Re-Painting Plastic Bumpers

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Fred - 10 Jul 2005 21:42 GMT

I'm going to have my 90 Eclipse repainted and I would like
to paint the black bumpers with the same paint as the body
(silver). The body shop won't guarantee the paint on the
bumpers more than 90 days due to they say it may not bond
well and could peel off.

I'm thinking about sanding them down, painting with a light
colored bumper touch up spray paint, then sanding lightly
again before taking it to the body shop. Maybe a couple of
coats.

I would appreciate any advise from anyone who has done
something like this.

Fred

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Mike Dirnt - 10 Jul 2005 22:28 GMT

> I'm going to have my 90 Eclipse repainted and I would like
> to paint the black bumpers with the same paint as the body
> (silver). The body shop won't guarantee the paint on the
> bumpers more than 90 days due to they say it may not bond
> well and could peel off.

Find a better "body shop"!
Painting plastic is easy as pie, although the aftermarket ones do
require some added brain matter and thought, as well as extra preperation.

> I'm thinking about sanding them down, painting with a light
> colored bumper touch up spray paint, then sanding lightly
> again before taking it to the body shop. Maybe a couple of
> coats.

That is where you too would be wrong.
FIRST you must WASH the bumper in guestion so as to remove any and all
mold releases.
This goes double for after market crap.

Sanding it first will only BURY the existing crap further into the
substrate that you wish to paint, causing you problems.

This is why that "body shop" you went to can't advise you better,
beacuse THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE!

Once it is CLEAN, then lightly scuff it, and then apply the proper
ADHESION PROMOTER for the type of plastic that you want coated.

THEN use the proper primers and top coats that work also with it,
plastics that are flexable(if need be) and that match and work with the
top coats that will match your track's color!

> I would appreciate any advise from anyone who has done

> something like this.

Been their seen it done it!

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Fred - 11 Jul 2005 07:04 GMT

> > I'm going to have my 90 Eclipse repainted and I would like
> > to paint the black bumpers with the same paint as the body
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> mold releases.
> This goes double for after market crap.

Thanks for the info, Mike! This is a 1990, so I'm assuming
that you mean some kind of non-standard car washing
technique that I need to do? Would scrubbing it down with
acetone or methylene chloride be a good idea? That works
good on fax and other rubber rollers to get the "bite" back.

> Sanding it first will only BURY the existing crap further into the
> substrate that you wish to paint, causing you problems.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Once it is CLEAN, then lightly scuff it, and then apply the proper
> ADHESION PROMOTER for the type of plastic that you want coated.

Where would I go to find out the type of plastic it is made
of?

Thanks again. I appreciate the info.

> THEN use the proper primers and top coats that work also with it,
> plastics that are flexable(if need be) and that match and work with the
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Been their seen it done it!

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Stewart DIBBS - 11 Jul 2005 11:42 GMT

> Where would I go to find out the type of plastic it is made of?

Just look in the Yellow Pages for an autoshop paint supplier. They will be
able to advise the correct preparation and paints.

Stewart DIBBS

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Greg Arama - 11 Jul 2005 16:44 GMT

>>>I'm going to have my 90 Eclipse repainted and I would
>
[quoted text clipped - 50 lines]
> acetone or methylene chloride be a good idea? That works
> good on fax and other rubber rollers to get the "bite" back.

Wax and grease remover first, then, I have always used lacquer thinner
with a scotch brite pad.
Soap and water, again with another scotch brite, and when dry, One
last time tith the wax-n-grease remover.
Then spray on the adhesion promoter, primer/sealer.. top coats.

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Fred - 11 Jul 2005 20:53 GMT

Thanks, Greg & Stewart.

> >>>I'm going to have my 90 Eclipse repainted and I would
> >
[quoted text clipped - 56 lines]
> last time tith the wax-n-grease remover.
> Then spray on the adhesion promoter, primer/sealer.. top coats.

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Fred - 14 Jul 2005 09:38 GMT

Well, I went ahead with my best guess.... First I washed the
car, using the kind of brush you use to wash vinyl tops -
stiff but not enough to scratch the paint. Then I wiped down
the rubber strips with acetone - man, that stuff got up
layers and layers of "bumper black" paint. Once I got it
down to the original rubber, I filled in any pock marks, aka
holes, with an epoxy made for plastics. Then after dry, I
sanded the rubbers strips, first with 200, then 400 then
800 the 1000 grit sandpaper. It doesn't look like new, but
it is smooth and a lot better than before. The car is now
being painted and I'll report back how it came out in a few
days.

> I'm going to have my 90 Eclipse repainted and I would like
> to paint the black bumpers with the same paint as the body
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Fred

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Morgan Ågren - 14 Jul 2005 15:59 GMT

> Well, I went ahead with my best guess.... First I washed the
> car, using the kind of brush you use to wash vinyl tops -
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> being painted and I'll report back how it came out in a few
> days.

Good luck, and I hope who ever paints it sands everything correctly, let
alone applies the right stuff before painting.
After all, 1000 is WAY to fine to sand anything for any kind of
adhesion. I use that for "color sanding" before I buff the paint.
400 is still a little fine in my opinion.

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Fred - 15 Jul 2005 06:11 GMT

Thanks, yes, I thought 400-1000 also was too fine, but
anything coarser chewed up the rubber.

> > Well, I went ahead with my best guess.... First I washed the
> > car, using the kind of brush you use to wash vinyl tops -
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> adhesion. I use that for "color sanding" before I buff the paint.
> 400 is still a little fine in my opinion.

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