71 Mach 1 Bumper - Repaint & Touch up

gofishing · 07-22-1999, 01:22 PM

I want to repaint my plastic front bumper. It already has a 2nd paint job. What's the best way to strip the old paint off without hurting the plastic?

Body touch up question. The car is Bright Blue Metallic and there's a couple of small spots I would like to touch up after sanding and priming. Can it be done?

66fastback · 07-22-1999, 05:51 PM

I'm not sure about the best way to strip these bumbers.....but I will suggest that you make sure that a Flex Agent is added to the paint when it is sprayed. It's sort of a rubberizing compound that keeps the paint from cracking.

gofishing · 07-23-1999, 09:19 AM

That would explained why the second coat has cracks and chipped due to lack of flex agent.

Neal Jackson · 07-24-1999, 12:24 AM

If you have access to a sand blaster you might try using some "plastic media" in the gun to strip the paint. The plastic media is said to be harmless to the subsurface, i.e., fibreglass, thin or soft metals and I believe nylons and plastics as well. If you have a compressor and a Wal Mart near by, you can pick up a Campbell Hausfeld sand blasting gun for about $12.95. It comes with a 10 foot hose and just plug it into your compressor and blast away. The hose has a steel pick-up tube at the sand end and I use a clean and dry 5 gallon paint bucket to hold the media (silica sand is all I have used for parts clean-up) and it works great. Recently I cut the hose length to about 5 feet and now the gun really sucks - literally! Picks up the sand much better. If using sand to do stripping, I like 60 grit as it seems to flow better and not clog the gun. If the gun clogs, usually just a light tap on it will clear it up. With the shorter hose though, it doesn't seem to clog much at all now.

The silica sand costs about 7 bucks a bag and lasts quite a long time. I usually just blast in the back yard so I don't have any clean up - I need to make a cabinet soon. I did our entire car with this little gun and it paid for itself in about the first 5 minutes of use. It really works! I have also done some thinner metals with the silica sand and found that all it actually did to the surface was cause a very slight, almost undetectable to the feel, pitting and with a good coat of Vari-Prime or other self etching primer, you never knew it was blasted. It probably actually helps prep the surface for a better adhesion of the paint material. This may be the same result with bumper plastic, but I would do a test first.

And, as 66Fastback says, the flexible bumper paint needs a flex agent/elastomer added in the mix.

As far as body dings and other touch up - is your car clear coated? If so, it would help to know the make and style of the paint. Some older base coat/clear coat systems were a pain to touch up in that the clear coat needed to be feathered away from the touch up area, so that the touch up paint could be applied and let dry. Then the clear coat could be added and sanded and buffed. Newer paint systems are more user friendly in that they are more compatible / mix together for easier touch up.

Hope this helps.

Neal

[This message has been edited by Neal Jackson (edited 07-24-1999).]

gofishing · 07-24-1999, 08:45 AM

Neal,
Thank you very much for your advice. I do have a compressor and there's a Wal-Mart nearby. Can't wait to start blasting!

I will take the car to a couple of body shops and hopefully they can tell me about touching up.

I don't think I have a clear coat (compared to my Ford Explorer's paint job)

Neal Jackson · 07-25-1999, 02:21 AM

gofishing,

You're welcome! Before you start blasting just be careful to protect (tape off or otherwise cover /seal) areas you don't want the sand/media to get into, i.e., machined surfaces, engine, tranny and rear end. I think at least twice about blasting any part that I can't remove from the car, just because the media will spread everywhere.

It also has a way to end up in places on you where it should not be, including your eyes, ears, mouth, so wear protective eyewear and other appropriate clothing - gloves are a good thing too.

Have fun and be careful!

Neal

gofishing · 07-25-1999, 05:10 PM

I would like to remove the bumper first, however I noticed there are phillips screws and my largest phillips screwdriver is too small. If I get the right size, will I have to use a vise grip to turn the handle? I don't want to strip the screw heads.

07-22-1999, 01:22 PM	#1
gofishing Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Seattle, WA, US Posts: 33	71 Mach 1 Bumper - Repaint & Touch up I want to repaint my plastic front bumper. It already has a 2nd paint job. What's the best way to strip the old paint off without hurting the plastic? Body touch up question. The car is Bright Blue Metallic and there's a couple of small spots I would like to touch up after sanding and priming. Can it be done?

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07-22-1999, 05:51 PM	#2
66fastback Registered Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 208	I'm not sure about the best way to strip these bumbers.....but I will suggest that you make sure that a Flex Agent is added to the paint when it is sprayed. It's sort of a rubberizing compound that keeps the paint from cracking.

07-23-1999, 09:19 AM	#3
gofishing Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Seattle, WA, US Posts: 33	That would explained why the second coat has cracks and chipped due to lack of flex agent.

07-24-1999, 12:24 AM	#4
Neal Jackson Registered Member Join Date: Jul 1999 Posts: 26	If you have access to a sand blaster you might try using some "plastic media" in the gun to strip the paint. The plastic media is said to be harmless to the subsurface, i.e., fibreglass, thin or soft metals and I believe nylons and plastics as well. If you have a compressor and a Wal Mart near by, you can pick up a Campbell Hausfeld sand blasting gun for about $12.95. It comes with a 10 foot hose and just plug it into your compressor and blast away. The hose has a steel pick-up tube at the sand end and I use a clean and dry 5 gallon paint bucket to hold the media (silica sand is all I have used for parts clean-up) and it works great. Recently I cut the hose length to about 5 feet and now the gun really sucks - literally! Picks up the sand much better. If using sand to do stripping, I like 60 grit as it seems to flow better and not clog the gun. If the gun clogs, usually just a light tap on it will clear it up. With the shorter hose though, it doesn't seem to clog much at all now. The silica sand costs about 7 bucks a bag and lasts quite a long time. I usually just blast in the back yard so I don't have any clean up - I need to make a cabinet soon. I did our entire car with this little gun and it paid for itself in about the first 5 minutes of use. It really works! I have also done some thinner metals with the silica sand and found that all it actually did to the surface was cause a very slight, almost undetectable to the feel, pitting and with a good coat of Vari-Prime or other self etching primer, you never knew it was blasted. It probably actually helps prep the surface for a better adhesion of the paint material. This may be the same result with bumper plastic, but I would do a test first. And, as 66Fastback says, the flexible bumper paint needs a flex agent/elastomer added in the mix. As far as body dings and other touch up - is your car clear coated? If so, it would help to know the make and style of the paint. Some older base coat/clear coat systems were a pain to touch up in that the clear coat needed to be feathered away from the touch up area, so that the touch up paint could be applied and let dry. Then the clear coat could be added and sanded and buffed. Newer paint systems are more user friendly in that they are more compatible / mix together for easier touch up. Hope this helps. Neal [This message has been edited by Neal Jackson (edited 07-24-1999).]

07-24-1999, 08:45 AM	#5
gofishing Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Seattle, WA, US Posts: 33	Neal, Thank you very much for your advice. I do have a compressor and there's a Wal-Mart nearby. Can't wait to start blasting! I will take the car to a couple of body shops and hopefully they can tell me about touching up. I don't think I have a clear coat (compared to my Ford Explorer's paint job)

07-25-1999, 02:21 AM	#6
Neal Jackson Registered Member Join Date: Jul 1999 Posts: 26	gofishing, You're welcome! Before you start blasting just be careful to protect (tape off or otherwise cover /seal) areas you don't want the sand/media to get into, i.e., machined surfaces, engine, tranny and rear end. I think at least twice about blasting any part that I can't remove from the car, just because the media will spread everywhere. It also has a way to end up in places on you where it should not be, including your eyes, ears, mouth, so wear protective eyewear and other appropriate clothing - gloves are a good thing too. Have fun and be careful! Neal

07-25-1999, 05:10 PM	#7
gofishing Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Seattle, WA, US Posts: 33	I would like to remove the bumper first, however I noticed there are phillips screws and my largest phillips screwdriver is too small. If I get the right size, will I have to use a vise grip to turn the handle? I don't want to strip the screw heads.