Help with grilles

[00Bolt]

I got the stock grilles and lights today, and before I put on the chrome stripping, I wanted to attempt to paint the grilles black.... Im curious what steps I should take prior to painting?

Sand with what grit paper?
pre treat with anything for paint to stick better?
paint with just any spray paint?

im gonna take my time and really try and make this look perfect, and if it doesnt turn out good, i guess ill just sand back down and let someone else do it... but I wanna try myself...

any hints/tips/suggestions?

[Showtime]

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[Showtime]

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[WA 2 FST]

This is some great advice from an expert (Showtime).

I will add that if you want to paint it the color of the truck (glossy black) then you may want to consider a basecoat/clearcoat application. www.paintscratch.com (http://www.paintscratch.com) is where I got the spray cans for doing the taillights. They take your paint code (probably not a huge deal for black, although interestingly enough Ford has two different codes for black) and match it that way.

I was pleased with the product.

[Nuhklz]

In the multiple communications we had last week you said you weren't going to paint your grille and you wanted help with the chrome pieces.

Which is it?

I'm not getting any parts on your behalf until you confirm what you want to do and stick with it for over forty-eight hours.

No http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images/smilies/flthrow.gifintended.

[00Bolt]

i am doing the chrome strips, i plan to have all the grilles finished this weekend if possible.... so its still a go Larry

[jcblack]

and when you use the tack cloth, you dont want to use a whole lot of pressure. If you do, the sticky stuff will get on the part and you will get nasty fish eyes. Just enough pressure to get the crap off that will leave trash in the paint.

[00Bolt]

wow what a chore.... i just now got the lower grille all sanded down after about 2 hours... i used some steel wool pads I had already and its working, but takes alot of elbow grease....

[PoorSvtman]

I would have had them done by a paint shop. Its just me, but spray paint dosent last that long. I did all the prepping steps for the billet grills and it still chiped off because of rocks,etc.

I have spray painted alot of crap too. This is just my :ron:

[Showtime]

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[00Bolt]

ill give you a call tomorrow.... i did use a fine grit wool pad... its not real coarse... but i do see some scratches....

[PoorSvtman]

ill give you a call tomorrow.... i did use a fine grit wool pad... its not real coarse... but i do see some scratches....


steel wool is way more abrasive than you think it is. The scotch brite pads barely leave any scratches compared to steel wool.

Ill bring those bulbs to you and if u have the grills at work ill take a look at them. Im not a paint paster like showtime but i do have some paint skills under my belt.

[jcblack]

ill give you a call tomorrow.... i did use a fine grit wool pad... its not real coarse... but i do see some scratches....

If you slow your roll, I will bring you some red pads from work tomorrow.

[00Bolt]

thanks Mike and Jacob..... ill bring the grilles to work this morning and you guys can take a look and see how much damage I did... i wont do anything else yet...

but I do have a can of light grey plastic primer here at the house I had bought for a model before but never used.... should I use that on the grilles before I paint them black??

[00Bolt]

just wanted to say thanks to Kenny... what a great guy!!! thanks alot!!!

[00Bolt]

i DARE you to find an imperfection!!!! im j/k, im sure they are not perfect, but they turned out darn good, im impressed with myself!!! thanks to all that helped!!!




http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/578DSC00951-med.JPG


http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/578DSC00949-med.JPG

[SpeedyBolt]

Did you spray paint them??

[00Bolt]

yup...

[WA 2 FST]

Looks very nice, Scott.:tu:

[parts truck]

Look good from where i am sitting! :beer:

[Showtime]

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[PoorSvtman]

Looks good. Welcome to the Spray Painters club :tu:

[00Bolt]

well kinda hard to see in these pics, but they are installed and so far so good....



http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/578DSC00952.JPG


http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/578DSC00954.JPG

[SpeedyBolt]

Scott, are you still planning on doing the chrome striping? That is really going to set that off!

[00Bolt]

ya, just havent gotten the strips yet... but thats next....

thanks

[skalywags]

I'd leave it like it is!

[bobbywade69]

Well at least you got some headlights that wook well this time!!! :tu:

[00Bolt]

i personally LOVE the way it all turned out.... dont know why I ever had those black headlights and bent up looking speed grille to begin with!!!



http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/578DSC00978.JPG


http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/578DSC00977.JPG


http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/578DSC00976.JPG

[00Bolt]

in the pictures the chrome strips look a little wiggly and uneven, but thats just the camera.... they are actually really straight... although the one directly below the ford oval might be a little curved because the oval was in the way.... but i have alot of extra left over i can play with later.... .but im happy with results

[WA 2 FST]

Wow!!! Scott, that looks superb. I agree... the stock headlights look really good with the way you have it set up now. :bows Great job, man!

I'm going to be very interested to hear how the adhesive on those strips holds up for you, Larry and Chris T. It looks factory, and looks awesome on all the trucks I've seen it done on.

[00Bolt]

thanks bro!!

ya im also curious about the sticky tape.... but thats what they are made for is for molding on a car... so Im guessing that they should hold up..... but good news is... if they only last 6 months or whatever.... it only cost $8.99 a package and 1 package is basically enough for the entire top grille.....

[Tex Arcana]

Sweet.. good job.

[Showtime]

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[PoorSvtman]

The strips use automotive 3m tape. That stuff is the same thing that is used to hold on side moldings on all the chevy trucks and fords. Its some sticky stuff.