rodrigo Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 Credit where credit is due: I am not the originator of this idea, but I also do not know who was. I have been giving this some thought and after performing a search I could not really find a how to, so hopefully this will make someone's afternoon a bit easier. This should help you in painting your factory grille black while leaving the chrome trim ring around the perimeter of the grille.Materials needed: 180 Grit sandpaper 'Trim Black" made by SEM. It is paint # 39143 Masking tape and various small pieces of cardboard 2 big masonry grouting sponges screwdriver ground to a pointed tip 7 or 8mm 1/8" drive deep socket from a ratchet set Hammer razor bladeBegin be removing the grille: open the hood and on the inside part of the hood where the grille is mounted, you should see 6 plastic little clips that keep the grill on. Carefully remove these, and do not lose them. Once these clips are off, you should be able to pull the grille away just by playing with it a little...do be careful with the hood latch...it is in its little slot and work the grille to pull it away, or work the latch from the inside to compress itself and hand to the inside.So, now, you have a grille in your hands First remove the emblem by placing the two sponges to support the grille, with the grille facing down to the bench, right beside each side you are going to be hammering. You will be hammering, using the pointed screw driver and a hammer...place the pointed part of the screw driver on the long plastic nipple that comes up from the emblen and slash there should be 4 of these. The objective is to hammer the nipple so the metal retaining grommet slides out. as you pop these off, do not llose the retaining clips from the emblem..you will use them again. This should leave you with a emblem-less grille. Now that you are emblemless, begin by laying the grille flat on a bench so you can sand it. I sanded the chrome finish off the grille using 180 Grit sandpaper and a piece of cardboard as a bumper for the sandpaper not to hit the chrome ring (which is to remain). I did not remove all the chrome plating, just a scuff with 180 grit sandpaper. Also, do not forget to 'floss' the grille with sandpaper strips so it looks good when painted. Then, using 3/4" masking tape, tape up the chrome ring so the paint does not hit it. The most important part to get perfect is where the chrome ring runs along the bottom part of the grill...thats the part you look down on, so you see it. Do this perfectly by pulling a ribbon of masking tape and placing it in between the ring and where the slats from the grill attach to the ring...tack the tape at one end and move one hand down while holding the tape using the other hand to tack it in place. make sure it is straight or following a proper line. Use a piecce of cardboard to roll the tape to the ring and tack it in place. Then, run the cardboard wedge along the tape to ensure good bond. Do not worry about the corners right now, just work in the straight sections.Once you have all the straight sections taped, go to the corners. There's no better way to describe it...it's a pain in the butt (word filter!!). Simply pull a small piece of tape, about 1" long, and a corner with three or four pieces like that...it's hard to get a curve and be able to fold the tape back away from the areas to spray with paint...use a razor to but little slits to fold it back. This requires a bit of patience (cue J.S. Bach Cello Suite no. 1).Now, get some more cardboard and place the grille on there to paint it. I did it in the sunlight, because it get warm. Use very light coats, feathering the paint on there. I used about 4 coats after the grille was all covered in black.Let dry, and inspect for imperfections.Once the grille is dry, all you have to do is put the emblem back on, and istall it on the hood. Remove the masking tape by jusp peeling it off.... s l o w l yTo place the emblem back on, place the emblem in its place, turn the grille over and rest it on the sponges again. using the pointed screw driver, place the retaining metal ring in place, and then use the 7 or 8mm socket with a hammer to put it in its place When you hammer these, becareful not to break the plastic nipples. The hammering should be immediate, and direct...no tapping, or power nailing. do this for all 4 rings.Grille install is reverse of removal beforeafterNotes:.Not sure how long this paint will last, but I'm sure it will have to be redone at some point since it is inthe front of the car..The hood release lever will be a little more noticeable than before, but your grille is black and who the heck cares!!! ghhhhhod! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeph430 Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 Nice of you to do a writeup. Easier though, remove grill, mask off what you don't want painted, paint with PlatstiDip, put grill back. Done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeph430 Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 Side note, I have had mine done for a few months now. I have found a few new stone chips in my hood, but the grill still looks PERFECT! No stone chips there at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aequitas_Veritas Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 Nice of you to do a writeup. Easier though, remove grill, mask off what you don't want painted, paint with PlatstiDip, put grill back. Done.←yeah MUCH eisier, thats what I did too, I was one of the first people to get plastidip and shout its durability from the rooftops, haha, but this way works too. I love the new trend for doing write ups, keep it up people, I need more projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maiku Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 i've gone with krylon chalkboard paintstill on there for a month nowno blemishes at allreally strong paintmuch better than the krylon fusion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 that second picture looks like its p-shopped, how did you get it soooo black? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 by the way, your headlights are really clear. i wish mine were like that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeph430 Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 yeah MUCH eisier, thats what I did too, I was one of the first people to get plastidip and shout its durability from the rooftops, haha, but this way works too. I love the new trend for doing write ups, keep it up people, I need more projects.←I the new trend in writeups! Awesome guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maiku Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 someone should sticky them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackT5 Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 I had to touch up my grill yesterday.. had some rock chips from lost of highway driving this summer. It's such an easy "mod" and it looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maiku Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 i put on like 5 coatsthat should be sufficient protection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 I might do this, since I just put in some mesh on the bottom to protect the intercooler... i'll paint that too... or put in "volvospeed" masked off.. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodrigo Posted September 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 that second picture looks like its p-shopped, how did you get it soooo black?←trust me, my friend, that is not photochopped. i got a semi flat finish, so it reflects no light...so it looks 'deep black'. by the way, your headlights are really clear. i wish mine were like that...←also put on E-codes about a month and a half ago with yellow 100W highbeams...for the french 80's flavor :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 yeah, i guess i'd use flat black too, but I love shiney-ness... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodrigo Posted September 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 I the new trend in writeups! Awesome guys!←ya'll being sarcastic, here? i didn't even think of the plasti-dip. if it chips a bit, then i will redo it in plasti-coat. and install my new updated emblem and new 850 slash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.