What are the Types & Materials of Car Body Kits?

April 8, 2022

Car Body Kits Explained in Detail

If you happen to be an automotive enthusiast then chances are that you also own a vehicle. If the answer is yes then there is a strong possibility that you think about improvements in your vehicle all the time. Many improvements are achieved through performance. You add components to your engine to improve its power, performance, or efficiency. Sometimes you add improved components to your vehicle’s suspension to make it better. Improvements in the interior can be satisfying too.

However, the most noticeable improvements are the ones that are added to the vehicle’s exterior. There are many ways to make improvements to the exterior such as changing or adding lights, changing the colour of the vehicle, adding new stickers, or adding new accessories.

If you are looking to improve both the performance and look of your vehicle, there is no better option than to add a body kit to improve performance and aerodynamics.

What Are Body Kits and Their Immediate Impact?

A body kit is a set of modified parts or additional components added to the vehicle’s body to change the vehicle's appearance. Body kits have consisted of front and rear bumper and side skirts and help provide a sportier look to the vehicle.

Body kits were referred to as “ground effects kits” and were mainly used by dedicated race cars to improve aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. Not many people know this but body kits are not just fancy add-ons that are designed to increase the visual appeal. Depending on the shape and design, the body kit can reduce drag and even increase traction by controlling and manipulating the airflow.

Different types of Body Kits

With more and more awareness and the introduction of e-commerce in the body kits business, a host of designs and types of kits are in the market for you to choose from. You may not want a complete body kit and an unpainted body kit may not suit your requirements. The good news is that many styles and types are available now in the market. Following are the types of kits available in the market.

Full Body Kit

As the name suggests, a full body kit means a complete set that includes the hood, front and rear bumpers, and side skirts for both left and right sides of the vehicle. Make sure that you do your best to find the exact match for your vehicle instead of buying the universal kit that is usually a challenge to get fitted.

Ground Effects Kit

These kits are also called lip kits and are consisted of components that can be attached to the existing front and rear bumpers. These components provide an illusion of lowered body and a racy look. These kits are very popular as they are super easy to install and cheaper to buy. Those kits also contribute to better airflow under the vehicle.

Bumper Replacement Kit

If you are looking to replace just the front and rear bumper of your vehicle to make your car look better or increase the airflow to impact the aerodynamics, you should consider this kit. Remember to get it replaced by a professional to avoid damage to the bumpers.

Wide Body Kit

These are the most expensive kits to buy and usually the most difficult to install. Those kits are made of the five usual parts and the difference between them and full body kits is that this kit adds width to the vehicle with the help of fender flares or fender replacements. These kits are beneficial when extended aerodynamics help is needed or when extra-wide tires are installed.

Custom Kit

A lot of people are taking advantage by choosing to mix and match methods for the body kit. They choose different components from different places to save money and can create a truly unique vehicle. This provides them a wider spectrum to do varying experiments. They can add spoilers or vertical doors to add appeal. The options are truly endless when you are not limited to set pieces of body kits.

How important is the Body Kit Material?

different people use body kits on their vehicles for different reasons. Some use them for just visual appearance, some use them for aero benefits and some use them for improved handling and performance.

You can determine the reason for the addition and choose accordingly which material suits your needs and requirements. There are many types of materials that are available for body kits.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is the most used and affordable material that is used to make body kits. It’s inexpensive to buy and easy to produce. Its lightweight, weather-resistant, and easily paintable.

The downside of this material is its lack of flexibility. By nature, fiberglass, finished products are rigid and hard and this results in difficulty in the installation and vulnerability to shatter and break easily when it comes in contact with any other object. Installation is not easy and may require many finishing procedures before its done.

Urethane

Urethane is the short and popular name for Polyurethane. The upside of this material is that it is way more flexible and absorbing than fiberglass. That makes it easier to install and more durable.

There are problems with this material as well. It is difficult to produce and heavier. It adds considerable weight to the vehicle decreases the performance and in extreme heat, it needs additional measures to save it.

ABS Plastic

ABS plastic is an amazing material that is made of acrylonitrile and styrene polymers with polybutadiene rubber. It is a heat-resistant material and is more durable than fiberglass and Polyurethane. It provides a better fitting and can be painted relatively easily.

Carbon Fiber

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer is a polymer like epoxy. This is an extremely strong material and super lightweight too. This makes it a preferred choice for many racing enthusiasts. It has a distinct look that is appreciated by the automotive world and can be painted if required.

Problem with the carbon fiber is that it is not cheap. It is one of the most expensive body kit materials available on the market.

Composite

The name of the material explains it. This material is a combination of many types of materials and is used where there is a need to create a product with benefits that could not be realized from other materials alone. All in all, body kits not only help make the vehicles aesthetically great but also can make them perform better as well. You just need to do complete research into what fulfils the requirements best and see what material suits the purpose. A well-informed decision can save you money and increase the performance of your vehicle.