Ci FLY
04-23-2003, 04:50 AM
Ok board, since we got this new forum up and running, I'm not going to waste time and give you guys a nice DIY.
The products you will need are:
1. Primer ( I used Rustoleum white primer)
2. Clear coat (preference depends on amount of lustre you desire)
3. Color matched paint which may be attained from the dealer (may vary on dealerships) or www.towerpaint.com (referred by p0tpie).
4. Rubbing alcohol
5. Sandpaper (400 grit)
6. Newspaper
To start the paint prep-process, pop your hood and take the front grill off along with the slats. Clean the chrome surfaces with rubbing alcohol and dont worry about rubbing too hard. As for the eyelids, wash the plastic surface with only soap and dry. Find a nice clear place to work and arrange work on sheets of newspaper. Keep something heavy, like rocks on the corners of the newspaper, so if a wind picks up, it doesn't touch the wet paint!
Applying the Primer:
- After shaking the can of primer for a good five minutes, apply LIGHT coats of primer to the washed surface of the eyelids from about a foot keeping the can upright at all times (you dont want to have drops of primer dripping on the surface after you stop spraying). 2-3 light layers of primer should be good enough and work on each eyelid individually.
- For the kidney grill, you will need to be applying the primer in the same fashion: light coats with can in an upright position. You may want to apply 3-4 light layers to the chrome surface and make sure you get primer in all the areas you want to paint.
Sanding the Surfaces:
- After the primer has been applied and dried (dries in about 5-10 minutes), you want to make sure that you have a smooth layer to apply the paint to. Using 400 grit sandpaper gently sand the surfaces of the eyelids to get a smooth and even texture throughout the surface.
- For the kidney grill, the process is similar, yet slightly different. Since the surface beneath the primer is chrome, you may reveal the chrome layer again by sanding to hard. If this happens, apply more light coats of primer and resand softly, until the entire surface is smooth and there is no chrome visible. Primer dries quick, so after 5-10 minutes proceed to the next step.
Painting the Surfaces:
- After you have your eyelids smoothened out, you need to apply the the color matched paint. Apply the paint to the eyelids individually moving your arm in the same direction. Once again, to acheive the best effect, use light coats and keep the can upright. It is crucial you get an even amount paint in ALL the visible areas, so walk around the eyelids and check closely. I used approximately 3-6 layers of paint for each eyelid. Depending on what you define as light coats, you may need a few more coats or a few less coats. Wait no more than ten minutes between applying layers of paint.
- For the kidney grill, follow the same steps for painting as above.
Applying the Clear coat:
*After you have painted the surface of your eyelids, make sure the surface is smooth again. If you have rough and uneven areas, lightly sand and apply a layer more of paint.
-Your eyelids are now ready for clear coat. Shake the clear coat can for about five minutes, and apply in the same fashion as the paint: light layers. However, with the clear coat, you can apply the layers faster, meaning you can wait about 2 minutes between each coat. Apply many coats of clear coat! When I painted my eyelids the first time, 15 coats was not even close to enough. The second time I re-did them, I had nearly 30 coats of clear coat if not more! This also depends on the type of clear coat you are using and how much lustre it gives off.
-For the kidney grill, the process is the same as above.
REMEMBER: Do not touch the eyelids or the grill until the final layer has dried!
End Results :):
http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/6916eyelids1.jpg
http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/6916eyelids2.jpg
http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/6916eyelids3.jpg
http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/6916eyelids4.jpg
http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/6916exterior.jpg
Disclaimer: I was successful in following these steps along with the help of fellow board members. If you do not acheive the same results as I do, then you just suck at teh DIY.
Good Luck and enjoy :thumbup:
The products you will need are:
1. Primer ( I used Rustoleum white primer)
2. Clear coat (preference depends on amount of lustre you desire)
3. Color matched paint which may be attained from the dealer (may vary on dealerships) or www.towerpaint.com (referred by p0tpie).
4. Rubbing alcohol
5. Sandpaper (400 grit)
6. Newspaper
To start the paint prep-process, pop your hood and take the front grill off along with the slats. Clean the chrome surfaces with rubbing alcohol and dont worry about rubbing too hard. As for the eyelids, wash the plastic surface with only soap and dry. Find a nice clear place to work and arrange work on sheets of newspaper. Keep something heavy, like rocks on the corners of the newspaper, so if a wind picks up, it doesn't touch the wet paint!
Applying the Primer:
- After shaking the can of primer for a good five minutes, apply LIGHT coats of primer to the washed surface of the eyelids from about a foot keeping the can upright at all times (you dont want to have drops of primer dripping on the surface after you stop spraying). 2-3 light layers of primer should be good enough and work on each eyelid individually.
- For the kidney grill, you will need to be applying the primer in the same fashion: light coats with can in an upright position. You may want to apply 3-4 light layers to the chrome surface and make sure you get primer in all the areas you want to paint.
Sanding the Surfaces:
- After the primer has been applied and dried (dries in about 5-10 minutes), you want to make sure that you have a smooth layer to apply the paint to. Using 400 grit sandpaper gently sand the surfaces of the eyelids to get a smooth and even texture throughout the surface.
- For the kidney grill, the process is similar, yet slightly different. Since the surface beneath the primer is chrome, you may reveal the chrome layer again by sanding to hard. If this happens, apply more light coats of primer and resand softly, until the entire surface is smooth and there is no chrome visible. Primer dries quick, so after 5-10 minutes proceed to the next step.
Painting the Surfaces:
- After you have your eyelids smoothened out, you need to apply the the color matched paint. Apply the paint to the eyelids individually moving your arm in the same direction. Once again, to acheive the best effect, use light coats and keep the can upright. It is crucial you get an even amount paint in ALL the visible areas, so walk around the eyelids and check closely. I used approximately 3-6 layers of paint for each eyelid. Depending on what you define as light coats, you may need a few more coats or a few less coats. Wait no more than ten minutes between applying layers of paint.
- For the kidney grill, follow the same steps for painting as above.
Applying the Clear coat:
*After you have painted the surface of your eyelids, make sure the surface is smooth again. If you have rough and uneven areas, lightly sand and apply a layer more of paint.
-Your eyelids are now ready for clear coat. Shake the clear coat can for about five minutes, and apply in the same fashion as the paint: light layers. However, with the clear coat, you can apply the layers faster, meaning you can wait about 2 minutes between each coat. Apply many coats of clear coat! When I painted my eyelids the first time, 15 coats was not even close to enough. The second time I re-did them, I had nearly 30 coats of clear coat if not more! This also depends on the type of clear coat you are using and how much lustre it gives off.
-For the kidney grill, the process is the same as above.
REMEMBER: Do not touch the eyelids or the grill until the final layer has dried!
End Results :):
http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/6916eyelids1.jpg
http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/6916eyelids2.jpg
http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/6916eyelids3.jpg
http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/6916eyelids4.jpg
http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/6916exterior.jpg
Disclaimer: I was successful in following these steps along with the help of fellow board members. If you do not acheive the same results as I do, then you just suck at teh DIY.
Good Luck and enjoy :thumbup:
