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What's the right way to repaint plastic body panels?


gvincent

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My son has the other 95 Firebird I bought for my swap and is going to make 1 good car out of the 2 donor cars I bought. The car he is keeping is white but he is taking the good front bumper cover and front fenders from the other donor which is black.

Question: what is the proper proceedure for re-painting these plastic parts?

Can I just sand them, primer and BC and CC them?

Or is there mor to it?

He doesn't have much money would the Advanced Auto Parts Quarts or ready spray Duplicolor primer, white and clear coat work? He is not looking for a perfect color match just a close enought white.

Thanks,

Greg

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I'm no expert...

 

But I believe the flex additive only assists with the initial drying. IE, use it if you paint the bumper off the car and it will flex a LOT in the next day when you install it.

 

I've been told that flex additive, fisheye eliminator, etc, are all unnecessary... but I'd imagine there's some sort of Great Debate about that amongst the pro's.

 

I painted my Z in separate pieces in my backyard. I did 1 coat of epoxy and one or two light coats of primer on the bumpers and rubber trim. I didn't use any additives. Had no trouble installing them... then again, not much stuff flexes on my zx.

 

I also repainted the front bumper of my mazda 626- one of the new style bumpers that is plastic. I washed it, scuffed it with scotchbrite, wiped it with rubbing alcohol to kill the static, sprayed a coat of bulldog (adhesion promoter), 1 coat of epoxy, and then my paint. Again no additives.

 

Also, I wouldn't use the duplicolor paint. Its lacquer based, I believe. I'd also avoid rustoleum. A budget paint like PPG Omni won't cost much and he'll be able to get the color matched. I've sprayed both the urethane and acrylic enamel... I liked the AU better than the AE, and the AU is only marginally more expensive.

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Agree you should use an initial light coat of adhesion promoter if taken down to bare plastic. The paint system I use then calls for one coat of sealer, then followed by bc, cc--two coats each of bc&cc with 30 minutes of flash between coats.

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I never seem to use the right words in my searches! I used "plastic" instead of "Urethane"

RacerX I was hoping you would answer this thread and the thread you directed me to is great!

I have copied and pasted it into my own Tech library, I hope you don't mind.

My spraying skills are pretty good, it is my knowledge of paints and my poor body and prep work skills that need improvement. The best looking cars I have sprayed were cars that I didn't do the body work on (:-))

Thanks everybody for your responses.

Greg

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gvincent,

 

I'm glad the info is helpful and yes - please - do keep the info, that's what it's here for. Hopefully I'll have my book ready by the end of the year - LOL!!!

 

Ernie/RacerX

 

Would you be able to provide us with photos please? I know I always welcome member project photos - even if they're not Zcars - paint and bodywork is "paint and bodywork"!!!!

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  • 3 months later...
I've used Krylon Fusion paint directly on the hood vents and B pillar trim of my ZX. After a year the paint on the hood vents has faded in the sun. The B pillar trim, perhaps because of its orientation on the car, still looks brand new.

 

which type did u use, the H2O or the the normal stuff, i was recently in MAine and picked up some H2O, haven't had time to try it.

bob

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