E30 Zone

Right fella's im after opinions really here

Im in the middle of doing my grill, I would basically like to give you all two questions to answer so here goes! :-

1. Paint surrounding grill to match freshly painted kidney?

2. Leave surrounding grill?,
but it would look duller compared to kidney!

I just think that if i only spray the kidney up the the rest of the front end "grill" is going to look out of place.. do you know what i mean?

Please leave comments.. cheers

Spray the whole lot together.

Like you said I just sprayed the Kidney initially and it looked a bit off but when I did the whole grille it was spot on.

I'd stick a pic up but my kidney has just had an altercation with a large stone so I need to apply a fresh coat.

Are you applying Lacquer??

Pete, I only sprayed the kidney section as my original grille was in good condition. i use meguiars trim detailer to keep it black.

Hth Dave

cheers fella's

to be 100% honest though im nowhere near completing it! ive nearly rubbed all the chrome down using wet n dry, would i have to to the same with the outer grill?

also whats the best coulour to use, is it black satin? and as wiggy states, would i need to lacquer?

you can do without laquer but it reduces the flex in the paint and the life, means more likely to chip the paint off without laquer.

And yes - matt or satin black - can pick up a small can from B&Q for a couple of quid. I last used some Plastic-kote Project Paint Fast dry enamel flat black, but there are others

Has anyone got pictures with it laquered. I didn't bother as I wanted the Matt finish, close to the original plastic colour and now it's chipped!!!

Did anyone actually separate the grill from the kidneys to do it?? I had to almost brake it off!!! (Unless I was missinga trick!!)

I sanded down the chrome but didn't remove all of it!

I gave the rest of the grille a quick rub down as well just to key it so that the paint would stick.

I didn't apply the lacquer but i'm regretting it now as the kidney has chipped quite easily as the lads said.

Blatant....Kidney should come off on it's own first off, IIRC clips on top and a couple of screws bottom.

I was driving around for a couple of days like this. What did you have to pull apart??


Any satin black will do the job

Yeah took the clips off. I meant totally separate the chrome kidney from the backing.

Gonna have to repaint it. Would rather not laquer it as it will go shiney and I don't want that. May have to go for more layers of paint then?

yeh the chrome comes off mate

nathan, you only need to de-chrome rather than remove the whole kidney from the backing!

I've just realised what I've written....you need PRIMER to give the flex not laquer!!! I want (and have) a matt finish, but I'l show you mine on the weekend anyway!

All sorted for Yeovil?

I actually bought a black grill so shouldnt suffer with chips. The other thing was if I didnt like it I could always swap the chrome back, say if I was to sell it

Wiggy wrote: Blatant....Kidney should come off on it's own first off, IIRC clips on top and a couple of screws bottom.

Mine dosnt have screws just a couple of, best way I can describe them is hooks at the bottom and clips at the top.

d6dph wrote: i use meguiars trim detailer to keep it black.

Will that revive a slightly faded grill. My new black kidnys now show that the rest of the grill have faded a bit .

Will that revive a slightly faded grill. My new black kidnys now show that the rest of the grill have faded a bit

Yup, or turtle wax - back to black trim cleaner but not permenant but only takes 5 min to put on, lasts for a couple of weeks (and also good for other colours - does wonders for my faded red plastic wing mirrors!)

oh and I only have clip fixing moulded plastic thingy - no screws either

d6dph wrote: i use meguiars trim detailer to keep it black.

Cotty180 wrote:Will that revive a slightly faded grill. My new black kidnys now show that the rest of the grill have faded a bit .

Interior dash and trim shine, £1 a can

TW166Y wrote:
also whats the best coulour to use, is it black satin? and as wiggy states, would i need to lacquer?

I primed mine first, then did the lot with Halfrauds Satin Black. (no lacquer).

to be honest even with laqcure it can still chip as you can see from mine, but this is over one year old. i removed the chromed kidneys from the grill. and sprayed using normal flat black, then two or three coats of laqcure, but didn't flatten the laqcure coat so it does not appear shiney.

i use tyre blackener stuff on my black parts of the grill and paint it on with a 1 inch paint brush, wipe off with a cloth, works a treat and lasts about a month.

DanThe wrote:

d6dph wrote: i use meguiars trim detailer to keep it black.

Cotty180 wrote:Will that revive a slightly faded grill. My new black kidnys now show that the rest of the grill have faded a bit .

Interior dash and trim shine, £1 a can

Yeah that will work too, any of the Back to black type products seem to work well.

Thinking about it, i didnt use meguiars on the grill (use it everwhere i have black trim tho) i used the last of a bottle of Autoglym bumper gel, painted on with a brush and left for twenty minutes or so, then buff off excess.

Hth

(i am working on the wheel centres too paul)

i was thinkin of colour coding the grill and eyebrows to the car,
has anybody done this or what is your thoughts on this?

Lee

NOOOOOOO Dont do it mate, looks plain wrong!

lee i will second daves opinion, colour coded grills look terrible. black or chrome nought else!!

mrlee

prehaps tht goes 2 say why i cant recall seeing one !!

I have seen a pic or two, ill see if i can find one.

d6dph wrote: (i am working on the wheel centres too paul)

in fact a neighbour noticed my wheels yeaterday and asked me why one sticker was orange, oh the embaresment

Cotty180 wrote:

d6dph wrote: (i am working on the wheel centres too paul)

in fact a neighbour noticed my wheels yeaterday and asked me why one sticker was orange, oh the embaresment

Did you slap him? best way, they dont ask questions after that!

grantfk10 wrote:

TW166Y wrote:
also whats the best coulour to use, is it black satin? and as wiggy states, would i need to lacquer?

I primed mine first, then did the lot with Halfrauds Satin Black. (no lacquer).

Im liking that grant!

lots of nice tips here fella's, so do we think its best to prime up then 1st or what? what about that flex primer, is that the stuff i need?

I used hycote plastic primer (grey) then simoniz satin black ill take pics of the cans if that helps dude.

would be great dave! that will atleast help my memory, then i know what im looking for dude... can these be bought from halfrauds?

Think so fella. give me ten minutes and ill dig out the cans.

sweet stuff!

Voila

your a good un dave, thanks mate

all grill to be rubbed down then yeh? even the outer if dull, just to make it look right

Yeah if the outer is really dull you may as well do it all at once.

Stop stressing and get on with it man!

iDreamBeemer wrote:nathan, you only need to de-chrome rather than remove the whole kidney from the backing!

I've just realised what I've written....you need PRIMER to give the flex not laquer!!! I want (and have) a matt finish, but I'l show you mine on the weekend anyway!

All sorted for Yeovil?

Yeah, just got to sort some sort of itinary (sp) so I don't just bring beer!!!!

Cleaned mt car last night, brushed of the last remnants of polish at about 9.20!!!

Yeah I primed mine, don't think I can have keyed the chrome properly. I actually separated the chrome kidney parts from the backing!!!