2007 rear panel removal

[J. Salmon]

I have searched and searched. I am installing my Larini SE and sport cat. I am trying to remove the rear panel to install the '06 bumper-less panel and Euro panels. I have seen posts talking about 3 bolts in the trunk. I have 6 bolts in the trunk, and they pass through some silicon that seems to have glued tthem in place. The nut are off, but it doe help.

How do you remove the rear panel on an '07???

Thanks,

-J.

[Thomasio]

That's bizarre... is that the new reinforcement for the new bumper pads? I had heard that something ties the bumper pads to the rear subframe, maybe that's it.

Is it possible that you will need to slit the silicone w/ a razor knife? Silicone can be pretty darn tenacious.

Thomas

[Randy Chase]

Take some pics.

[J. Salmon]

Pics from inside the boot and of the rear grill/plate holder.

Come on guys, it's almost '08... no one has done this on a late '07?


I guess if I get this thing together I will post it in a new thread.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by J. Salmon

I have searched and searched. I am installing my Larini SE and sport cat. I am trying to remove the rear panel to install the '06 bumper-less panel and Euro panels. I have seen posts talking about 3 bolts in the trunk. I have 6 bolts in the trunk, and they pass through some silicon that seems to have glued tthem in place. The nut are off, but it doe help.

How do you remove the rear panel on an '07???

Thanks,

-J.

You have the nuts off, so you are almost there. You will see that there is an aluminum plate with silicon underneath that it used to reinforce your entire rear panel assembly. Just slowly pry this part away from the bottom of the trunk by starting on one side and loosening it slightly and working your way to the end, then start over until it comes off without bending it, the silicone will stick to this piece, not the trunk. Your entire rear panel will actually just slide down out of the six holes once you have removed the six bolts (and hopefully all the allen head bolts that attach it to the diffuser and the two allen head bolts and nuts at the outer ends that attach it to the two clam attachment points.

I pried my plate out of the trunk because it was difficult to pull the bumper piece down out of it (due to the silicone on the threads of the bolt studs that are located on the rear panel). You might not need to pry it off now that I look at it, you might just be able to pull the bumper down. Maybe using a rubber mallet and hitting the tops of the studs might loosen it so that you can leave the aluminum trunk plate in place.

Once you have it off, then the old '06 panel will attach to the inside of the trunk with 3 holes that are much closer towards the rear of the car. You should already have them there and predrilled, that is how mine was, even though they are not being used with the new bumper panels. Attaching the old panel is a little trickier since you now have to take a 10 mm hex head bolt (I think) and washer and thread that from inside the trunk, down into the new rear panel. This can be a bit tricky and you may want to enlist the help of a friend to hold the panel and line things ups while lying on his back and looking up at the bottom of the 3 holes and lining up the holes of the old rear panel. You also need those threaded clips on the panel that you are installing; not sure what they are called - threaded nut clips that slide over the three upper holes of the panel. You will also use these on the bottoms of the panel to tie it into the diffuser; you can take the ones off of your '07 bumper panel.

Here are some pics off the parts I am talking about and what they look like once you have them out of the car:

[Stephen]

Some more...

[Stephen]

One more comment for all the bumper geeks who are so glad they don't have the '07's with the 200 # bumpers.

Although the new bumper/rear panel is a little heavier and not quite as pretty as the old piece, it is easy to remove and go to the '06 panels or early '07 rear panel. Or, like many who remove the rear panel all together, once this piece is out, it is just like any other '05 or '06 Elise/Exige. It is not a big deal at all. btw, I just weighed the entire piece, it was 7.4 lbs, while the one from my Elise is 3.0 lbs, big friggen deal.

And who knows, for those who do not want to remove it, it might actually save your rear clam from some cracks and paint scuffs in a minor rear end collosion with another very low car like .............another Elise. OK, that may never happen except during a group drive. But still, all this heartache over 4.4 lbs that many end up removing enyway with a rear panel delete kit.

[J. Salmon]

HUGE thanks. Can't wait to get home and get this thing apart!

I would not be pulling the bumpers if I were not going to the F1 style tips. I just love the look, so it's all got to go.

[codymac]

Originally Posted by Stephen

But still, all this heartache over 4.4 lbs that many end up removing enyway with a rear panel delete kit.

It ain't just the weight of the panel - there's the extra plumbing and airflow issues of the through-diffuser exhaust too. And it does make those inboard toe-link bolts easier to get to.


Looks like the new version is easier to R&R - the old one was very "fiddly."

[J. Salmon]

EE-gads, the thing is still in there pretty good. I'd like to get the heat shield out so I can see better. I did manage to get the stage 2 free from the cat and out. I am going to finish pulling the cat off and then take off the heat shielding to be sure I can get the thing loose without doing any damage.

So if you are following, take a load off, it'll be a bit more

[jerrym]

is it difficult to do this?

[wantalotus]

I hate to be nitpicky guys but I see this all the time. What you are dealing with is not silicon, it is silicone. Silicon is a basic element, silicone is a polymer.

[shay2nak]

wow, that thing looks like a monster. looks like it weighs a lot.

[J. Salmon]

OK, for the record:

Rear bumper assembly: 8.2 lbs.
Factory cat: 9.8 lbs.
Stage 2 Exhaust (S-specific Janspeed): 19.8 lbs.
Larini SE (welded tips): 15.2 lbs.

I must admit, you all are the biggest bunch of weight weenies this side of cycling. Granted, I know cyclists who will spend $1000 to save less mass than I can sh*t, but this group is pretty close!!!

[Randy Chase]

Hang out with serious backpackers or road racers.

[J. Salmon]

Originally Posted by jerrym

is it difficult to do this?

I have found it to be more difficult than I thought, but only because it has been different. The rear bumper assmebly was in there good, so I ultimately had to pull the heat shield. To do that, I had to pull the cat. Now I had already planned to pull the exhaust, so this is not a big deal to me. But I do NOT think that I could have gotten the rear grill out without pulling the rest.

In other words, if you are only trying to replace the rear late '07+ bumpers, you may find it to be much more involved than the earlier plate holder.

One more thing: I have a lift, and that makes it much easier.

[Vishus_1]

It looks to me that if these bumpers get any kind of impact it will transfer it to these parts of the clam you have shown that it attaches to (like inside the trunk) - causing some serious damage.

Not that the previous design offered any greater protection - I just don't see this as anything functional. Rather than the damage from a minor impact being evident on the exterior - if this so-called bumper is hit right-on then it transfers the damage to the inside of the trunk (which will likely, ultimately, extend to the outside via stress, vibration or some other means).

Am I missing something?

[J. Salmon]

Originally Posted by Vishus_1

It looks to me that if these bumpers get any kind of impact it will transfer it to these parts of the clam you have shown that it attaches to (like inside the trunk) - causing some serious damage.

Not that the previous design offered any greater protection - I just don't see this as anything functional. Rather than the damage from a minor impact being evident on the exterior - if this so-called bumper is hit right-on then it transfers the damage to the inside of the trunk (which will likely, ultimately, extend to the outside via stress, vibration or some other means).

Am I missing something?

Nope. That's my take. I will be glad when it is gone.

but... DOH! It looks like I don't have all the parts I need to replace it and mount the diffuse. So I will either be fabricating my own or utilizing next day shipping....

[Randy Chase]

It looks like the channels and multiple mounting using silicone) is designed to accept some shock and resist deformation, while allowing the larger metal "pillows" to absorb damage. That of course will only work up to some point... but then that was the goal right, for 2.5mph hits?

[J. Salmon]

The "bumperettes" have a bit of absorption, but it wouldn't take much to transmit that energy to both the upper clam and the lower diffuser. They pretty much look like something to appease the DOT. I fail to see the point of them myself.

After much mental wrangling, I am going to try to use what I have to fabricate a new rear grill. I'll post pics if it comes out, otherwise you'll never hear about it from me again.