Took some initiative today and decided I hated my front chrome plastic 
more than I hated the rear that I sawed off. So, without further delay. Here's a DIY to properly paint the front badge without ripping your bumper apart and avoiding the cheaper alternative vinyl overlay.
Here's what you need:
1 can Krylon Plastics Semi-Matte Finish Black Paint
Plastic cleaner (I used ARDEX Aerospace Plastics Cleaner)
Painters tape
Drop Cloths/Newspapers
Before
There is the shiny victim. It has no idea what it's in for! MUHAHA!
Start by taping off the housing around the logo. Make sure to "tuck" the tape into the gaps so you don't have shiny stuff staring you in the face where the tape stuck to the very outside edges. Nothing could be worse than finishing and noticing that you missed a fine edge. (I know, this happened the first time and I had to strip it and do it all over again 
)
Overspray? We don't want no stinkin overspray! Be sure to properly cover your car to avoid getting paint on the vehicle.
Close up shot of the shiny. Notice how the tape is "folded" into the gap between the housing the the actual badge to avoid catching the edge of the badge and leaving shiny stuff after you finish and strip all the tape.
Using light layers of paint, give 15 minutes in between each coat to properly dry. I recruited a fairly large lamp that put out some extra heat to make sure the paint cured properly as it was fairly cold this morning in NY. The typical back and forth sweeping motion works fine, but be sure to do each coat at a different angel to ensure that all the surface of the badge is covered. I used a total of 4 coats of paint and it seemed to work wonderfully.
Carefully remove drop cloths and tape and ensure entire surface has been covered.
Stand back and enjoy your handy work. Grab a beer and get ready to watch Michigan run circles around OSU on a Saturday afternoon. GO BLUE!
more than I hated the rear that I sawed off. So, without further delay. Here's a DIY to properly paint the front badge without ripping your bumper apart and avoiding the cheaper alternative vinyl overlay.Here's what you need:
1 can Krylon Plastics Semi-Matte Finish Black Paint
Plastic cleaner (I used ARDEX Aerospace Plastics Cleaner)
Painters tape
Drop Cloths/Newspapers
Before
There is the shiny victim. It has no idea what it's in for! MUHAHA!
Start by taping off the housing around the
logo. Make sure to "tuck" the tape into the gaps so you don't have shiny stuff staring you in the face where the tape stuck to the very outside edges. Nothing could be worse than finishing and noticing that you missed a fine edge. (I know, this happened the first time and I had to strip it and do it all over again )Overspray? We don't want no stinkin overspray! Be sure to properly cover your car to avoid getting paint on the vehicle.
Close up shot of the shiny
. Notice how the tape is "folded" into the gap between the housing the the actual badge to avoid catching the edge of the badge and leaving shiny stuff after you finish and strip all the tape.Using light layers of paint, give 15 minutes in between each coat to properly dry. I recruited a fairly large lamp that put out some extra heat to make sure the paint cured properly as it was fairly cold this morning in NY. The typical back and forth sweeping motion works fine, but be sure to do each coat at a different angel to ensure that all the surface of the badge is covered. I used a total of 4 coats of paint and it seemed to work wonderfully.
Carefully remove drop cloths and tape and ensure entire surface has been covered.
Stand back and enjoy your handy work. Grab a beer and get ready to watch Michigan run circles around OSU on a Saturday afternoon. GO BLUE!
Newbie
good job....you are in the same boat I am. I have been dying to get rid of that front symbol. I had visions of doing exactly what you did..lol. Great minds think a like I guess. I am not very excited about taking my bumper off either. Another thought I had, but I haven't looked closely enough, and maybe you know for sure, if that badge is just a stick on, pull it off, get a new one and paint that and reapply.
Great job, see you on the 10th!
Great job, see you on the 10th!
No way to take the front badge off without ripping the bumper off and I wasn't up for doing that. It is "pegged" into the badge holder which is screwed into the grille from the inside. Big thumbs down on getting it off without taking the bumper off unfortunately. So this was the only alternative I could consider because I'm boycotting vinyl
Former Sponsor
its easy to take off... when i put on my licp i plan on doing it... with the bumper off there are 2 or 3 philps screws and it comes off...
it would probably faster to take the bumper off than to tape up the whole car and take it off
and assures you of no mistakes to the body paint
cheers!
it would probably faster to take the bumper off than to tape up the whole car and take it off
and assures you of no mistakes to the body paint
cheers!
Evolved Member
On my bumper I didn't have any screws holding it on, it was simply glued on like any other badge. So I just ripped it off, painted it, then glued it back on.
You DON'T have to take the whole bumper off! When I installed my cooling plate and had the top center screws/clips out, you can reach in there and unscrew it w/ a stubby screwdriver.
Now that I think about it, maybe I should paint mine white and put it back on...
Now that I think about it, maybe I should paint mine white and put it back on...
Hmm I didn't see how I could get even a stubby in there. Maybe cause I'm 6' 270lbs and can't get the angles...LOL fat guys + small spaces = bad
Evolving Member
not bad how long did it take you to cover the car,and how long did it take you to tape the gaps on the badge. i would it just take the bumper off...
10-15 min to tape the badge
5 min to drape the car
5 min to drape the car
Evolved Member
Good write up and pics but as i read this my Ohio Staters are running circleas around your Michigan boys! lol
Evolved Member
very nice I want to do this also. I am wondering how it will look on a siver