Giving my '05 a 2010 facelift!
 

I've had a 2005 V50 for a few months, and although I did say I'd never modify it, I've started to feel it looks a bit dated, whenever I see a new model on the road.

I found out (thanks to this thread) (Thanks JonnieB2009!) that in fact the body of the 2010 model is exactly the same, the only bodywork differences were the front and rear bumper and front and rear lights. So I set about finding second-hand parts on ebay to update my 5 year-old car.

I thought I'd start a thread to show my progress and keep it updated as I go.

The idea is: From this:
http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper01.jpg

To this:
http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....0bumper01a.jpg


The total cost I'll update here:
Front Bumper £40
Front O/S Headlight £40
Front N/S headlight £(need)
Front Grille £45
Rear Bumper £45
Lower grills/fog surrounds £50 new
Current spend: £230

Firstly I found a front bumper on ebay, luckily the correct colour! Advertised as needing a respray, but I figured to keep the cost down I'd have a go at localised corrections!

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper02.jpg

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper03.jpg

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper04.jpg

Polished up OK!

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper05.jpg

And the paint chips that went right down to the plastic filled and painted with a brush! then wetsanded back a bit and polished. I know it's not quite as good as new, but I'm more than happy with it, I think they'll never get noticed once the bumper's fitted. TBH it's in better condition than my original bumper!

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper08.jpg

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper09.jpg

Then I got a grille (£140 new! :doublesho)

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper10.jpg

The grille had a broken rung, so I planned on plastic welding it up. Never tried it before, but took my soldering iron (bend the tip over in the vice to it was a more usable spreader) and the black inside tray from a CD case, and started melting away!

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper06.jpg

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper11.jpg

I'm quite pleased with the results of 10 minutes of plastic welding! I sanded it back and thought If I were getting this 100% it really wouldn't be too hard, another layer and more sanding it would have been spot on! But as I planned on wrapping it in 3M carbon vinyl I left it as it was, I was scared of cracking it by sanding it too hard. Plus that part is hidden under the badge anyway!

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper12.jpg

So here's my repaired grille, not bad I think!

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper13.jpg

The grille in the 2010 V50 I pictured is the R-Design one, with a brushed finish. I did consider trying to brush the metal finish myself, but had second thoughts!!!

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper14.jpg

Next to the foglights. Technically the new bumper needs new fogs, but I'm hoping to reuse my own. So I offered them up to the holes, and they do fit OK. Just a couple of new lug-holes and a little mod to the screw position, I think there's no reason why they wont work just fine behind the new surround.

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper15.jpg

http://www.lavenham-photographic.co....50bumper16.jpg

I'm still waiting for a set of lower grilles/ fog surrounds, I've ordered them cos they only came in at £50 for the lot, plus waiting for one more headlight to come up cheap on ebay. Also, the R-design splitter. They I'll fit the front.

The rear bumper has a few bigger scratches than this, it may need a proper bit of painting! Plus the rear bumper came with splitter fitted! But... someone hacked a section out of the middle to fit a towbar, so I'm gonna have to have a go at fibreglass moulding to make a repair section!

Hey, good man.

You got a really good deal on the parts and its coming together nicely. Nice finishing touch to the grille. Are you going to get a R design lower spoiler and rear lower spoiler?

I tried getting the alloys but they cost approx £1400, there were some alloy stores online that did replicas but stopped manufac them so I bought refurbed Serapis for £500 off Ebay.

Let me know if you need any advice or guidance when you come to put it all together.

rgds

Yeah I'm chuffed I found parts the same colour as my car! Plus the rare bumper has an R-Design splitter already attached, allbeit with a section cut out of the middle from a towbar! I'm gonna have a play making a fibreglass mould to replicate the cut- out peice, plus I'm gonna fill over the 2 exhaust gaps cos my deisel doesn't have pipes in the right places!
I'm only one headlight away from fitting the front, I've got the standard front valance to tide me over til I find a splitter. The rear has to wait until I've sourced both lights, but there's some work to be done on that first anyway!

Colourcoding the standard front valance and the rear repairs will just be done with spraycans but as they aren't big panels I think the results will be fine. Plus I think I'll paint my standard skirts too, can't afford the R ones!

looks great Ben. You make it sound so easy :)

Nice Ben, I'm doing exactly the same thing but slower.
I have all the parts but in different colours, I'm slowly sanding them back and fixing any blemishes as I go. Will primer them and look for costs to get them sprayed.

I like your finished grille, I'm tempted to grab some Carbon wrap and "play".

Re-using the fogs is interesting, I was going to buy some new ones.
Can you let me know if there are any issues with fitting the fog grilles once done?

Are you going to spray your existing door mirrors? Might be the cheap way to go if using alloy wheel paint?

I have a nearside headlight secondhand which needs some work, the chrome surround off of the main lens came adrift during postage and I'm not sure you can manipulate it back on without taking the glass off the front?
You are welcome to it if you want? As used it has a few scratches on the glass lens too (I picked up a new unit cheap in the end).

Good work so far, I'm eager to watch your progress :-)

Hey JLBerry I hadn't thought about door mirrors!

Will definitely update re fog fitment

how much would you want for the headlight?

I'm getting my o/s n/s sides confused!! I need the drivers side headlight, I got that wrong when I wrote the last bit!

Ben, looks like I was confused too.
It is the Off Side that I have - part 31265701
I thought it was the chrome bit which was adrift but it is the clear plastic piece which sits around the headlight chrome. Unless you are very creative and have pixie fingers, it will require removal of the glass. Might not be a bad idea as the white lining is a little dusty.
chips/marks on glass may polish out to a reasonable level, just needs effort.
There may be some bulbs in the lamp but I'm not going to promise you the condition as they are untested.
Worst case, it'll see you good until you find another!
Yours for free if you can pay for the courier or collect in person.
I'm just outside of Bristol (M5 J19) if that helps?
Rgds
Jason.

oh, just remembered, I have a couple of front splitters, not the R-design version tho. One is new but painted in brilliant blue, the other is used and in a light blue/green colour.
For the r-design splitter, try the ebay user - fat.toby

Next I'm going to look at replacing the aerial cover with a 2006> which is slightly larger and better looking. Not sure how the existing cover has been secured. Any ideas?

No idea about the aerial, sorry.

I'll take the headlight!! If you want to post it and I'll paypal you? Or let me know the collection address and I'll get a courier booked for tomorrow?
Let me know either way! Very good of you, thanks!

I've already got a standard front splitter thanks, I've got a breakers contacting me tomorrow who say they should have an R-Design one.

Let me know re the headlight, it's all I'm lacking to get the bumper fitted! taking the glass off will be a right pain, but it's the sort of challenge I don't mind trying!