Prius II bumper cap

thingiverse

The time had finally arrived for our oldest child to get his driver's license. We needed a safe and reliable vehicle that would withstand the rigors of teenage driving. After careful consideration, we found a used 2007 Toyota Prius II in excellent mechanical condition, but its previous owners had made some questionable decisions when it came to negotiating their garage. The front bumper was in need of repair, with a noticeable crack running down the length of the plastic and a missing plug/cap that had left an unsightly hole. Fortunately, I had J B Weld on hand to fix the crack. However, finding a replacement cap proved to be a challenge, as it had been lost for quite some time. I took out my calipers and measured the hole with precision. That same day, I designed and printed a new cap, but unfortunately, the first version was not up to par due to fragile clips. This is the revised design, which has proven to be a game-changer. As you can see from the photos, the before shot shows the original bumper, while the after shot reveals the newly installed cap in all its glory. Despite being made of PLA, this cap has withstood the test of time, enduring both scorching hot and freezing cold temperatures in Minnesota over the course of seven months. The cap I have provided is plain, but you can easily customize it using Meshmixer to add your own emblem or leave it as-is. While there's room for improvement, this design does the job admirably and has been a valuable asset in our household. If you find this project useful, please share your experiences with me! I'd love to hear how my creations have made a positive impact on others.