Dash painting question

[Timmy]

Well, theres a long weekend ahead and I need something to keep me busy. Has anyone painted their heat vents, a/c knobs a color? I need to know everything I will need to do this, how hard it is and about how long it took.... And what to make it look all nice n' shiny when I'm done. THANKS!!!

 

[kingsleysurf]

yea im kinda interested in changin the color of the a/c knobs too

 

[Hartman]

Just use a few coats of Duplicolor adhesion promotor, then a few more coats of your base color. If you want them to shine, shoot a coat or two of clearcoat on there. Easy as pie.

 

[Derrick C.]

I painted mine last year. It was grey and black stock but its Glossy Black and Glossy Racing Blue now.

I used alot of cleaner on everything and just started painting. 3 coats of paint and 2 coats of clear coat and your done. It took me about 3 days to finish it.

Heres a pic of mine.

 

[kingsleysurf]

how did you paint it did you have a paint gun... or did you have spray paint did you use a brush... ive never painted anything on my car... but here another question do you think i could pain this... crome with it looking good (the graish thing with the ford emblim on it, i dont know the name)... also where do you get the clear coat?

 

[Derrick C.]

I just used a normal spray paint can.

Have you ever seen chrome spray paint??? Its not very chromey. Go buy a can of it and see if thats what you want. I've never painted anything on the outside before but I would think it would wear out from washing the truck. You can try it and see but I'd be a little hesitant with it.

 

[kingsleysurf]

im gonna try it but where do you get the clear coat spray?

 

[Derrick C.]

It should be with the paint. Instead of a color coded cap showing you what the color is it'll be clear to show its clear coat.

 

[Hartman]

I would not try to use chrome spray paint. Even if it does look good right after you paint it, it will fade quickly. Although, you could color-match it white VERY easily and that would look super!

 

[Explorer4u2c]

get that back piece from a junk yard, and send it off to get dipped in chrome..... if you truly want it chrome.

 

[kingsleysurf]

so you think that the white will not fade as quickly as the chrome... is that what you are saying im alittle confused


how bout this anyone know of any kinda paint i could use on it to not let it fade...

 

[aldive]

You will definately not like the look of chrome spray paint.

 

[HB5150]

I agree...chrome paint looks more like crappy aluminum after it dries...I used to work in an upholstery shop and one of the best products to use for painting or dying plastics is called "bulldog". Like someone said above it is an adhesion promotor (basically it makes the plastic poreous so the paint can set in). You may also want to use a light prime coat after the promotor then shoot it with paint...at least 2 coats of paint and maybe one really smooth clear to finish it off. Let it sit out in a little heat for about 2 days before dropping it back in your truck. Good luck...

Oh yeah, when you use the promotor spray one good coat on, let it dry alittle bit, then throw another light coat on and then switch to your next layer (either paint or primer) while that light coat is still a little wet. If you do too much paint or really thick paint your vents will always stick and bind up....

 

[kingsleysurf]

so your saying to use the the promotor, let it sit until it drys then put another light coat on, while that is drying shoot prime coat, let it dry then shoot it with paint, then maybe another coar of paint.... if thats write should i put a coat or 2 on of clear coat?

 

[RoadEnforcer]

Yeah i am thinking about painting the game part kingleysurf is, but black... can anyone suggest a procedure and what paint to use, i am looking forward to doing it this weekend.

 

[Timmy]

Hey! Went up to Murray's yesterday, got the adhesion promotor, and the silver paint to match my explorer. Painted all my heat vents, looks like I got metal ones !! They came out REALLLY GREAT!! I just don't recommend the adhesion promotor if the piece has a paint finish to it already, it was like putting acid on one of my heat vents, so I had to sand it down to get it off, I just painted over the original vent with the silver spray paint (lightly moving the can putting layer by layer on). If you don't know much about painting kingsleysurf, don't HOLD the spray paint too close or too long, it will be running, just slowly keep going over it. I layed them all out next to each other, kept moving the can back and forth about 8 inches from them and let the mist from the spray can just get onto the vents and kept doing layer after layer until the whole thing was completely the color I wanted.

I'm wondering how long this will last though. I need to find some clear coat... Murray's didn't have it, anyone know any other places?

 

[Timmy]

Oh, I also did another thing, the vent pieces come apart, I just painted the front piece of the vent and left the knob to to close and open the vent and the pieces that close when u move the knob off(pretty much the whole back piece) so they didn't "dry up and crack" with the paint. IMO, it also gives it a more 'professional' look.

 

[diablo5969]

Studdedx, I like the way yours turned out. Just out of curiosity, what color is the outside of your Ex? And also, you don't have the push-button 4x4, do you? What 4x4 system do you have? (No long technical explanation necessary; I'm just bored/curious ) And also, are those aftermarket guages?

Sorry about the barage of questions

 

[Derrick C.]

Chase, My Ex is still stock metallic green. As soon as winter gets here it going in the shop for a solid axle swap and fiberglass fenders and then a paint job. It'll match the blue in the interior.

I have manual 4x4 on everything. Manual hubs and manual transfer case.

 

[Derrick C.]

Oh yeah and those are the white face guages. I can't even remember where I got either. I think it was autosyndicate.com . Something like that.