Just painted the front grilles and kidneys..

jasonbaek · 09-17-2011, 12:01 AM

So when I first got it, it had a nasty greyish silver paint and chrome trim pieces on the bumper trims and front grille.

Today I removed grille parts and realized that there are much more chrome trims than I thought.. apperantly the whole vertical lines in kidney were carefully covered with chrome trims.. Anyways I cleaned them with a good wash and 220grit sandpaper, and painted them with dupli-color trim paint.

I'll also remove the front&rear bumpers to paint bumper trims..hopefully tomorrow or sunday.

Woofer · 09-17-2011, 12:25 AM

It's amazing how little things like this can make such an improvement. Great work. Paint the trim. You won't be disappointed. Makes the car look very fresh.

Oh yea and if you can take the rings off your head lights. Give those a spray too. Completes the look IMHO

jasonbaek · 09-17-2011, 02:23 AM

omg I never realized that! are they screwed onto headlamp retainer? Then I guess I can just unscrew them and paint them black.
Thanks for the advice!

Ceeker · 09-18-2011, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonbaek

omg I never realized that! are they screwed onto headlamp retainer? Then I guess I can just unscrew them and paint them black.
Thanks for the advice!

those headlight rings are not screwed on. They simply snap into place. Only the sealed beam headlights have screw retainers to hold the lens/bulb in place.

E36is · 09-17-2011, 07:09 AM

imo, instead of using just duplicolor on the grills and kidney, i first use plasti-dip as a base then duplicolor to finish it up. this way, road debri and stones will not chip the paint. I have done the same on my front spoiler (white) and to this day no signs of paint chipping.

jasonbaek · 09-17-2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E36is

imo, instead of using just duplicolor on the grills and kidney, i first use plasti-dip as a base then duplicolor to finish it up. this way, road debri and stones will not chip the paint. I have done the same on my front spoiler (white) and to this day no signs of paint chipping.

I looked home depot and canadian tire to buy plasti-dip but couldn't find it.. that's why I only used dupli-color..I gave about 5 coats so it won't cheap easily but I'm sure that plasti-dip would be more durable in terms of chipping.

Ceeker · 09-18-2011, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E36is

imo, instead of using just duplicolor on the grills and kidney, i first use plasti-dip as a base then duplicolor to finish it up. this way, road debri and stones will not chip the paint. I have done the same on my front spoiler (white) and to this day no signs of paint chipping.

Hey, where do you find the plasti dip?

Woofer · 09-17-2011, 10:40 AM

^^^ good idea. I did that to Everything except the lower valence and it's chipping. That stuff works really well.

As for the rings on the headlights, i think they are just clipped on. Just pry them off gently. Good luck.

frankie591 · 09-17-2011, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woofer

^^^ good idea. I did that to Everything except the lower valence and it's chipping. That stuff works really well.

As for the rings on the headlights, i think they are just clipped on. Just pry them off gently. Good luck.

3 philips screws hold the rings on the headlamps. dead easy to take off and look a hundred times better painted black.

MaxBell · 09-17-2011, 11:11 AM

SWEET. How did you get the silver kidneys off the grill?

jasonbaek · 09-17-2011, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaxBell

SWEET. How did you get the silver kidneys off the grill?

There are are 4 tabs on each kidney surrounding that slides onto the grill. you can take them off \by gently pulling them from the grill.

Blackedout95 · 09-17-2011, 11:01 PM

Nice job

jasonbaek · 09-18-2011, 12:27 PM

I also painted front&rear bumper trims yesterday. I took both bumpers out but I couldn't get trims out even from the behind..kinda afraid of breaking them. SO I just masked them and they turned out quite nice.

411 · 09-18-2011, 12:34 PM

I am very hopeful that you will post a response to "ceeker's" question on where to get
the "plasti-dip"??

Ceeker · 09-18-2011, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonbaek

I also painted front&rear bumper trims yesterday. I took both bumpers out but I couldn't get trims out even from the behind..kinda afraid of breaking them. SO I just masked them and they turned out quite nice.

Yeah that should work too, since you have a dark color but with white it makes it very tricky. Since you've removed your bumpers all you have to do is take the rebar off for the long trim. there are tabs visible that you press down on to release the trim from the bumper. if you left the rebar attached to the car you also have access to the back trim piece. trust me I know I've broken my share of trim tabs..lol