Advice Needed....

Anything goes in the world of fiberglass and plastic



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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 4:42 pm
First time poster, long time lurker.....

Here is what I am wanting to do, and just need somebody with experience to give me advice. I have a 1995 Z28. It is bright red, and the paint for the most part looks brand new. However the front bumper is rough, it was cracked, and the paint is all chipped up, and the rear bumper is faded, and the driver's fender has two holes on the bottom (they are plastic) that aren't really noticeable to most people but to me they stand out like a sore thumb.

Anyway, that is the only damage, however, I recently picked up an SS hood, and spoiler that I would like to get painted to match. So for those keeping tabs, that is a front bumper, rear bumper, hood, spoiler, and fender. The questions I have are as follows:

1. Would it be possible to paint just these parts and get them to match the rest of the car?

2. If all of these parts require to be blended to the existing paint, would it be better to paint the whole car?

3. Since money is tight, should I just get the front and rear bumpers painted (since the original hood and spoiler are in good condition) and forget the rest until a later time, or would it be better to do it all at once. I really can't afford a full repaint, but it would put my OCD into overdrive if the parts did not match the existing paint.

Sorry for the long post, but I have been trying to figure this stuff out for a long time.

Thanks

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 10:23 pm
Those solid reds are usually pretty easy to match and to blend. If the rest of the car is in good shape then there's no reason to paint the entire car; a competent technician will be able to dial in a match and a blend if needed, to get it right.

I wouldn't chance not blending into the door, on the fender repaint. The bumpers though, should be able to get close enough without blending into the car.

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:52 am
I wouldn't chance not blending into the door, on the fender repaint. The bumpers though, should be able to get close enough without blending into the car.[/quote]

What's the point of blending into the door if you butt match the bumpers anyways ??



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 4:09 pm
Thank you both for the input. I have decided to paint all of the parts, and I think I might want to tackle this myself. I have a few questions about this though....

1. Is there a filler that can be used on a fiberglass hood and a flexible bumper? My hood has a small flaw from the molding process, and the front bumper has a spot that will need to be leveled.

2. The hood and spoiler are currently gray in color, i'm assuming primer from the manufacturer, does this need to be sanded off and a new coat of primer put on? Should I put a sealer or primer on all the pieces to get them all to the same stage before primer/base coat? Currently the hood and spoiler are gray primer, the rear bumper is red, the front bumper is new and black, and the fender that I was going to use is blue.

3. Is there a book that references the types of paints, primers, sealers, grits of paper and when to use them, etc. Basically a text book style reference on how to paint a car that is current and one you would recommend?

Sorry for the newbie questions, I have nobody I know personally to bug with questions and cannot seem to find these answers anywhere.

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