Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

Alright so I've been thinking about painting my trim peices on my VP 4 door for a while now, but I haven't found a place that sells OEM paint until LT2004 brought it to my attention.

Here's my car..
https://www.civicforums.com/forums/a...6&d=1177272536

and here's the paint..*courtesy of LT2004:D*
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/952/random017me2.jpg
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/4...ndom018gh5.jpg

I want to paint the trim, handles, and side mirrors w/ this paint, and clearcoat. My question is do you guys think it can/should be done? I've painted my grill black, and what not, but I haven't done anything like this before. Obviously I would have to sand it down and everything, but what do you guys think? Am I being cheap and foolish not to take it to a bodyshop? or should I go for it?

thanks!

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

try it, and if u mess up....take it to a shop :D

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

nice. hows the hks hi power holding up? :D

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

hahaha love it.. I know this dude that's gonna like steal it from me:lol:

I like your style Suzy.. and if I do screw it up.. Ill paint the whole car type-r Yellow:tup:

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

^ see. problem solved
ooohh type r yellow, then you can get the TDM Front Aero Lip, zomg its hot

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

I remember a pic of a car like that a while back but I can't find it.. it was freakin SWEET:eek:

I wonder if I have to bother sanding down these trim peices now:shrug:

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

^ i would recommend you do that.

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

I think you'll be able to do a fine job. I'd just do one piece first though and see how it turns out. The mirrors will probably be a little more tricky just because of the curves and angles, but not too bad. Good luck and I look forward to pictures!

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

yea i say go to a junk yard and just pull some piece off a car prefferably another vic, and try it out on that then look at your job, and see if u wanna try it on ur car :)

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

^lol yeah.. I imagine it would go something like this...
https://www.civicforums.com/forums/a...4&d=1177272069

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

eh... go ahead and take it off the car if u go that route :)

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

It all depends on what kind of look you are going for and how much time and energy you are willing to use on this project.

Regardless of weather or not you are going to sand it, you need to clean the surface with something to remove all the grease.... Rubbing alcohol, or wax and grease remover, something like that. Depending on the part, such as the interior pillars, if you want to get rid of that rough texture, I would reccommend using a body filler of some type, then sanding that. It would be more difficult to sand the plastic, not to mention it won't sand smooth. You'll get shavings of plastic sticking up from the part. So if you do that, then it'll look like a set of fiberglass pillars, know what I mean? Right so if you choose not to, then it'll just be painted and the texture will show through. If you don't smooth it out and leave the texture, you should abrade the surface area being painted with something like 320, or 400 grit. It'll give the paint more surface area to stick to. However, if you sand and then do a half ass job, it'll show through the paint. Any other ?'s just let me know.

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

^ thanks for the input! I think you're right, and I should sand it w/ a very small grit level to make sure the paint sticks correctly... these peices are plastic, so I have to try to keep it level as well, just gotta be very persistent, and not half ass it LOL

I'll prolly do a DIY out of this I'm starting to think...

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

Sand it definitely you'd be stupid not to.

Do it like this:

1. Use 400 Grit WET/DRY sandpaper to scuff up the pieces, then clean it with varsol and then let it dry. Prime the pieces with a similar colour.

2. Once the primer has dried, spray them with a few coats of the colour match and let that dry. If you're doing this in a garage or anywhere where there's, pour some water on the floor when it's drying so dust doesnt fly up and stick to the paint.

3. Once the basecoat has dried go over any rough area with 2000 grit WET/DRY sandpaper, and make sure to wet it and sand lightly.

4. Once you've smoothened out the rough patches, even it out with some light coats of paint if needed, and let that dry.

5. Clearcoat the hell out of it

Follow this process and you'll be fine. Don't half ass is because 1. You'll just have to do it again and 2. The pieces are exterior so they're exposed to harsher conditions. Doing it right will make the paint stick properly and not crack, peel, etc.

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

take it to the shop and pay $30 more.

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

also put the clearcoat on wet

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

Hahaha...that shit looks fukkin' ghetto! U lazy mofo, didn't wanna take off the bumper and all that good stuff huh....give u props tho, u took the entire Sunday paper to that bumper didn't u? Hahaha....:lol:

Good job tho' and good luck on ur future projects! :rockon:

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

Go for it. Worst you can do is have to take it to the paint shop.

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

lol! yeah I did go pretty crazy w/ the Boston Sunday Globe.. but overspray is a bitch.

Thanks everyone for your imput.. and ashtonp for the quick how-to.

I'm gonna start buying the supplies.. and when it's all said and done I'll be an EX poser!:D

Re: Project: TRIM PAINTING
 

I wanna be an EX poser. I'm super sick of my black mirrors and door handles. Hmm.. I heard the mirrors are fairly easy to do, but getting an exact match on your door handles is a lot harder then you would think, even with a car of factory paint. But hopefully you can get it done- new door handles are pretty expensive.