How To: Painting the back bumper 'CORVETTE'
09-19-2008, 05:37 PM
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Drifting
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St. Jude Donor '09
How To: Painting the back bumper 'CORVETTE'
Good day all... There may not be anybody interested in this, but since only yesterday we did three of the rear bumper 'CORVETTE' paint jobs (gosh, I hate the sound of that term) I thought that there might be someone out there who might like to see how we do it.
If you decide to do this, you will be surprised at just how easy it is (takes only a few minutes) and how great it looks. But, if you do decide to do this remember that you are doing this at your own risk. Also, while there might be other materials that will work just fine, the materials that I used are the only ones that I would recommend (remember that the solvents used in some spray paints will eat the paint on your car... the RUST OLEUM that we used will not.
Three in the driveway, one in the garage...
Here's what you will need: MINERAL SPIRITS (do not use anything else!), Blue Painter's Masking Tape, Newspaper, old toothbrush, Q-Tips (which I have never actually had to use, but they were 'at the ready' just in case), paper towels, small flat block of wood 2" X 5" or so.
Start by cleaning ALL the wax and whatever microscopic crud might be on your bumber. Use the MINERAL SPIRITS, paper towels, and - for inside the letters, the old toothbrush...
Then CLEAN IT AGAIN... wipe dry... REALLY DRY!!! I'd suggest that even after you thoroughly dry it, you let it stand for a few minutes so that all the MINERAL SPIRITS has a chance to evaporate.
Mask the area just to the outside of the CORVETTE lettering with the blue painter's tape. Then completely mask the area (to control overspray) with newspapers.
Shake the can of RUST OLEUM (we used GLOSS BLACK) to mix thoroughly. First 'coat' should be little more than a mist. Always start the painting stroke to the outside of the actual lettering ande 'follow through' to outside the lettering as you ende the stroke.
Put on three very light coats Use just enough paint to cover the body color, DO NOT over paint, it will just be a runny mess and you will get to start over!
BE SURE to paint 'upwards' too... that will color the tops of the indentations of the lettering.
You can begin removing the newspapers and masking tape immediately. Remember that there is wet paint on the newspaper and masking tape, so handle it carefully... but if you get it on your car, it will come right off easily with a bit of MINERAL SPIRITS on a paper towel.
OK, if there's a "trick" to success, this is it: Make a small 'pad' out of a couple of sheets of folded paper towels. Wet the 'pad' with MINERAL SPIRITS. Be very careful to get the 'pad' just barely damp... if you get it too wet, it will make the paint run and you will have to start over (been there, done that!).
If your 'pad' is a bit too wet, you can probably make it work just fine by putting a dry sheet on top of the pad.
Now, wrap your damp pad around your flat block of wood and GENTLY, and with sweeping strokes - lightly touching the surface of the bumper - wipe until the spray paint begins to come off the surface and is left ONLY in the lettering. I find it helpful to wipe in only one direction. DO NOT STOP your wipe in the middle of the lettering... go all the way across.
TIP: The paper towel needs to be wrapped tightly around the wood block... don't let it "sag" or the paper towel may (and probably will) droop down into the lettering. Keeping the paper towel tight will ensure that you wipe off only the paint that is "on" the bumper and will leave the paint that is "in" the lettering.
ANOTHER TIP(!): You would be wise to prepare three or four of the "damp-with-mineral-spirits" paper towels ahead of time. That way, when the first one gets "loaded" with paint that you've wiped off of the bumber, you can change to a fresh, clean one quickly.
You will need a fresh, clean 'pad' from time to time... as before, don't get your 'pad' too wet with the MINERAL SPIRITS.
Be gentle!!
Be patient.
Remember, it it doesn't turn out like you like it the first time, just take your toothbrush and MINERAL SPIRITS and clean off all of the spray paint and do it again (been there, done that!).
If you wind up with a slight "haze" of your spray paint on the car, you can easily remove it later with McGuires 'ScratchX" of similar later.
Don't do any 'off roading' or driving on really dusty roads for a couple of hours. Wax the whole thing in a month or so.
See, it's easy and it really does look good.
Cheers to all...
Rob
If you decide to do this, you will be surprised at just how easy it is (takes only a few minutes) and how great it looks. But, if you do decide to do this remember that you are doing this at your own risk. Also, while there might be other materials that will work just fine, the materials that I used are the only ones that I would recommend (remember that the solvents used in some spray paints will eat the paint on your car... the RUST OLEUM that we used will not.
Three in the driveway, one in the garage...
Here's what you will need: MINERAL SPIRITS (do not use anything else!), Blue Painter's Masking Tape, Newspaper, old toothbrush, Q-Tips (which I have never actually had to use, but they were 'at the ready' just in case), paper towels, small flat block of wood 2" X 5" or so.
Start by cleaning ALL the wax and whatever microscopic crud might be on your bumber. Use the MINERAL SPIRITS, paper towels, and - for inside the letters, the old toothbrush...
Then CLEAN IT AGAIN... wipe dry... REALLY DRY!!! I'd suggest that even after you thoroughly dry it, you let it stand for a few minutes so that all the MINERAL SPIRITS has a chance to evaporate.
Mask the area just to the outside of the CORVETTE lettering with the blue painter's tape. Then completely mask the area (to control overspray) with newspapers.
Shake the can of RUST OLEUM (we used GLOSS BLACK) to mix thoroughly. First 'coat' should be little more than a mist. Always start the painting stroke to the outside of the actual lettering ande 'follow through' to outside the lettering as you ende the stroke.
Put on three very light coats Use just enough paint to cover the body color, DO NOT over paint, it will just be a runny mess and you will get to start over!
BE SURE to paint 'upwards' too... that will color the tops of the indentations of the lettering.
You can begin removing the newspapers and masking tape immediately. Remember that there is wet paint on the newspaper and masking tape, so handle it carefully... but if you get it on your car, it will come right off easily with a bit of MINERAL SPIRITS on a paper towel.
OK, if there's a "trick" to success, this is it: Make a small 'pad' out of a couple of sheets of folded paper towels. Wet the 'pad' with MINERAL SPIRITS. Be very careful to get the 'pad' just barely damp... if you get it too wet, it will make the paint run and you will have to start over (been there, done that!).
If your 'pad' is a bit too wet, you can probably make it work just fine by putting a dry sheet on top of the pad.
Now, wrap your damp pad around your flat block of wood and GENTLY, and with sweeping strokes - lightly touching the surface of the bumper - wipe until the spray paint begins to come off the surface and is left ONLY in the lettering. I find it helpful to wipe in only one direction. DO NOT STOP your wipe in the middle of the lettering... go all the way across.
TIP: The paper towel needs to be wrapped tightly around the wood block... don't let it "sag" or the paper towel may (and probably will) droop down into the lettering. Keeping the paper towel tight will ensure that you wipe off only the paint that is "on" the bumper and will leave the paint that is "in" the lettering.
ANOTHER TIP(!): You would be wise to prepare three or four of the "damp-with-mineral-spirits" paper towels ahead of time. That way, when the first one gets "loaded" with paint that you've wiped off of the bumber, you can change to a fresh, clean one quickly.
You will need a fresh, clean 'pad' from time to time... as before, don't get your 'pad' too wet with the MINERAL SPIRITS.
Be gentle!!
Be patient.
Remember, it it doesn't turn out like you like it the first time, just take your toothbrush and MINERAL SPIRITS and clean off all of the spray paint and do it again (been there, done that!).
If you wind up with a slight "haze" of your spray paint on the car, you can easily remove it later with McGuires 'ScratchX" of similar later.
Don't do any 'off roading' or driving on really dusty roads for a couple of hours. Wax the whole thing in a month or so.
See, it's easy and it really does look good.
Cheers to all...
Rob
Last edited by RFP; 07-04-2012 at 07:08 PM.
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09-19-2008, 07:39 PM
#8
Team Owner
Excellent, thanks for sharing.
09-20-2008, 12:03 AM
#10
Drifting
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Hmmm. Looks cool and I'm intrigued. But, I'm not sure I could actually spray paint my Vette.
Give me some time and maybe I'll change my mind.
Thanks for the detailed run-down and the pics.
Give me some time and maybe I'll change my mind. Thanks for the detailed run-down and the pics.
09-20-2008, 10:20 AM
#20
Drifting
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St. Jude Donor '09
The two mistakes that I made the first time around (nearly a year ago) were: (1) spraying too much paint, and (2) having my paper towel 'pad' too wet with MINERAL SPIRITS. You want to use just enough paint to fill the letters and completely cover the body color; no more. And as I tried to stress in the write-up, the paper towel 'pad' should be just barely moist.
Anyway, go ahead and give it a try, heck, if I can do it, anybody can do it.
By the way, I sure notice that I'm seeing a lot of scalp in those photos... I wonder, where did all my hair go???
