Panel Removal
The Front Bumper[edit]
A relatively easy one to start. There are two screws on either side of the bumper where it wraps around the guards. Underneath two 14mm bolts and two 14mm nuts hold the bumper on:
You have to disconnect the indicator plugs first.
The Rear Bumper[edit]
The bumper is held on by the following fasteners in the following locations: Three 10mm bolts on passenger's side, two 10mm bolts on driver's side, four 12mm bolts in boot, and four 10mm hex head screws on guard lips.
Passenger's side covers the air vent. Bolt holes marked here in yellow. Just before you put the bumper back on, be sure to put some neutral cure RTV around these bolt holes so water can't get in. The boot wells have no drain, so it's important not to get them wet.
These rubber plugs in the boot cover the 12mm bolts:
To get to the 10mm bolts on the sides, you need to remove the boot well trim. On the passenger's side you may also need to remove the jack holder (two 12mm nuts on top, two 12mm bolts with rubber seal on bottom accessed from behind muffler):
When you put the bumper back on, start the fasteners in their threads but don't tighten any of them up until everything is in, because you'll need to jiggle things around a bit to make holes line up. (This applies to so much in life...)
The Front Guards[edit]
A more involved job, but a good one to do for any R31 as this is where they rust. First the headlights then the front bumper have to come off. The mud flaps and any clips holding the inner plastic guard to the outer steel guard have to come off as well. On a series 2, twist the grill clips with a screwdriver, they pop off, then the grill lifts out:
In the centre of the filler panel are two 10mm bolts:
The headlights have four 10mm nuts holding them in (indicated). On the driver's headlight, one of the nuts has all the lighting earths underneath it, silly silly design. Any lighting problems you have upon reassembly are probably caused by this. You need a 10mm tube socket to get these nuts, otherwise you can dick around with an open-ended spanner on an angle.
The driving lights each have one 10mm bolt/screw holding them to the radiator support:
With all these undone you can ease the headlights/filler panel forward, then disconnect the lights (if you didn't do it earlier).
Filler panel and lights out:
Take the front bumper off (as above), then two 10mm (all bolts 10mm unless otherwise stated) bolts connecting lower lip to guard:
One bolt on support arm between body and guard:
Three bolts behind where the headlights and bumper were:
Five bolts along the top of the guard:
Two bolts underneath car on sills:
Two bolts behind door:
Take the indicator off before you remove the guard. Guard just sort of gently lifts off.
I keep all the fasteners for each part in little component bags I get from work. Makes reassembly much easier especially if it's several days/weeks later.
Styley!
Compiled by:
Prestagea