unstablementaly Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 the chome should just be a coating over white plastic. but yeah, ruffing it up really good and then primer and sand again and paint and 320grit sand again final paint and you're good.! or the 320grit after primer and 2 coats of final paint. maybe clear for protection. i haven't done that yet to mine but i have some refinishing to do as i kinda F'd up with the dremel myself! my vBGarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grimbeaver Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 ok great! thx for the tips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vahkil Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 It's been ~1 year since I did this and it is still looking fresh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanger Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 the chome should just be a coating over white plastic. but yeah, ruffing it up really good and then primer and sand again and paint and 320grit sand again final paint and you're good.! or the 320grit after primer and 2 coats of final paint. maybe clear for protection. i haven't done that yet to mine but i have some refinishing to do as i kinda F'd up with the dremel myself! that's the tip i'm looking for as well! Thanks! ○ ○ ○ Instagram: itshangertime :spin: ○ ○ ○ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nismoz Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Hmm. I wonder if it would look good if I paint the WHOLE OEM grill BLACK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unstablementaly Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 that's the tip i'm looking for as well! Thanks! you're welcome! my vBGarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unstablementaly Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Hmm. I wonder if it would look good if I paint the WHOLE OEM grill BLACK! on a white car? maybe not. but if your car is black, sure! just make sure you smooth the transition from the chrom to the plastic so there is no edge. that would look great! i'm actually thinkin about it and will probably get opinions after some others see the car in person. my vBGarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gitster Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Haha, yeha I just noticed after the grille being run through some nasty weather these past months, I tried to sand a small portion of the chrome to see how tough it was, then I realized it was tough and I smoothed it out. Apparently all that driving I did really got in the grooves I started and its real noticeable. When the weather gets right and I have some time, I may re paint the chrome to black, otherwise Id have to find a clear coat that would fill in the scratches and I dont think it would look right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unstablementaly Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 smooth it with bondo. but you still have to sand all that chrome so the bondo takes better. and all said and done def. clear coat it! i gotta redo mine no matter what because when i put the mesh on in the back i squeezed it to much and now it doesn't hook to the bumper right. my vBGarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legaru Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 This grille is made from a glass-filled ABS plastic, ordinary bondo is okay but not ideal. I recommend using a fiberglass patch kit (Home Depot) and glass-filled bondo, both for an easier modification, less skill required, better strengh and less mess. Put the patch on the back side but before you do bevel the inside surface edge (the side everyone will see) so the glass-filled bondo will adhere better to the patch on the backside and provide a smooth finish when finished sanding. Here is an image of the patch on the backside before the glass-filled bondo is applied on the inside surface. This is one more step than mixing the ordinary bondo with a wire mesh but it is actualy quicker and cleaner. So far I have put an hour into this modification and expect to be done in one or two beers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gitster Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 So far I have put an hour into this modification and expect to be done in one or two beers. :lol: That looks better, I considered that but used Bondo. Unfortunately me and Bondo have a long and arduous history. I noticed today that my bondo job was starting to crack and the paint is chipping because of it. I was never happy with the original results anyways. Im gonna have to redo it and repaint it. Looks like I will be going with fiberglass this time around !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legaru Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 :lol: Looks like I will be going with fiberglass this time around !! I finished it and it looks great, the fiberglass patch works very well and once you paint the backside with the doubler (patch) on it you will not ba able to tell it was modded. You can beat on it and it sounds just like the rest of the grille. To me that is a sign things were done correctly with a glass composite grille like ours. You still have to use bondo ( I used glass bondo) on the face but at least it is just to fill a depression, not a hole. You will find the fiberglass patch kit at Home Depot next to the bondo in the paint finish section (house paints). The patch is on a hanger and is labeled "Perminant Patch". I think they use it on boats. It is made by the Super Glue Corporation and the adhesive is better than it looks. MAKE SURE THE PATCH KIT IS FLEXIBLE EVEN INSIDE THE PACKAGE. I got one or two packages that were hard as a rock, past the shelf life of the product and not very flexable to go around the corners. Also I used adhesive tie wrap bases for holding the bottom of the gutter gaurd mesh screen, about six of them on the bottom so the gutter gaurd will have the natual curve in it and follow the outline of the back of the grille. Nice job if I say so myself, it looks like it came from the factory that way. I also discovered that the gutter gaurd can be soldered together to make a grille for the intercooler to look just like the gutter gaurd already on the alternator mesh window. Cool stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gitster Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Intersting ..... I used to work at West Marine, they have heaps of fiber glass products, ill probably check them out. And oh yeah Pics Pics Pics Pics Pics Pics Pics Pics Pics Please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I'm not sure I exactly follow everything here but I know I'm using a fiberglass patch kit. I have two questions: Why do you still have to use Bondo on the face even with the patch kit? Can you put a couple of strips of aluminum tape (also from Home Depot) across the hole (one on each side) and use that as sort of a base/support for your fiberglass patches? Then just sand and paint? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperhawkLGT Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I wouldn't do it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gitster Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Fiberglass is used for a base to contour on the backside, than you have to fill the rest with Bondo. Its just easier to have a base to work with than trying to fill a gap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unstablementaly Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 tape peels. my vBGarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 tape peels. Not if there is fiberglass on top. The tape's only purpose in life is to give the two fiberglass pieces (one on each side) something to sit on until it hardens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Fiberglass is used for a base to contour on the backside, than you have to fill the rest with Bondo. Its just easier to have a base to work with than trying to fill a gap The gap you are talking about is the one between the two fiberglass patches? What is wrong with packing Bondo into the gap after the fiberglass hardens? And would the resin fill up the gap? I hope we are talking about the same gap because I can't picture it being very wide... I'm a noob w/ fiberglass so please be patient with my questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unstablementaly Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 the tape will still peel eventually. you're better off using the mesh supplied with the fiberglass kit. my vBGarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 the tape will still peel eventually. you're better off using the mesh supplied with the fiberglass kit. The fiberglass kit I saw didn't have mesh with it. Maybe I'll look for another one. I still don't think the tape will peel though. It will be sandwitched between two pieces of hardened fiberglass so there really is no way for it to peel. The tape is only temporary to span the gap and keep the fiberglass from bowing while it dries. I don't care if it comes off after it's dry. I'm still not getting the Bondo bit though. I don't see why it's needed unless the resin won't fill the gap between the two fiberglass pieces... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gitster Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 This grille is made from a glass-filled ABS plastic, ordinary bondo is okay but not ideal. I recommend using a fiberglass patch kit (Home Depot) and glass-filled bondo, both for an easier modification, less skill required, better strengh and less mess. Put the patch on the back side but before you do bevel the inside surface edge (the side everyone will see) so the glass-filled bondo will adhere better to the patch on the backside and provide a smooth finish when finished sanding. Here is an image of the patch on the backside before the glass-filled bondo is applied on the inside surface. This is one more step than mixing the ordinary bondo with a wire mesh but it is actualy quicker and cleaner. So far I have put an hour into this modification and expect to be done in one or two beers. And... I finished it and it looks great, the fiberglass patch works very well and once you paint the backside with the doubler (patch) on it you will not ba able to tell it was modded. You can beat on it and it sounds just like the rest of the grille. To me that is a sign things were done correctly with a glass composite grille like ours. You still have to use bondo ( I used glass bondo) on the face but at least it is just to fill a depression, not a hole. You will find the fiberglass patch kit at Home Depot next to the bondo in the paint finish section (house paints). The patch is on a hanger and is labeled "Perminant Patch". I think they use it on boats. It is made by the Super Glue Corporation and the adhesive is better than it looks. MAKE SURE THE PATCH KIT IS FLEXIBLE EVEN INSIDE THE PACKAGE. I got one or two packages that were hard as a rock, past the shelf life of the product and not very flexable to go around the corners. Also I used adhesive tie wrap bases for holding the bottom of the gutter gaurd mesh screen, about six of them on the bottom so the gutter gaurd will have the natual curve in it and follow the outline of the back of the grille. Nice job if I say so myself, it looks like it came from the factory that way. I also discovered that the gutter gaurd can be soldered together to make a grille for the intercooler to look just like the gutter gaurd already on the alternator mesh window. Cool stuff. Nothing about tape, just the glass patch. I didnt do it this way, but im considering re-doing it this way. PM Legaru if you have any more questions about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Here is what I'm talking about...I just modified someone else's pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gitster Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 You dont need tape with the patch, you can use a block of aluminum, and clamp it to the bottom side if your worried about it being flat. Use grease on the aluminum to prevent the fiberglass from sticking while curing. Legaru used glass bondo to fill in the middle, glass bondo, im assuming, is exactly the same thing as fiberglass resin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 You dont need tape with the patch, you can use a block of aluminum, and clamp it to the bottom side if your worried about it being flat. Use grease on the aluminum to prevent the fiberglass from sticking while curing. Legaru used glass bondo to fill in the middle, glass bondo, im assuming, is exactly the same thing as fiberglass resin. Does this make more sense? With your method, I am envisioning a piece of fiberglass resin on the top only (that people can see) and then the bottom is filled with Bondo. With that method you are basically filling the "bowl" with Bondo to make it flush. With my method there is no bowl. There may be a small gap in the middle of the sandwich but I think fiberglass is hard enough to leave it hollow with no problems. I will probably fill with Bondo or more resin just to be sure though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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