Spraying kidney grills

Waka · Post by **Waka** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:42 pm

I'm looking to spray the kidney grills on my E53 3.0d (facelift).

It currently has chrome grills on *bleh*

I did buy some cheapo replacements last year on ebay...but they were for a pre-facelift model!

Now I've got another set (pre-loved).

Can anyone recommend the shade of titanium I'm after and any tips on spraying? These are black in the middle with a chrome surround. I would have preferred to have them end up all titanium but I guess spraying the chrome surround isn't a good idea?

TIA

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 4:49 pm

No idea about the actual colour shade, but if you wanted to also spray the surrounding frame you either need to etch the surface to provide a 'key' for the paint, or very carefully and with a fine grit paper - say 2000 grit - polish the chrome layer off. It's probably only an electroplated layer. Might need some elbow grease, but......

JimmySpeed · Post by **JimmySpeed** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:46 pm

I've painted numerous chrome surrounds, I recently sold a matt black set I did on eBay for Â£50 after buying it for Â£17

I have a bit of a grille fetish, at one point I had an all black set, an all silver set and a std chrome/titanium set.

To paint the surround, I would sand it down with a rough sand paper first to really get as much shine off as possible, then smooth with wet and dry. After, it'll look like a brushed aluminium effect. Give it a good wash with hot soapy water. Then apply a really good helping of plastic primer - a good few coats. The stuff dries quick and levels itself nicely (unless you do too thick a coat so be warned) giving a smooth surface for painting on. Then just paint as normal.

I found an aluminum paint was a good match for the texture of the pre facelift titanium slats believe it or not. It also matched my silver car well but as it's a non lacquered finish was a kind of matt look. It looked pretty cool against the car.

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:15 pm

what i did on this car and all previos is the opposite, i never sanded the chrome at all, sprayed it, it has lasted fine with pressure washer etc, and that way to put it back standard is a few minutes with a cloth and thinners! total contradiction of the above but worked for me!

JimmySpeed · Post by **JimmySpeed** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:17 pm

[quote=""shadrack""]what i did on this car and all previos is the opposite, i never sanded the chrome at all, sprayed it, it has lasted fine with pressure washer etc, and that way to put it back standard is a few minutes with a cloth and thinners! total contradiction of the above but worked for me![/quote]

I've never found a primer that sticks to the chrome - what do you use?

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:33 pm

just normal stuff grey primer Â£4.99, cleaned with thinner, two coats of that, 2 colour, three laquer, worked for me

wilkoturbo · Post by **wilkoturbo** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:35 pm

Here are the step by step photos just to help

Waka · Post by **Waka** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 8:52 pm

Ha, I love this place! Thanks for the replies everyone

Hmm, I think I might try and spray the chrome bit and if I bugger it up I can always sand it off. Or I might experiment first on my pre-facelift grills unless anyone here wants them, or would they be more saleable in titanium?!

I hadn't realised I needed primer but I was looking at this stuff
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?a ... egories%3C{9372013}/categories%3C{9372030}/categories%3C{9372123}/specificationsProductType=spray_paints&tmcampid=4&tmad=c&ecamp=cse_go&CAWELAID=266952783

any good?

And for the silver is this ok on plastic?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165505

Have you got a link to the paint you used mobilejo?

I wasn't going to bother with lacquer as I thought without it I would get a more matte finish which is what I'm after.

Thanks again everyone.

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 8:59 pm

on the plastic use the 3 steps but use plastic primer first

JimmySpeed · Post by **JimmySpeed** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:40 pm

[quote=""shadrack""]just normal stuff grey primer Â£4.99, cleaned with thinner, two coats of that, 2 colour, three laquer, worked for me[/quote]

Hmmmm, interesting. Maybe cleaning it with the thinners first is the key. I'll try it next time

JimmySpeed · Post by **JimmySpeed** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:45 pm

[quote=""Waka""]
And for the silver is this ok on plastic?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165505

Have you got a link to the paint you used mobilejo?

[/quote]

I use this stuff http://www.fastsupply.co.uk/carplan-alu ... p-709.html

No lacquer on it - its not made for lacquer. Its easy to work with and dries evenly.

Here was my grill - titanium slats, alu painted surrounds, silver car

x555 · Post by **x555** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 1:25 pm

I would use acrylic primer after rubbing back......As for the colour try bmw titanium silver

....available in your local motor traders or the likes of halfords etc
HTH

x555 · Post by **x555** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 1:36 pm

[quote=""mobilejo""] I have a bit of a grille fetish, at one point I had an all black set, an all silver set and a std chrome/titanium set. [/quote]
I have a titanium and black set aswell.....mmmn today is s black day me thinks

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