| There are many body parts and accessories to | | | | are rigid materials, they tend to crack easily. |
| choose from for enhancing the look of your car. For | | | | For street use, durability is the biggest concern. |
| the most part, side skirts and rear bumpers on a | | | | Weight is not an issue. Therefore, polyurethane and |
| street car are visual upgrades and will not affect | | | | ABS plastic are good choices. They are both flexible |
| handling. At high speeds, the front bumper will affect | | | | and can take a lot of abuse. Read the Body Kit |
| handling. Read my accompanying article on | | | | Product Guide on for a comparison of the different |
| aerodynamics "Optimizing the Aerodynamic Balance | | | | materials and a listing of manufacturers that work |
| of your Car" for advice on setting up a car to be | | | | with them. |
| aerodynamically balanced. | | | | The best option for installing a body kit is to take it |
| If you do not plan to race your car, then a body kit | | | | to an experienced body shop. Even though the kits |
| is a purely visual upgrade. But for racing, I | | | | are made specifically for each car, there is a lot of |
| recommend installing a lightweight front bumper | | | | prep work that must be done before they can be |
| (preferably one that has been aerodynamically | | | | installed. It is necessary to remove stock body parts, |
| tested). | | | | drill mounting holes in the kit, and paint the kit before |
| Body kits are usually made from fiberglass, ABS | | | | it is installed. Unless you have the proper tools and |
| plastic, polyurethane, or carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is | | | | facilities to do all of this, pay a body shop to do the |
| the best material to use (at least for racing) because | | | | has an excellent section with information on choosing |
| it is lightweight and strong. However, it is very | | | | and ordering body kits. Read their articles on body kit |
| expensive and cannot be repaired if it ever breaks. | | | | selection, shipping, and installation before you |
| ABS plastic and fiberglass are also light and not even | | | | purchase a kit. |
| close to as expensive as carbon fiber, but since they | | | | |