colour coded front grill

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redrange

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846
i have a colour coded front grill but not colour coded bumpers or anything else for that fact.
i have only ever seen one other P38 with plain bumpers and colour coded grill! (it was dark blue) are they/we that rare?
 
i have a colour coded front grill but not colour coded bumpers or anything else for that fact.
i have only ever seen one other P38 with plain bumpers and colour coded grill! (it was dark blue) are they/we that rare?

I noticed that when I read your thread about your 6 hours work. I think it looks nice with black bumpers. Not sure if it would be too much with red bumpers too.
 
Hi Redrange I agree I haven't seen many with black bumpers and the grill painted. Mine will soon be the same though as I have black bumpers but I want to colour code my grill. :D

Dopey can you advise what paint you used to colour code yours?

Although now I am in two minds as to whether I should send off for the one on ebay!!:eek:

Matt
 
If i had the chose again TBH i would definitely get the Ebay one

But having said that, 1st off you will have to get your paint from the dealer, you'll have a paint code on your slam (its on the vin plate that’s under the bonnet) then you'll have an exact match you will need 2 tins (to be safe) and one can of lacquer

Wash the piece you are going to spray in washing up liquid, rinse of (make sure all the washing up liquid is off, let it dry completely, then use some kind of degreaser to make sure all the grease is off (you can use brake cleaner)

Now he following is VERY important if you don’t want to screw the job up
you will need some kind of etch spray for the plastic so it “eats” in to the plastic so it gets a really good bond, or it will chip and peel off in a few months time ruining all the work you did, you can get this from any of your local motor mart “Holts” or “Plasticoat) do it so its not hard to find

Then wait for a nice sunny day (lol) I found the wife’s washing line to be best to hang the grill from, so hang it up on the washing line with a wire coat hanger, that way you can do the front and sides (and back if you want) without moving the work piece

If you want you can use an undercoat, but using the etch you don’t have to, it’s the same thing, use very light applications (the more you spray it with light coats the better it will be, and it wont run or go orange peel on you, wait 10 mins or so between coats and get about 4 or 5 coats on it at lest, do the front and sides first (just in case you run out of spray) then you will know how much you have left just tidy up the back if your doing that too (I didn’t bother cuz you cant see it anyway)

If you have a metallic finish, you have to rub it down VERY lightly and it will kind of knock the top of the paint so the metallic flakes show thru, you wont see this and it looks a mess, but when you apply the lacquer, all will become clear, and it will make sense, again light coats, and the more the better, waiting between each coat for it to “go off”

See easy!! Its easier than it sounds
 
mine was black, you can see where its been wet flatted first but i dont mind that, think it looks cool like it is but i may do the mirrors, boydonegood did his and they come out very good indeed.
 
Many thanks Dopey for the Info.

I will have to brush up on my spray painting skills, I used to do it as a full time job at Longbridge many years ago :D

I take it then as Red Range has said that you can do the same method to your door mirrors?

Can you do the same to the bumpers aswell? or do you have to get hold of fibreglass ones :confused:

Many thanks

Matt
 
no you can do the same with any plastic, small bits like the mirrors are easier yo do......and look the DB and its satisfying to know you did it
 
no you can do the same with any plastic, small bits like the mirrors are easier yo do......and look the DB and its satisfying to know you did it

I am thinking of painting the lamp guards on mine, what was the product you used? Do you recommend the halfrauds colour match spray paints?
 
I am thinking of painting the lamp guards on mine, what was the product you used? Do you recommend the halfrauds colour match spray paints?

iv heard bad things about them and the match! go to an auto car colour shop, its best in long run.
if ya colours out it will be a load of work to put it right!

im lucky, theres one just round the corner from me and their very good!
 
I don't trust the colour match on the halfrauds stuff( but sometimes you hear diffrent) I have a auto car colour shop near me- I needed to know what prep I need to do to the grills, i did read some where I have to use a plasticote product to make the paint more flexible. The last thing I want is to have the paint chip and flake off!
How much do you think a proper body shop would charge to do all six grill and the rad grill?
 
I don't trust the colour match on the halfrauds stuff( but sometimes you hear diffrent) I have a auto car colour shop near me- I needed to know what prep I need to do to the grills, i did read some where I have to use a plasticote product to make the paint more flexible. The last thing I want is to have the paint chip and flake off!
How much do you think a proper body shop would charge to do all six grill and the rad grill?

ive no idea!
plasticote is to help the paint stick to the plastic.
i got a tin ages ago, you only use 2 very light coats so it last for ages.
 
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