Painting Factory bumper

[Krissinator]

Is it possible to just take the gray bumper (with oh so trendy tape marks) to an automotive painter/ body shop and ask them to slap a coat of paint on it?
Is it hard to do yourself? I cant afford the $700 for a chrome bumper cover.

-Kristin

[DARKPT]

Lots of folks have been through this. This should get you started:
Tape mark removal

[1WEDWUDY]

Had my '02 done about 6 months after I got the car. Then went back and got the mirrors and door pillars painted.

[Robinh]

Originally Posted by 1WEDWUDY

Had my '02 done about 6 months after I got the car. Then went back and got the mirrors and door pillars painted.

Geesh, after looking at how good those mirrors look color-matched I may go do the same thing. They did a really good job. Any suggestions before I go find a painter?? I was thinking about the chrome covers, but can't seem to find any for an '06 vert...

Krissinator, if you've got the factory gray bumper, I'd look at 1wedwudy's and see if you like the color match. I think it looks fabulous matched up like that...

[Krissinator]

It's the same color as mine, too! lol
It looks awesome.

[marvin]

Kris yes any body shop that does painting should be able to paint the bumper for you. Make sure not to wax the bumper at all and wash the snot out of it before you bring it to them. {Also do yourself a huge favor and wax every part of the car that is not going to be painted (you will see why later).} All they have to do is put "Flex agent" in the paint and a plastic promoter so it will stick. Easy job for them.

If you get it done talk to them before hand about how they will handle NOT getting over spray on your car when they do it.

Because it is so much easier to paint the bumper on the car instead of taking it off to paint it, most shop swill mask out the area to be painted, paint it, buff it and do what they do. Then wash your car to make it look shiny and have you pick it up. You pay and off you go. If you take a look at your roof and hood you will see and feel a rough, sandy if you will, texture left on your car. This is over spray- air born paint that floated onto your car while the were spraying on the paint for your bumper. Now it can come off but takes a lot of work. IF you just waxed the car like you should have ( remember from earlier) it will come off pretty easy if not you will be getting a clay bar and working on your arm muscles for a while. But who knows maybe you and your good looking mom will enjoy rubbing the paint off.

Good luck.

[Bosch]

Originally Posted by DARKPT

Lots of folks have been through this. This should get you started:
Tape mark removal

Thanks for digging up that post! I am about to paint my like this only in black.. Tape marks are starting to show on my replacement OEM rear bumper.. It took 2 years but its time to take care of it for good.

[Robinh]

Marvin, why not just take the bumper off and take it to them? I don't know what's involved in taking that year bumper off, but the '06 bumper on mine has been off and on several times now. I find it easier to take the whole thing off to do the front end work. Even adding horns up front it was just easier to remove the bumper, got it down to about 10 minutes now to get it off... 4 bolts (two in each fender well), a couple of compression fittings, two screws on the front grill, then 5 screws along the bottom.

two pics below are from when I yanked it off to install the tube grill, much easier working with it off the car...

[1WEDWUDY]

Actually, a Cadillac body shop painted mine for me. Had been told by other shops that it couldn't be done. Caddy guys said it was not a problem at all. Have never had any regrets. Paint has never chipped on any of the pieces. My car got rearended about 3 years ago. A different body shop did the repairs. Instead of getting a OEM bumper, they got an '03 Dream Cruiser bumper cover and painted that. This shop was one of the ones that said the OEM bumpers couldn't be painted. Guess they still think that.

[marvin]

They usually don't because they are lazy. One less thing to do they 98% of the time they get away with.