converting the older rx8 front end into the R3 front
 

Has anybody tried to convert the older model RX8 front end to look like the new R3 models

Lights are completely different.

It would be a lot of work and not sure if it can be done practicaly

well i was thinking if you changed the fenders lights and bumper and maybe the hood
it might work.

Try it and get back to us.

Ha Ha. Nah I want some one else to try it before me. If it works im gonna do it.

if you changed the fenders hood and bumper sure it would work (im pretty sure) but my question is why? when you can get a sexy body kit and probably some rims for the price instead and imo i think our front or mazda speed and some other kits look better than the new one anyway also isnt the r3 front same as the rest? with a lip not sure just wondering

I like the r3 front. It would be nice if i could just put the r3 front bumper on.

I'd be more interested in the rear. I like the new led lights..Are they the same shape?

^ Same shape but they stick out further.

The 09 front looks like crap, I'm going to be redoing my grille so it's recessed and not flush. Shit annoys me a lot :eyetwitch

the new autoexe front bumpers look similar to the '09. you can even put the '09 foglights in it. Rotr8 is about to put a custom one on his.

Yup there is actually a picture floating around here somewhere of the autoexe 04-08 next to an 09... might be an 09 with autoexe...

idk, but either way it looks very close. I think that's your best bet if you aren't looking to replace your whole front end... which would be stupid, if you're going to pay that much, might as well sell you 8 and buy a new r3....

Also the new Leg Sport front has some R3 styling.

To the OP, the hood is the same so fenders, lights and bumper is what you need.

And if people would search they would see that this very subject already has a thread dedicated to it and the result is awesome looks so freaking badass,,,
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-exterior-appearance-body-kits-27/2004-rx-8-2009-body-172560/page2/
PIC from thread showing the bodykit that mimics the R3 for the 04-08 body,,
http://a.imagehost.org/0391/R3Front001_1.jpg

Ohh BTW update from the bodyshop taken today,,, TEASER!!!!

http://a.imagehost.org/0284/CIMG1894.jpg

http://a.imagehost.org/0753/CIMG1898.jpg

so the '09 bumper will just mount right up to the '04-'08?

^^ :scratchhe is that a serious question? The answer is no. It needs to be reworked to fit headlights and the sidemarkers. Autoexe makes a 09 style bumper for <08 though.

no not at all,,, the bumper I showed is an aftermarket bumper, that was styled directly off the R3,,, click the link and it will take you to the discussion and thier website as well,,, as of yet no one has gotten this bumper, but for its price I think its worth a shot,,,

oh ok.

Surprisingly the bumper does not cost a lot. So is it inexpensive with decent quality/fitment or is it cheap with poor quality/fitment and cost too much money to fix? It looks good though!

I'd like to know too. I've installed a few body kits in my day, and there is a wide spectrum of quality. If they're made of polyurethane, they generally fit pretty well. Although there are def some out there that don't. The fiberglass ones aren't worth the box they come in. They require so much work to get them to fit correctly it's a nightmare. So does anyone know what they're made of? For 900 bucks, if they're poly, I'd go for it in a heartbeat!

the AutoExe is made of Fiberglass and fits better than any other aftermarket bumper Ive seen, its perfect, so I wouild say your experience is just based off what you yourself have encounter as far as quality and fitment...

Don't get me wrong. I don't doubt that the bumper is well crafted. But anything made of fiberglass has a limited lifetime. Unless you are INCREDIBLY careful, it will crack eventually. And as far as the fit goes, are you speaking from the experience of actually prepping, painting, and installing it, or simply by the final product? Just because it looks good and flush when the bodyman is done with it doesn't mean he didn't have to go through hell to get it to do so. Not to mention that you have to wipe the entire bumper with a body filler in order to fill all the tiny holes that fiberglass naturally has in it's resin. Otherwise you end up with a mediocre paint job with pin holes everywhere. This doesn't have to be done with urethane. I was just noting that from my experience, I have come to the conclusion that urethane is simply a far superior material.

No, I usually involve myself in the proccess, being a fabricator and builder myself. He and I were the ones that dry fitted it and made minor(minor) adjustments to it to get it to fit,,
when we stood back to loook at it, he said"wow I have never seen a fiberglass, or any aftermarket bumper for that matter, fit like that before"....

That's awesome. I wish it was like that every time :) When are you going to have some pics of the final product for us?

Coming tonite after our big meet in this thread,,, https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-exterior-appearance-body-kits-27/rotrs-new-front-end-first-america-haha-173837/page4/

Im about to convert my 2004 front into R3.
I need 2 Fenders Left & Right
Headlights Set
Front Bumper

anyone knows a good website which has all the parts i cant find any ..