Repainting bumper cover to a different color

I purchased an OEM bumper cover for my 08 explorer from a salvage yard. The cover that I bought does not match the color that is currently on my explorer. I need to paint it and plan on doing it my self.

What do I need to do to prep the salvage bumper cover that already has clear coat and paint on it? I have done some research and am finding that I might need to use scotchbrite pad or some fine sand paper to prep, then clean then adhesive promoter, then primer then paint?

The color I need to paint the salvage cover is going to be black, currently it is a tan/gold color.

 

[MONMIX]

sounds like you have all your ducks in a row.

One thing to consider though is since it is a plastic bumper cover you are going to want to use a paint designed for plastic bumper covers. Meaning a paint that has flex agent added. Otherwise, your paint will flake off if it ever gets bumped. Which it is a bumper so it will likely get bumped.

 

[relentless85]

Since it already has clear coat and paint, do I just need to sand through the clear coat down to the existing paint then clean it and put primer on it OR do I need to sand through the clear coat and paint down the plastic then clean and put adhesive promoter and then primer?

 

[karlos2]

I would scuff the entire surface. Krylon Fusion paint is great for plastics.

 

[ThatExplorerDude]

Following this... Post some pictures when you go to do it

 

[Onuma]

Scuff over the old clear coat. You can do a decent job with rattle-can paint, such as Krylon Fusion as karlos2 mentioned, or if you have any form of spray gun you can utilize one of those. Either way, make sure you do a little bit of practice work either on a section which will be covered up, or use a test panel, etc. This way you know how your spray can/gun is set up, how far to hold it, how many passes to make, etc.

Also, if you want the paint to last longer, you'd do best to use a regular base coat and a clear coat, as opposed to a single-stage colored enamel. Enamel is fine for the short term, but it will fade much quicker than a base + clear.

Keep in mind: no matter how well the color is produced it will never be a 100% perfect match to your original base coat & finish. The only way to get a perfectly-matched car is to paint the entire car all at once, using the same primer, base, and clear coats. You can get close with blending techniques, original manufacturer's paint codes, but never 100%.