Hey, I need some recommendation on what grit sandpaper to use (and to either wet sand or just dry sand it):

1. Stock integra side skirts - mine are black right now and it's like plastic I believe. Should I even sand this and/or primer? If so, what grit sandpaper should I be using before primer, after primer/before paint, and after paint? Or can I just paint over the stock side skirt without primer?

2. Front lip/rear valence - The front lip is made of urethane and the rear valence is abs plastic, both aren't primered so I'm guessing I'll have to primer it. What grit should I be using before primer, after primer/before painting, and after paint? Should I sand between layering my paint (what grit do I sand with)?

Thanks all!

Oh, lastly, if any of you know, what kind of paint should I use? Where can I get it?
I havn't gone to the store yet, but anyone know if they have any matching colors for Vogue Silver Metallic integra?

 

if they are all bare plastic you want to read the instructions on how to apply "Bulldog" before spraying primer.

http://www.wmbarr.com/product.aspx?catid=1&prodid=56

follow those prep guidelines

 

Any suggestions on grit of sandpaper to use? Thanks

 

Hey, you don't have to primer any of it, the urethane front lip if it has never been painted comes with a gel coat applied to it you must wash it with dawn soap very good like 2 or 3 times or the paint won't stick to it!! and start to peel., the rear valence is abs plastic so it won't need to be washed unless dirty, you always want to sand wet so you don't have grit build up under the paper and put scratches in your work! You can start out 600 wet and go to 800 wet then your good to paint you can add primer if you want and wet sand it with 800 grit but its up to you good luck!

 

For plastic parts you should get some scotch bright pads and some abrasive additive soap I don't know what it is called. Alot of companies make it check out autobody tool mart online and look for it and the pads there, it is the best thing for plastic parts. Then you should be able the prime it.

 

ok well if I got a bottle of primer for the rear valences I guess I might as well use it for my urethane front lip as well.

so here's what i've got so far for both my rear valence and lip
1. Scotch bright pads w/ dawn soap, wait till it dries
2. wetsand with increasing grit number, starting at 600,800 till 2000
3. spray a couple coats of primer
4. wet sand 800 grit and moving up in grit number till 2000
5. spray 4-5 coats of paint
6. spray clear coat on and wetsand 2000

 

On step two its not really necessary to go all the way to 2000 grit. 1000 or 1200 should be fine, but the rest is pretty much good to go.

 

Has anyone heard of Bulldog adhesion promoter? A friend told me I need this instead of primer for my side skirts and rear valences because they're plastic. Do I still sand adhesion promoter as if it were primer?

 

i could have swore i posted this in this thread...

 

ROFL **** woops sorry I posted this on the integra forum too just for more opinions on it haha. So do I spray the adhesion promoter and let it dry then spray primer? or should I sand it after and then spray primer?

 

gotta follow the instructions they provide for the product per the material your gona use it for, they s hould have instructions on the website, i know they had videos too last time on how to use it

 

Bulldog is a good adhesion promoter, another good one is from Urethane Supply Company. They list it as a universal plastic primer, it sticks to just about any automotive plastic without any adhesion promoter. You can probably find it at your local paint jobber.

If you go up to 2000G while your prepping for color, there wont be enough of a tooth for the base coat to bite onto.

I'd suggest prepping it with 400 on a DA before you're ready to lay down the basecoat. Any good base color should be able to hide 400G scratches. Wait to go nuts with the ultra fine sandpaper until you're done with your clear. Between coats of clear I wouldn't go much past 800 maybe 1000 if that. Once you hit it with whatever you determine to be your final coat(I'd suggest as many as 4-5 for a skirt be careful and observant of dry times though) then you can go absolutely sand happy and wetsand the hell out of it.

Follow up the wetsanding with a good compound followed by a finishing material and a soft(yellow or black foam) buffing pad.

Again, just make sure you follow all the directions with your primer/color/clear to the letter.

 

k, so out of this here's my full process


1. 600, 800 grit wet sand
2. Clean / dry
3. Bulldog 2-3 coats, 5-10 minutes between each coat (don't sand between each coat)
4. Clean / dry
5. Light wet sand 800, 1000
6. Clean / dry
7. Spray 4-5 coat of base paint, 15-20 minutes between each coat
8. Clean / dry
9. Spray 2-3 layers of clear coat, 15-20 minutes between each coat (1000 grit dry sand between each coat)
10. Wetsand 2000 grit

Last question for the day though, if I decide to use primer instead of adhesion promoter (can I use both?) what type of primer should I get? I'm looking on Duplicolor's website, and they have a "primer sealer", "filler primer", and "flexible primer"

 

Just be care full sanding your clear I wouldn't go to 2000g because by then you could of burned thru the , also just a reminder 15 to 20 min ain't a good rule to follow every product is different just read the label of the paint your using to have accurate flash time and be aware of humidity/or the cold good luck

 

Decided to go with ultra silver metallic paint to try to match VSM, and sandable primer. I'll let you guys know how it turns out! Thanks everyone!