Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 677
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From: WInnipeg Mb
Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper
Is it easy to take the front bumper off of my 79? What is the best way to strip it? I'm going to probably primer the front bumper myself and get a shop to shoot the paint on it :p: my spoilers didn't turn out to my high expectations. Thanks for the help!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 5,210
Likes: 104
From: Fort Worth TX
St. Jude Donor '06
Father & Son St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (Justin79-L-82)
Is your front bumper an after market fiberglass unit or is it urethane? If it's fg, you can take it off and have it repainted. If it's urethane, I'm not sure I'd risk taking it off, it may be more brittle than you think and crack on you. Put duct tape on the front clip to protect the paint and sand it down and refinish in place.
I just redid the front cover on my car, IM or e:mail me if you want any tips or pics.
I just redid the front cover on my car, IM or e:mail me if you want any tips or pics.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 289
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From: Wisconsin Rapids, WI USA
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (Justin79-L-82)
If you are strippping it down to the bare urethane there is a special process and sealers to use. I just had mine painted, and the Dupont rep explained the whole process for "raw" urethane. It is not like repainting. Better check it out.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: WInnipeg Mb
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (Magnum '82)
Ya it's the stock one that came with the car. So i'm guessing it's urethane. I want to take it off myself and sand it down then take it to a body shop to have it repainted. I was going to have them remove it but they wanted $1035 for the job. No thanks :crazy: What do you guys think?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (Justin79-L-82)
Justin, I agree that it may be brittle so you want to be real careful in handling a urethane bumper. You can use stripper that is made for urethane but it is extremely slow. You can also sand the paint off with a DA sander. Is the paint cracked or faded or just mismatched? If the paint is in good shape you may not have to remove all of it, but if it is cracked or badly chalked it will need to come off. Good Luck, Craig
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: WInnipeg Mb
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (CF6873)
There is a 1 inch by six inch area by the joint of the bumper and above it chipped off (red and black underneath) and the paint below that area is ready to fall off soon. It is all spider web cracked and some of it is lifting off. Also the white paint around both of the black ***** that stick out by the licence plate has fallen off as well. I will definately need to take it off and redo the entire thing. Should I wet sand it, dry sand it? What grade, and what kind of sealer/primer should i use before i take it to an auto body shop to be painted?
What a DA sander?
[Modified by Justin79-L-82, 5:27 PM 6/16/2002]
What a DA sander?
[Modified by Justin79-L-82, 5:27 PM 6/16/2002]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,003
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From: GA
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (Justin79-L-82)
Hell for that price you should be able to buy a aftermarket Fiberglass one AND have it painted and ready for you to put on. Damn! Sounds like that place is a ripoff. I sure would hate to have them paint the whole car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (Justin79-L-82)
Justin, A DA sander is Dual Action which means it ocilates while rotating which provides a uniform scratch as opposed to a griinder that only rotates. You can get an inexpensive one for $30-50. It will use 6" round discs that have preapplied adhesive. You can get a roll of 100 discs for $20-30. I would use 120-to 180 grit to remove the bulk of the paint and then finish sanding with 320 grit. After thorougly cleaning you should apply epoxy primer sealer. Good Luck, Craig
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,313
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From: The cure for the blues is eight cylinders roaring
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (CF6873)
Be careful with a DA on urathane if you work the same spot too long it can deform, ripple.If you have the money geta new nose.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: WInnipeg Mb
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (Wightnite)
I definately do not have the money for it right now, i have to pay off a huge visa bill that i bought a bunch of corvette stuff with haha. Would it be alright if i sanded it by hand and then just put an epoxy primer/sealer on it then take it to the shop? You guys say i should use 120 grit? is that wet or dry?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,313
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From: The cure for the blues is eight cylinders roaring
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (Justin79-L-82)
Its been a long time since I painted cars but I think 120 is dry the wet paper is for the fine work and keeps the paper from filling up with paint.doing if by hand block sand as much as posible or use the palm of your hands not your fingers thats how you get the high and low spots or grooves in your paint.Go to a paint shop and ask what kind of primer sealer you need for urathane.
[Modified by Wightnite, 8:06 PM 6/16/2002]
[Modified by Wightnite, 8:06 PM 6/16/2002]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,142
Likes: 195
From: Englewood FL
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (Justin79-L-82)
Would not sand the bumper especially with a DA sander as it would be too
easy to damage the urethane. Use a paint stripper made for urethane.
Bull dog brand stripper works well. Will take two or three cans. Can
purchase it at an Auto paint supply store, have also seen it at Auto Zone.
Spray it on, wait about 15 minutes and use plastic body filler scrapers to
remove the paint. Wash the bumper with plenty of water to remove all
the stripper.
Would not completely remove the bumper to strip and paint it.
Easiest to just loosen it so it pulls out about a 1/2" from the front
fenders. To loosen it remove the lower valence and the grills. There
are bolts that go all the way around the bumper which you can reach
thru the grill openings and from below. Raise the headlights to
gain access. Once the bumper is loosened, use masking tape to tape all
around the front fenders to protect them from the stripper and new
paint. To minimize any chance of removing paint from the fenders use
the blue masking tape.
By loosening it and repainting it on the car, flex additives are not needed
in the paint which will result in a better color match.
[Modified by mark79,80, 8:13 PM 6/16/2002]
easy to damage the urethane. Use a paint stripper made for urethane.
Bull dog brand stripper works well. Will take two or three cans. Can
purchase it at an Auto paint supply store, have also seen it at Auto Zone.
Spray it on, wait about 15 minutes and use plastic body filler scrapers to
remove the paint. Wash the bumper with plenty of water to remove all
the stripper.
Would not completely remove the bumper to strip and paint it.
Easiest to just loosen it so it pulls out about a 1/2" from the front
fenders. To loosen it remove the lower valence and the grills. There
are bolts that go all the way around the bumper which you can reach
thru the grill openings and from below. Raise the headlights to
gain access. Once the bumper is loosened, use masking tape to tape all
around the front fenders to protect them from the stripper and new
paint. To minimize any chance of removing paint from the fenders use
the blue masking tape.
By loosening it and repainting it on the car, flex additives are not needed
in the paint which will result in a better color match.
[Modified by mark79,80, 8:13 PM 6/16/2002]
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 677
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From: WInnipeg Mb
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (mark79,80)
Once it's sanded down to the primer and it's all masked off etc do i shoot a few coats of epoxy primer sealer, then shoot a few coats of paint then wet sand it down and polish? Is it o.k. to just use those dupont spray bombs to do such a large area like this? Or is there a different method to doing it on urethane?
[Modified by Justin79-L-82, 2:34 AM 6/17/2002]
[Modified by Justin79-L-82, 2:34 AM 6/17/2002]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 5,210
Likes: 104
From: Fort Worth TX
St. Jude Donor '06
Father & Son St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Remove Strip and Repaint front bumper (Justin79-L-82)
The spray bombs will work fine if that's all you got access to. Just make sure the paint store knows what your doing to get the right paint system. I don't think you need epoxy on it . . . just primer and a flex additive for the urethane. Make sure the paint supplier knows you're going to spray basecoat and clear coat and plan to wet sand the clear and buff. With the flex agent in the paint, it's harder to get a mirror shine. Talk with your supplier and check out PPG's website.
You may consider having a shop buff it for you after you've blocked the clear down.
The bumper cover I just installed was a new fiberglass unit.
You may consider having a shop buff it for you after you've blocked the clear down.
The bumper cover I just installed was a new fiberglass unit.
