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Bump Strips paint project! Doors and bumper

6K views 30 replies 15 participants last post by  XChamp10 
#1 · (Edited)
Ok so here is a little project I just finished tonight... painting all the black bump strips from the doors and bumpers to match the car color. I did the job myself as most every mod I do. Total cost is about 65 dollars DIY for the paint and supplys (I already had the clear coat mix and all the supplies so it was only about 35 dollars for the steel grey mix). I added about 1% darkener tothe paint mix itself to get a very VERY slight contrast against the car paint. It's hard to tell unless you're looking for it.. but if you have a good eye and paint knowledge.. you can see what I mean. The idea was to try and keep a bit of the cars lines (how the black of the strips help break the length of car up a bit) but while having it still look like factory paint. I was afraid doing it exactly the same would make it look MUSHY. It took me a few mixes (trial an error) to come up with the correct formula using the steel grey and a tiny bit of tint (light black). I also added about 3% flex compound too my clear coat (my own formula). I mentioned in another post how I do automotive painting as a side hobby and had DIY "ghetto" paint booth that I made in my basement, so I included pictures of that too. All the pictures of the car were taken at night after a ride down a dusty dirt road, so i'll wash the car tomorrow and take a full shots in the day light so you can see it better. The idea came to me after seeing a black 9-5 drive by.. and of course it was black on black.. so it looked nice matching. Also threw in some pictures on my quick engine bay paint job, even though I already posted. If anyone in the new england area wants me to paint any body kits or trim a lot cheaper than a professional business let me know. I really have fun doing it, and I'd love to help you out.




Here is the view from outside my little paint room



Here is a view from inside. I have it vented up through an extra dryer duct up and out of my house. (Yes the fan duct taped together. It's a window fan taped into a large copy paper box and the pipe comes out)

Here is the last view from the other side where I have a fan bringing in fresh outside air!


One hour wet sanding and 2 base coats of primer and more sanding


5 coats of paint a small amount of wet sanding


6 coats of clear (because these tend to get hit by car doors and shopping carts a lot. Finished result.



Dusty night time car shots

 
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#3 ·
Nice job! I like your "ghetto" paint booth! :lol: Smart plan with the fan to extract the air and the other to supply it.

Wish I was in your area, but if you ever happen to be Indiana I might have a rear valance and some skirts for you to paint in Polar White. :cheesy:
 
#4 · (Edited)
HAHAH thanks. Maybe someday I'll be able to afford a garage! Minor body work and auto painting has become a growing interest/hobby of mine and I'm not half bad at it. (^.^) The vent fans were a must, seeing as how my hot water heater has a big old pilot light on it. The plastic is pretty much air tight but not 100%.. but it keeps about 98% of the flammable fumes from getting into the other basement areas and 100% from up in the house. I like to paint outside usually for big projects.. but this gave me the chance to spend more time and not have to worry about the weather.. Plus it was fun to do, and I can hide from my wife lol

anyway I've done a few valances actually. I'd be more than happy to help guide you though the process if you want to DIY.

Speaking of which lol...For this VW here I did the exhaust system and cutout on the valance, sprayed the black valance to match the car, and the lights too (don't ask it is what he wanted lol)
 
#6 ·
Not in the primer or paint, but my clear had about 3% flex compound in the mix (my special recipe). I was pretty pissed because usually after finishing paint ill give it a 48 hour period to harden 100%. I was so excited to get these back on the car that about 3 hours after the last coat of clear I took them outside to compare against the car color and dropped on off my deck onto asphalt. Bad idea.. took a huge chunk outta it down the the primer.. but after some sanding and respray with my last fumes of paint.. I fixed it
 
#8 ·
Really Really. Easy. I was originally going to paint them on the car and tape it all off... until I decided I wanted to get rid if the "textured" finish of the strips and make them smooth like the car finish. You can use a knife or flat screw driver to pop all the bumper ones off. The ones on the doors you need to pop them off one clip at a time and when you get to the little FLAT part of the strip on the end you slide it back to get the last part off. There are little rubber boots on each of the little knobs/clips just make sure you don't lose any of those or they wont go back on correctly.
 
#10 ·
Yea wasn't too bad. Took me 3 days or so to get them back on the car.

-15 minutes to get off the car
-1 hour of wet sanding
-2 coats of Primer (30 minutes not counting dry time)
-15 minutes wet sand
-5 coats color (hour or so total spray time no counting drying)
-15 min wet sand
-6 coats clear (1 hour 20 minutes or so spray time, not counting drying)
-minimal wet sand
-at least 12 hours hardening time
-10 minutes reinstall
 
#13 · (Edited)
Thanks!! Finally more positive than negative on a mod job haha. WOO! I live in MA and RI throughout the week. West Warwick/Warwick line RI area about 15 min from providence.. and the NORTON/ATTLEBORO MA area about 25 min from boston/providence..


I added about 1% darkener to the paint mix itself to get a very VERY slight contrast against the car paint. It's hard to tell unless you're looking for it.. but if you have a good eye and paint knowledge.. you can see what I mean. The idea was to try and keep a bit of the cars lines (how the black of the strips help break the length of car up a bit) but while having it still look like factory paint. I was afraid doing it exactly the same would make it look MUSHY. It took me a few mixes (trial an error) to come up with the correct formula using the steel grey and a tiny bit of tint (light black). I also added about 3% flex compound too my clear coat (my own formula).
 
#12 · (Edited)
Did a little photo shoot today. Here are the updated pictures. Photo shopped them a lot so not a great example of the color. But they will do.










THis last one I took with my phone and its non Photoshopped so all the color is natural You can just make out our 9000 aero behind it ^.^
 
#30 ·
Did a little photo shoot today. Here are the updated pictures. Photo shopped them a lot so not a great example of the color. But they will do.










THis last one I took with my phone and its non Photoshopped so all the color is natural You can just make out our 9000 aero behind it ^.^
Looks FANTASTIC! BUT..............do your door handles the same because they stick out like a sore thumb..
 
#16 ·
Yea thanks man. I added my special recipe of 1% black tint into the paint mix. The idea was to keep the lines of the car intact (how the black breaks up the car) and not have it all blend into mush.. like that guy that had his car wrapped. It is the saab 279 steel grey with my tint added ^.^

I'm glad you noticed that, because a lot of people don't pick up things like that, and it took me 3 mixes with the tint in the steel grey to get the color just what I wanted.

BTW your strips are super bright. Did you paint them or are they just real fresh and clean? My door handles are really faded out now.. I was thinking about painting them too but was afraid it was scratch off to easy so i just left them.
 
#17 ·
Here's my version.
Kept the main boot section stock as loading bikes/toys tip runs only scratch the paint. When I put in the rear parking sensors my change mind.



This one was done earlier thought about changing wing trim. Thought better of it.



Thinking of coding the lower skirts next. Door handles still stock.


How "she" looks at minute. Even Silvered the roof rails.
 
#18 ·
It was about 50 years ago and her name was Alice. Spray cans were just coming out and she was painting in her basement.

Nice old lady, but when the heater came on it blew the basement windows out and sadly, she died in the explosion.

Your make-up and air change system is critical so make sure it's sufficient.

Sorry for being negative but this dredged up that memory.
 
#22 ·
Hey man thanks. I actually just redid all of them all the way around the car. I got bumped by a bad driver in a parking lot and she took a big chunk of paint off them. I would never be able to get the color 100% match of the other ones, so I resprayed them all. I added less tint to the paint this time so they match the car paint a little bit better, but still enough to stand out and break up the lines. Ill have to get another picture up soon.

I hand painted this little GRIPH the other day using a stencil


 
#28 ·
Nothing special needed. Lift up from the bottom of the strip and pull gently and the tabs will release; then the whole strip will essentially drop out. The middle strip and the side strips are interlocked together with tabs so you must separate them. Once the middle strip is free the parking sensors can be removed from the rear of the strip; sorry I can't remember if they twist out or are just compression-type fittings but it's apparent when you get it apart.

Cheers.
 
#24 ·
no bubbles in the paint. Some of the strips had big gouges in them before the paint and they are a bumpy plastic to start with. I used an air gun on a small compressor using mixed paint, but I added tint and a flex additive. However, I did use automotive grade primer from a can, but I spent a lot of time wet sanding it before the top coat to keep the quality professional
 
#27 ·
Stuuuupid stupppid me pulled up to far in the lot today and hit the parking curb with the front body kit... ;oops: BIG old Gouge under my plate now. I almost cried literally.. Im alwaysss so careful but was in a rush to work.. :x :nono;

My plan is to mount a EURO plate under the front plate to hide it..

"Saab_Love" swede plate. Ill send some pix when i get it
 
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