated thread where it will be more easily found for future reference.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  5. #4
    Administrator Daox's Avatar
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    Good info Foama, thanks! I added this to the Mods & DIY list.
    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)


  6. #5
    Thanks again for this post, foama - I'll be doing this with my AS-IS Special.

    Here's how mine was attached. 6 10MM bolts accessible from the top, and the 2 from the front (in the grille).

    The rest are the reusable plastic fasteners like this:

    Name:  bumper-pins.jpg
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    Name:  bumper-cover-DIY.jpg
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    Note: the two 10 MM bolts in the middle of the grille area are removed from the front of the car. Location of arrows in my image may be confusing.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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    precisionxt (01-28-2020)

  8. #6
    Updated with a pic of my bumper in the post above.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  9. #7
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    It looks like the lower grille is clipped in place and easily replaceable, as if it could be more easily modified say for aerodynamics and cooling.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  10. #8
    Funny you should mention that! Look at this pic and you'll see Mitsu designed their own modular "grille block" segment for the manual transmission cars (they need less cooling than the CVT's).

    Name:  bumper-cover-block-factory.jpg
Views: 2540
Size:  41.3 KB

    On the CVT cars, that segment of grille is open.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  11. #9
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    This is what I'm saying.

    I'm thinking maybe a slider-type grill to control how much air gets by.

    I just haven't disassembled mine to that extent, so thanks for posting the pics.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


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    mohammad (05-22-2022)

  13. #10
    FYI, it's pretty easy to take off. Maybe 10 -15 minutes?

    The fussiest part is taking out the re-usable plastic fasteners. They've got 5 years worth of fine grit in them now, so the pins don't pop out as easily as they once did.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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