It has been asked dozens of times on here as to whether a certain ST bumper will fit, if there is any difference between an ST bumper and a Zetec S one etc.... so the intention of this post is to highlight the differences, the components required to carry out conversions, and to detail what will and won’t fit!
NOTES:
1. The first thing that is worth saying is that NO part of a Zetec S body kit is the same as the corresponding ST item. The bumpers are different, the fog lights are different, the fog surrounds are different, the side skirts are different. I think that makes it clear! If not, NOTHING is interchangeable except the upper grille (see Note 4).
2. Saloon and hatchback bumpers are identical.
3. Zetec S side skirts are universal, i.e. they will fit all saloon, hatchback and estate non-ST cars.
4. Zetec S and ST front upper grilles are interchangeable with eachother without modification.
I will describe the kits individually now to show the options available.
Zetec [color:red]S[/color] Kit
The standard Zetec S body kit included:
- Zetec S Front Bumper (including grille, fog lights, fog light loom, and fog light surrounds)
- Zetec S Colour coded surround upper front grille with flared centre section
- Zetec S Rear Bumper (including inserts)
- Zetec S Side Skirts
- Zetec S 18” Alloy Wheels (either 5 spoke, or 10 spoke imitation split rims)
There was no rear spoiler fitted to the Zetec S as standard.
All of the above listed components will fit a standard (i.e. non-ST) car without any further modifications (the grille may need the key lock hole enlarging).
The standard front undertray and wheel arch liners can all be reused.
The rear bumper undertray is integral to the Zetec S bumper.
The side skirts are attached to the car using a combination of screws and bonding.
The Zetec S bumper grille was always a series of bars, but a few people have swapped this with a modified grille from a final facelift LX to give a similar look to the ST grille. Details of this can be found in other topics.
[color:red]ST[/color] Kit
The list of components to complete an ST conversion is far greater than that for the Zetec S.
The full list is as follows (an * denotes that variations are available, detailed further down):
- ST Front Bumper (including grille*, fog lights, fog light loom, and fog light surrounds*)
- ST Upper Front Grille*
- ST Rear Bumper* (including inserts*)
- ST Front Wings
- ST Side Skirts*
- ST Front Wheel Arch Liners
- ST Front Undertray
- ST Rear Undertray
- ST Rear Spoiler
- ST 18” Multispoke Alloy Wheels
- Modified exhaust (to suit single or twin exit bumper)
- ST Front Bumper Mounting Plates (different profile to standard)
- Headlamp Washer system (unless already fitted)
I think that’s about it!
Here are the variations detailed (pre-facelift / facelift first, followed by final facelift):
- Lower bumper grille â€" Available in black, or silver with a chrome lower lip. The lip can be used on either colour grille.
- Fog light surrounds â€" black with a satin silver ring, or black with a chrome ring and chrome strip.
- Upper front grille â€" colour coded surround, or chrome surround.
- Rear bumper â€" ST TDCi single exit or ST220 Twin Exit.
- Rear bumper inserts â€" plain, or with reflectors fitted to the two outer grilles.
- Side skirts â€" flat style, or flared style.
The ST rear bumpers will fit any standard car without modification, but you will need an ST undertray. People have alternatively made their own undertray from a plastic cement spot available from Wickes using a template which should be available from someone on here, as they cost considerably less than the genuine Ford part. The other thing to remember is that unless you want the ST bumper to look stupid you will have to modify your exhaust system to one with chrome/stainless tailpipe(s). To accommodate the reflectors fitted to the later saloon/hatchback bumpers, there were three holes in each side of the bumper, behind the small outer grilles. These were to accommodate the mounting lugs of the reflectors, but earlier bumpers can easily be modified to have reflectors by drilling the holes and swapping the grilles. The new outer grilles can be used as a template for where to drill the holes.
The ST front Bumper, wings and side skirts all need to be fitted together as a set, as the side skirts will not fit correctly to standard wings, and the ST bumper is more flared where it meets the wheel arch profile of the wings. Some people have however modified ST front bumpers to fit with non-ST wings, but the main purpose of this topic is to detail standard fitment. This modification will also require ST front wheel arch liners, an ST front undertray, the bumper mounting plates, and the headlamp washers (although you can just glue covers over the holes in the bumper).
The ST sideskirts are screwed and bonded to the car. The rear lip spoiler is also bonded to the boot.
Obviously, it is your choice how you choose to modify your car, but I hope this guide helps to explain the differences between the original ford options, I hope I haven’t missed anything!
Photos will be added later
NOTES:
1. The first thing that is worth saying is that NO part of a Zetec S body kit is the same as the corresponding ST item. The bumpers are different, the fog lights are different, the fog surrounds are different, the side skirts are different. I think that makes it clear! If not, NOTHING is interchangeable except the upper grille (see Note 4).
2. Saloon and hatchback bumpers are identical.
3. Zetec S side skirts are universal, i.e. they will fit all saloon, hatchback and estate non-ST cars.
4. Zetec S and ST front upper grilles are interchangeable with eachother without modification.
I will describe the kits individually now to show the options available.
Zetec [color:red]S[/color] Kit
The standard Zetec S body kit included:
- Zetec S Front Bumper (including grille, fog lights, fog light loom, and fog light surrounds)
- Zetec S Colour coded surround upper front grille with flared centre section
- Zetec S Rear Bumper (including inserts)
- Zetec S Side Skirts
- Zetec S 18” Alloy Wheels (either 5 spoke, or 10 spoke imitation split rims)
There was no rear spoiler fitted to the Zetec S as standard.
All of the above listed components will fit a standard (i.e. non-ST) car without any further modifications (the grille may need the key lock hole enlarging).
The standard front undertray and wheel arch liners can all be reused.
The rear bumper undertray is integral to the Zetec S bumper.
The side skirts are attached to the car using a combination of screws and bonding.
The Zetec S bumper grille was always a series of bars, but a few people have swapped this with a modified grille from a final facelift LX to give a similar look to the ST grille. Details of this can be found in other topics.
[color:red]ST[/color] Kit
The list of components to complete an ST conversion is far greater than that for the Zetec S.
The full list is as follows (an * denotes that variations are available, detailed further down):
- ST Front Bumper (including grille*, fog lights, fog light loom, and fog light surrounds*)
- ST Upper Front Grille*
- ST Rear Bumper* (including inserts*)
- ST Front Wings
- ST Side Skirts*
- ST Front Wheel Arch Liners
- ST Front Undertray
- ST Rear Undertray
- ST Rear Spoiler
- ST 18” Multispoke Alloy Wheels
- Modified exhaust (to suit single or twin exit bumper)
- ST Front Bumper Mounting Plates (different profile to standard)
- Headlamp Washer system (unless already fitted)
I think that’s about it!
Here are the variations detailed (pre-facelift / facelift first, followed by final facelift):
- Lower bumper grille â€" Available in black, or silver with a chrome lower lip. The lip can be used on either colour grille.
- Fog light surrounds â€" black with a satin silver ring, or black with a chrome ring and chrome strip.
- Upper front grille â€" colour coded surround, or chrome surround.
- Rear bumper â€" ST TDCi single exit or ST220 Twin Exit.
- Rear bumper inserts â€" plain, or with reflectors fitted to the two outer grilles.
- Side skirts â€" flat style, or flared style.
The ST rear bumpers will fit any standard car without modification, but you will need an ST undertray. People have alternatively made their own undertray from a plastic cement spot available from Wickes using a template which should be available from someone on here, as they cost considerably less than the genuine Ford part. The other thing to remember is that unless you want the ST bumper to look stupid you will have to modify your exhaust system to one with chrome/stainless tailpipe(s). To accommodate the reflectors fitted to the later saloon/hatchback bumpers, there were three holes in each side of the bumper, behind the small outer grilles. These were to accommodate the mounting lugs of the reflectors, but earlier bumpers can easily be modified to have reflectors by drilling the holes and swapping the grilles. The new outer grilles can be used as a template for where to drill the holes.
The ST front Bumper, wings and side skirts all need to be fitted together as a set, as the side skirts will not fit correctly to standard wings, and the ST bumper is more flared where it meets the wheel arch profile of the wings. Some people have however modified ST front bumpers to fit with non-ST wings, but the main purpose of this topic is to detail standard fitment. This modification will also require ST front wheel arch liners, an ST front undertray, the bumper mounting plates, and the headlamp washers (although you can just glue covers over the holes in the bumper).
The ST sideskirts are screwed and bonded to the car. The rear lip spoiler is also bonded to the boot.
Obviously, it is your choice how you choose to modify your car, but I hope this guide helps to explain the differences between the original ford options, I hope I haven’t missed anything!
Photos will be added later
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