So i think im getting tired of the big hunk of chrome on the front of my truck. I eventually want to blackout the heads and tails aswell but I figure the grille would be the easiest and most noticable change.

FIRST off, do you guys think it would look good?



its kind of hard to tell what it looks like in pictures. It basicly looks like a lincon grille but with thinner pillars.

my second question is what do I have to do to paint it. from what I can gather it seems that I need to wash it with dish soap and let it air dry, sand it untill the chrome has a lot of swirls and is dull, apply X coats of ad. promoter, apply X coats of primer, and then apply X coats of paint.

Any tips or suggestions?

 

I would paint to match it. I did both, and i LOVE the way it looks when its white to match the truck..here look for yourself. The black surround looks...weird...

as far as painting, all i did for mine was clean it good, scuff the clear off it, primer, paint, clear. But with that chrome I'm not sure if you want to go all the way to the plastic (i have seen them peel off before) or paint over it.

before


after

 

Very nice looking truck. I LOVE your hood. details? haha
I digress....
So what you are saying is I should paint the surround white, and the middle black? I like how it looks on your truck.

 

Thanks , its a reflexxions cowl hood, I lucked out and got it free! (traded stock for it ).

Well You can keep the chrome grille, that's up to you. Although it would look nice black, but for surround for sure I would paint it white instead of flat black. As I see you have no chrome anywhere else, I think a black grille and paint to match surround would look really good on your truck, painting that chrome grille might be some work tho!

Here is a front shot

 

Thanks! I think ill do that ( black grille and white surround)

and OMG my heart just dropped out of jealousy. How did you get that deal?!?!?!

As for the front shot...now youre just teasing me

 

Haha :P. The guy had it on a leased truck, and was returning it, he needed a stock hood and I wanted a cowl one! It was white to boot, so direct swap!

Back to grille: Yeah you will be happy with results with a black/white grille, it will complete your truck very nicely!

 

Thank you. How did you do your headlights(we have the same year truck so its probably what I need to do).

and what white paint did you get to match the rest of your truck

 

the headlights I bought, Im not much of a finesse guy so I would probably break half the tabs on the lights to get them apart!
The paint- I called a local paint supply store and got them to mix me up a can of oxford white YZ is the code, you can find it in the door jamb(on the door tag). Its pretty common paint (fleet vehicle paint) so they might even have some mixed.

 

cool. how did you apply the white paint?

 

What I did was sand down the paint until it was dull,wipe down with final wipe, 3 times (for good measure heh) (at this point you could spray adhesion promoter, I didnt) primer, then few coats of white, first couple coats real light so it doesn't run and last coat nice and thick for coverage. Same with clear, first few coats nice and light, let it bite, then a nice thick coat, maybe 2 depends how the orange peel is.

Get some rubber gloves, glasses, mask (even in a rattle can, the paint comes out potent as hell!), some de-wax/final wipe prep solvent. Elbow grease

 

What do u mean by orange peel? Hah.

And just for clarification: so i sand down the chrome with rough sandpaper( any tips on getting in the tight corners and spaces?) Clean off the sanded grille with sumthing( will water and soap Work?) Then apply ad promotor or fiber glass resin. ( which is cheaper /easier?). Let dry. Repeat atleast twice .Sand the uneaven spots with fine sand
paper. Wash again? Or no? Then do 3 layers of black primer. Sand uneven spots with fine sand paper. Wash? Then do atleast 3 of flatt black paint.
Did i miss anything? What are good brands to buy for the paint/primer/ and paint sticking stuff lol.

 

Sorry for the typing errors. Im at my girlfriends gymnastics meet so i typed it on my phone lol

 

im sure at your "girlfriends" and not yours..
jk hehe
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Orange peel - the way paint cures if it wasn't sprayed right or under right conditions, the paint will not flow out but will look like "orange peel" (mostly due to cold if you are using a rattle can, or being too far from work)
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The only way i know in getting into tight places is unfortunately just fingers or folding the paper down so it fits. As far as cleaning it with soap before painting, don't. Get some wax and grease remover, or "final wipe" paint prep stuff. Whenever you touch the piece you are painting (sanding, handling with bare hands) you have to wipe it down with some sort of paint prep stuff to remove wax and grease from fingers etc. Easier way would be promoter since you can just spray it. Im not sure if your local auto parts carry the paint prep stuff, I went to a local auto paint supplier for most of the stuff.

 

Lol you caught me ;P

Well i guess ill be makin a trip to the autostore tomorrow no work and only one class so ill have all day

 

I'd do plastidip to paint the grille