Red Brake calipers ?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,117
Likes: 671
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Red Brake calipers ?
Another question, Anyone paint their calipers red? What kind of paint did you use and what was the process to the cleaning and prep work to applying the red hi-temp paint ? And how are your results ? How did the paint hold up ? Thank you ! 
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
From: PA
I painted my calipers red on my 98 SS Camaro. I used high temp. Engine paint and then sprayed them with a high temp. Clear coat. I used a dremel with a wire wheel to strip the old paint off. Worked really goof but was time consuming. A media blaster would work great. Just make sure you have the important parts covered so media doesn't get where it shouldn't be. Essentially I stripped the calipers down to the metal, then wiped them down with rubbing alcohol, hung them sprayed a few coats until they looked good, sprayed two coats of clear and was done. The looked great. Had them that way three years before I sold the car. Never had any issues with the paint or calipers.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
From: Waldorf MD
I painted my calipers a little over a year ago. Like highpsi98 said it takes a little time due to cleaning. I used brake cleaner and a wire brush. I bought the brush on paint from autozone, sorry the brand name escapes me, but I will come back and repost it for you. If you take the time it will come out great.
After i painted the caliper and before I clear coated. Clean up the rased Corvette lettering with a die grinder.
After i painted the caliper and before I clear coated. Clean up the rased Corvette lettering with a die grinder.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 45,000
Likes: 585
I used Purple Power undiluted (wear gloves) and a small brass brush to clean them. Let them soak (mine were disassembled completely...pistons and all). I rinsed them and used caliper cleaner before I painted them. I painted them with caliper paint. Interestingly, the two that are painted actually look better than the two that are powder coated.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 18,308
Likes: 21
From: Marlton. Increasing performance one speeding ticket at a time! NJ
I used the standard Duplicolor brake painting kit that you can find anywhere.
Cleaned good, and painted them on the car. I also painted the caliper mounting brackets. They came out looking good. It's not show quality, but looks good from a few feet away. For a better finish, I'd swap them out for powder coated units.
Just a tip. When the paint hasn't fully cured, take a razor and slice off the lettering. Gives you a clean look and not as difficult as trying to sandpaper it off.
Did mine 4 years ago and it's held up well.
Still, here's the results.
Cleaned good, and painted them on the car. I also painted the caliper mounting brackets. They came out looking good. It's not show quality, but looks good from a few feet away. For a better finish, I'd swap them out for powder coated units.
Just a tip. When the paint hasn't fully cured, take a razor and slice off the lettering. Gives you a clean look and not as difficult as trying to sandpaper it off.
Did mine 4 years ago and it's held up well.
Still, here's the results.
Last edited by nj02vette; Oct 16, 2011 at 02:29 AM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,117
Likes: 671
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Caliper Painting
I used the standard Duplicolor brake painting kit that you can find anywhere.
Cleaned good, and painted them on the car. I also painted the caliper mounting brackets. They came out looking good. It's not show quality, but looks good from a few feet away. For a better finish, I'd swap them out for powder coated units.
Just a tip. When the paint hasn't fully cured, take a razor and slice off the lettering. Gives you a clean look and not as difficult as trying to sandpaper it off.
Did mine 4 years ago and it's held up well.
Still, here's the results.
Cleaned good, and painted them on the car. I also painted the caliper mounting brackets. They came out looking good. It's not show quality, but looks good from a few feet away. For a better finish, I'd swap them out for powder coated units.
Just a tip. When the paint hasn't fully cured, take a razor and slice off the lettering. Gives you a clean look and not as difficult as trying to sandpaper it off.
Did mine 4 years ago and it's held up well.
Still, here's the results.
Wow, you guys have done a fantastic job. And I'm sure the details are in the "prep-work" like any painting. But you folks have done fantastic and they still look great four years later. I see you have 'Drilled and Slotted', where did you purchase them ? Did you change the pads to ceramic or another dustless pad and from whom did you find them? Thank you !
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,473
Likes: 356
From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
Pepboy's or any auto store has a Caliper Paint Kit you can get for $20 - comes with everything you need to do the job right! 
Thanks,Matt
Thanks,Matt
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
Pro
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 595
Likes: 2
From: LA/OC border, probably sittin' under the patio, by the pool...smokin' a cigar! SoCal
I had my calipers off the car, some leave calipers on car and mask off everything not to get sprayed. I found it easier to remove calipers. I was changing brake fluid anyways. Used sppedbleeders when I reinstalled every thing. Remember to clean, clean, and then clean some more! Brake cleaner, wire brush. Used a Dremel to clean up some casting marks, rough edges. Primered, then three coats of red. Caliper brackets were painted silver. I also baked in oven at 375, for 20 minutes or so. Don't laugh, I think it helps! lol. Removed paint from letters with razor blade, then polished letters with some 1500 W/D sand paper. Some clear the calipers, some don't...I didn't. Red looked good, and I thought I would be pushing my luck and get a run/sag if I cleared! Good luck!
Last edited by GBsC5Vert; Oct 16, 2011 at 12:00 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 18,308
Likes: 21
From: Marlton. Increasing performance one speeding ticket at a time! NJ
Wow, you guys have done a fantastic job. And I'm sure the details are in the "prep-work" like any painting. But you folks have done fantastic and they still look great four years later. I see you have 'Drilled and Slotted', where did you purchase them ? Did you change the pads to ceramic or another dustless pad and from whom did you find them? Thank you !
You have to remove the caliper mounting brackets to install the new rotors. While off I cleaned them good and painted with the Duplicolor spray that GBsC5vert posted. I left the calipers in the car, didn't disconnect them, and painted them with a brush using the duplicolor brush kit that every automotive store sells. So I did a combination of spraying the brackets, and brushing the calipers.
In any event, I'd definately paint the brackets since it makes the brakes look bigger, too.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,136
Likes: 24,733
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
I've painted the calipers on my last two C5s red - used Folia Tec paint. The paint has held up very well - it is a two part epoxy based system.
To prep the calipers, I used a lot of brake cleaner to get any grease off and then some very fine steel wool, followed by more brake cleaner.
To prep the calipers, I used a lot of brake cleaner to get any grease off and then some very fine steel wool, followed by more brake cleaner.
