Alright, let’s talk about this AMG GTS body kit project I tackled. It’s one of those things, you see the pictures, you dream a bit, and then you just gotta do it. So, I decided to go for it, transform the look of my machine. It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, let me tell you.
Getting Started – The Unboxing and Initial Dread
The boxes arrived, and man, they were huge. Felt like Christmas, but with more fiberglass dust. Unpacking everything, laying it all out… that’s when the reality of the job ahead kinda hits you. Lots of pieces. Lots of potential for things to not line up. I remember thinking, “Okay, deep breaths. One piece at a time.” My garage suddenly felt a lot smaller with all these new parts lying around.
First thing I did, even before touching the car, was to just stare at the parts. I compared them to the car, trying to visualize how it all went together. The instructions that came with it? Let’s just say they were more like vague suggestions. Pictures were tiny, and the translation was, well, interesting. So, a lot of it was going to be figuring it out as I went along.
The Teardown – Saying Goodbye to the Old
Taking off the stock bumpers and side skirts wasn’t too bad. It’s mostly clips and a few bolts. But you gotta be careful, right? You don’t want to scratch the paint you’re keeping or break some obscure plastic clip that costs a fortune to replace. I took my sweet time with this part. Labeled every bolt, every clip, put them in little bags. You think you’ll remember where everything goes, but trust me, you won’t.
Once the old parts were off, the car looked kinda naked and sad. But it was a blank canvas. This was also the perfect time to clean all those areas you can’t normally reach. Years of road grime, gone!
Fitting the Front End – The First Real Test
The front bumper was the first big piece I tackled. This is where the “fun” really began. Test fitting is key. I must have offered that thing up to the car a dozen times. It never just slides on perfectly the first time, no matter what you see in those quick YouTube videos. There was a bit of pushing, a bit of gentle persuasion, and a whole lot of checking panel gaps.
- I had to slightly enlarge a couple of mounting holes. Not a big deal, but you gotta be precise.
- Lining up the new grille within the bumper was another little puzzle.
- Getting the under-tray to mate with the new bumper lip took some fiddling.
Patience, man, patience. I remember stepping away for a coffee break a few times just to clear my head. My knuckles were already taking a beating.
Side Skirts and Rear Drama
Side skirts seemed like they’d be easier. And they were, mostly. The biggest challenge was making sure they were perfectly straight and level. I used a lot of masking tape to hold them in place while I marked drilling points. Drilling into your car’s bodywork… yeah, that always makes you sweat a bit. Measure twice, drill once. Or in my case, measure like five times.
The rear bumper and diffuser, though. That was a whole other level. Getting it to align with the exhaust tips, making sure the parking sensor holes were just right (some kits need you to transfer them, or they come pre-drilled, sometimes poorly). I spent a good afternoon just on the rear. There was definitely some colorful language echoing in the garage that day. My wife even poked her head in to ask if everything was okay. “Just automotive engineering, dear!” I said.
The Wing and Final Adjustments
Adding a spoiler or wing, if your kit has one, is usually the cherry on top. Mine did. Again, careful measurement for drilling. You really don’t want a crooked wing. Once it was on, the whole car started to look aggressive. It was a good feeling, seeing it all come together.
But it wasn’t over. After all the main pieces were on, I spent hours, and I mean hours, just making tiny adjustments. Loosening a bolt here, shimming a bit there, tightening things down. You’re looking for those perfect panel gaps, that factory-like fit. Or as close as you can get with an aftermarket kit. Some bits just never line up 100% perfectly, and you learn to live with “good enough” for your own sanity.
Stepping Back – Was It Worth It?
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of scraped knuckles, dropped tools, and moments of sheer frustration, it was done. I rolled the car out of the garage, cleaned it up, and just stood back. Yeah, it looked mean. Completely transformed. All those hours, the sweat, the swearing… it faded a bit when I saw the final result.
It’s a big job, no doubt. Not for the faint of heart, and definitely not a quick weekend project if you’re doing it right and on your own. You learn a lot, though. About your car, about how these things are put together, and about your own patience levels. Would I do it again? Ask me in a year. Right now, I’m just going to enjoy the view.