Evening ppl,

I was hoping some of you guys out there are able to help me on a few things, the title pretty much says it all. I have a 97
rex, it has the crappy looking black plastic skirts, rear bumper return bits and handles. My plan is to take them all off and
paint them in a semi gloss black paint. I had a little bit of a talk to a panelbeater but he didnt seem to interested in helping
me. So, if any of you have some helpful info about what paint and primer i should use, any tips or whatever it would be
much appreciated.

-Trizo.

What colour is your car?

its the dark forest green, i should be getting some new black rims in the next week or so. thats why i chose to do them black. get a little 2 toned colour effect on the car.

you could pay like $100 at hoopers panel and paint in bibra lake, they do an ok job, but if you are jsut gettin the side skirts done i dont think you could go wrong!

about 2 years ago i got two doors, rear bumper rear quarter panel and a panel beat out and resprayed for something rediculous like $400

ok. The original unpainted handles have a textured finish. Do you want to retain this or have them smooth like the later models? Are you taking it to a shop or DIY?
When I did mine, I plastic welded a plate over the hole for the olck barrel on the passenger side and smoothed it off. Looks original and makes one less point for break ins.

God I'd hate to think what a $400 job for painting half a car would look like... Would cost more than that in decent materials...

yea thats why i said it was 'ok' but as i said if it was just the side skirts good value for money i say!

I have to do this little project myself but just been too lazy to do so
The rear plastic pods will be tricky to take off as you require to take the bumper off in order to take the pods off. Alternative is to mask off the area really well so you get no over spray.

Basic painting tips for plastics:

1. Rub back plastics thoroughly with wet and dry sand paper, make sure that it is wet when doing so. Don't rub hard just a little pressure to take off any silicone build up and any rough patches from stone chips etc...

2. Dry parts completely!! Hand dry and let them sit for a while to ensure all moisture has evaporated.

3. Plastic prime the parts. I usually do two coats, allowing plenty of drying time between coats, make sure you spray an even layer. What I tend to do is "dust" the first coat on and then a "normal" coat after that has dried.

4. Same steps as number #3 for spraying the actual colour you want but I would do three coats to allow for stone chips that may occur etc...

NOTE: When spraying start the can before the surface and release after the surface for an even amount of paint.

Anyway... thats how I use to paint my plastic bits and they always turned out well.

In terms of paint I go to the colour matching paint shop in Balcatta on Balcatta Rd that can make you up any colour you want and put it in a can or a touch up tin. Good bloke and always willing to give advice.

Good-luck with it.

__________________
....slow and steady wins the race....fark that!!

I would to do it all myself cause there isnt much to do. i was planning to make them all smooth, would going over them with a small amount of fiberglass based car fill, then sanding them back work?
welding over the lock barrel sounds like a good idea, didnt think of that. who uses a key these days anyway.


Thanks for the replies so far guys.

na dont use fiberglass. Give the handles a really good clean and even wipe them over with some thinners. Give them a really good rub with a green scothbrite pad, one coat of plastic primer and then a few coats of primer filler. The smoother you lay it on the less you need to rub back.
With the lock barrel, I only did the passenger side so if my battery ever goes flat etc I can still use the drivers side.