Painting rocker panels

[Jay 535i]

I want to paint these things:

http://www.moniqueandjay.com/7.jpg

They're faded unevenly, and look bad. No amount of back-to-black helps for more than a day.

Anyone painted them? Any advice?

Note, I don't mean the rubber lower door trims, but the wide textured panels beneath them.

Thanks to Jeff for unwittingly donating his sig pic :)

[jhsmd666]

I want to paint these things:

http://www.moniqueandjay.com/7.jpg

They're faded unevenly, and look bad. No amount of back-to-black helps for more than a day.

Anyone painted them? Any advice?

Note, I don't mean the rubber lower door trims, but the wide textured panels beneath them.

Thanks to Jeff for unwittingly donating his sig pic :)
I used Forever Black - Bumper & Trim Cleaner & Reconditioner Kit for my black grille, headlight trim, bumper/side trim, and rocker panels and it looked great even at 3 mos when I sold the car. It's actually a water-based black dye. Got it at Bavarian Auto for about $13/kit - I needed two for all I did. One kit would cover the 2 rocker panels. Less work than painting with satin black paint.

[TheDuke]

You might wanna try Bumper Coating from dupli color. I have a can of it but haven't used it yet for my bumpers.

[brodee]

I want to paint these things:
Anyone painted them? Any advice?

Are you wanting to paint them black or body color? If black just mask it all off really well, clean them with paint thinner and spray them black.

[Randell]

if you just want black i would use bumper coat.. on my old car i redid every single black bit on it in bumper coat, it seemed to take well to the harder plastic as well as the porus bumper rubber. Gave a good matt finish all round. I can't remember what brand i used but they'd be much of a muchness

after 5 years though it's now starting to wear off in places... still, 5 years isn't bad

[Jay 535i]

For me, black is body color.

Thanks for the input. I thought I might try to find a paint I can apply with a brush, rather than spray. Then I could skip all the masking, and those panels ought to be easily painted by brush, I'd think.

Hmmm, seems Bumper Coating is only available in a spray can. What a PITA this is gonna be...

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but could I just empty the spray can into an aluminium baking tray and then apply it with a brush?

[bahnstormer]

may want to find some sideskirts to cover em up...
painting that texture surface may be funky

[brodee]

For me, black is body color.

Thanks for the input. I thought I might try to find a paint I can apply with a brush, rather than spray. Then I could skip all the masking, and those panels ought to be easily painted by brush, I'd think.

Hmmm, seems Bumper Coating is only available in a spray can. What a PITA this is gonna be...

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but could I just empty the spray can into an aluminium baking tray and then apply it with a brush?

It doesn't take 15 minutes to mask things off with tape and newspaper and will yield much better results than a brush.

as for putting the paint into a bucket, I wouldn't advise that. Opening a pressurized spray can is not good for life expectancy.

[Alexlind123]

I think he was saying that he could spray the can into the tray, not cut it open.

[Jay 535i]

I think he was saying that he could spray the can into the tray, not cut it open.

Right.

It's not only the time it takes to mask, but also the mess. The slightest breeze and I'll have paint all over myself. And the idea of getting even a little paint where it doesn't belong on my baby is off-putting.

If I gotta spray, then that's what I'll do, but a brush seems better suited to this particular job.

[SharkmanBMW]

I think he was saying that he could spray the can into the tray, not cut it open.


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