Phase 1.5 Trim Refurb - Grey Not Black

[Maccer 0]

Hi,

 

I have a '88 1.6 in graphite grey and the bumpers are looking pretty sad and faded! I want to take all the trim off and restore it to its original (lightish grey?) glory but everyone on here seems to be going for the phase 2 look black trim.

Does anyone have any tips and good products to get my trim back to it's original grey colour?

I have read that the dye is much better than the paints, although I have not found anyone local that supplies dye. I will also have to repair a small section on the corner of the front bumper (about 1/2" diameter where she's had a parking knock) with fiberglass and a filler topcoat so am I better off going for paint in this scenario or will the dye work evenly on filler?

[smokey 0]

Hi,

 

I have a '88 1.6 in graphite grey and the bumpers are looking pretty sad and faded! I want to take all the trim off and restore it to its original (lightish grey?) glory but everyone on here seems to be going for the phase 2 look black trim.

Does anyone have any tips and good products to get my trim back to it's original grey colour?

I have read that the dye is much better than the paints, although I have not found anyone local that supplies dye. I will also have to repair a small section on the corner of the front bumper (about 1/2" diameter where she's had a parking knock) with fiberglass and a filler topcoat so am I better off going for paint in this scenario or will the dye work evenly on filler?

 

If your going to make some repairs then you will have to go down the paint route to cover it, dyes will take differently on the different surfaces.

 

One trick is to use a hot air gun, this causes the pigment to rise to the surface. But be careful not to actually melt the trim.

 

Like you say most are going for the phase 2 black, by either buying new trim or painting the old ones black.

There was someone on here asking about getting some phase 1 grey colour paint, not sure if they were succesful or not.

 

Hope that helps

[Maccer 0]

The local halfords has a few different grey bumper sprays, some 'standard' bumper paint and some 'flexible vinyl' paints that are twice as expensive!! Anyone had any experience with these?

They also sell dark and light grey, anyone got any old pictures of an original phase 1 car - can't really tell just how much my trim has faded and if they started off really dark grey?

[steve@cornwall 100]

It's probably as well to buy a new pattern bumper as buying the fibreglass, filler and paint! A good helping of rubbing compound, bumper snot and elbow grease will prob. see the rest of the trim looking good!

[welshpug 1,624]

I'd agree with steve on that one, Neat Auto's still do the o.e material Bumpers for about £20 IIRC (Boombang bought one about 3 weeks ago)

[Maccer 0]

Well, finally after scouring the net for weeks on and off I've managed to source some grey plastic dye from the USA.... will update when I've tried it out!!

Just checked that neat autos and the GTI bumpers are £41 a pop (inc VAT) so if this dye does the job it'll be cost effective too! (I already have some fiberglass at home!)

Edited July 7, 2008 by Maccer

[osama 0]

i literally have just tried some of the dark grey bumper paint from halfords, and it errr, is light grey.

Guna take it back and show them that after 4 coats, the grey of the bumper is nowhere near the grey show on the lid of the can! what can i use now?!!

[Maccer 0]

I got the dye thru the post and have tried it out on a couple of spare bits of trim and so far so good! Got a set of quarterpanel badges and a bit of sunroof trim looking nice, also did my window winders and they have come up really well too. Will be doing all my trim hopefully this coming weekend and will post up a full set of pics!

[Super Josh 4]

Oooh, post up some pics, would be interesting to see how they have come out

 

 

Josh

[philfingers 5]

where did you get the dye from, I'm in the USA now, might try and get some,

 

Phil

[Maccer 0]

I managed to get the rear of the car done tonight, so here are a few pics of the back end (oh-er!) ahead of the full finished refurb.

 

This is what she looked like before I started, very milky way!

 

 

I washed down the bumper with plain old washing up liquid and removed the red trim, left to dry then applied a coat of the dye just using a bit of rag. This is halfway through...

 

 

A second coat later and the trim back on;

 

 

A huge difference I think. It's pretty much a spot on match to the original colour too - the edges of the bumper that were covered by the wheelarch trim had not faded and were almost identical to the new look.

 

I will post up a full set probably on Wednesday/Thursday (as the car is getting the roof sprayed on Mon-Weds)

[Maccer 0]

Finally got round to finishing the trim and taking some more photos.

Up to my last post I'd done the rear bumper and the boot panel, and removed the side trim, quarterpanel badges and roof trim for the spray, I also took off the door trims and did all these while they were off the car.

I have seen people spray the badges with stencils that they stick on then cut out - looked really fiddly. It was quite easy using the dye as I just wiped it over an entire badge then cleaned it back off the vinyl lettering with the cloth.

 

I got back to the car and had the hole in the front bumper to repair;

 

 

so I got out the fiberglass and added a little of the dye to the mix and filled it in;

 

 

Then got to work on the front bumper and front wheelarch trims (all of which I left on the car as they seemed to be a real pain to get off!)

 

 

I also did the spoiler, door handles, wing mirrors and some bits of interior trim that had gone like the window winders and the sunroof handle/latch.

 

 

Finally got all of the trim done, back on the car and fitted my mudflaps and here are the final results;

 

to

 

to

 

A simple trim refurb has completely transformed the look of the car!

 

This stuff is now available in the UK. It's called Plasticare trim dye and is on Ebay.co.uk.

[timmsy19 3]

looks really good.

 

if your wanting the 1.5 look this does look like the way to go.

 

good job

[philfingers 5]

can't see it on ebay., did a search. where did you get it in the USA please, may try and get some here,

 

Phil

[Maccer 0]

It is definitely on there Phil, PM sent.

 

Thanks timsy, I am pretty pleased with it. I think the original look is great - more fashionable too I think as they get older and more retro (Better than some tacky johnboyesque bodykit anyday!) - that's why I'm keeping mine 100%, not even clear indicators! Goodwood rims would be nice though.

Edited July 29, 2008 by Maccer

[miamichris 9]

that made a really nice job of that trim mate, I wasn't sure what to do with mine..was considering getting it painted when the car gets resprayed but you've given me another option now!

[Ben 0]

Maccer,

Very off topic but do you live on Bereweeke road? Pretty sure I see this car most days when I walk to work at the tennis club?

[Rom 0]

Looks very nice.

 

Is 1 bottle enough to do the whole car. Well the trims not the WHOLE car

 

Ill be needing some after my gf has recovered from how much ive spent recently. Currently got old and new trims, so looks a bit mish mash.

[welshpug 1,624]

Looks great, have I missed it or have you not said what the product is?

[Maccer 0]

The product is called Plasticare trim dye and is available now on ebay.co.uk (also available in black)

 

One bottle is enough to do 1-2 cars. I did all my trim; bumpers, arches, doors, door handles, mirrors, roof trim/spoiler, and all my interior bits with less than 3/4 of a bottle. If your bumpers are not that faded one coat will suffice but mine were very well gone so had two coats!

[Maccer 0]

Ben,

 

Hi yes, that's the one. Have you got the other graphite grey one I've seen running around?

[Pugnut 9 1 Cars]

this looks great, i'm thinking of doing the same myself. Autoglym bumper snot works a treat for me , but needs re-applying every few weeks or so. Mine look quite patchy when totally bare . would you say that this dye restores to an even grey although the bare trim is quite patchy?

 

cheers, Al

[Maccer 0]

Hi Al - it will work over whatever you've got, and will bring all the areas back to the same grey colour - As long as you get all the old dressings and dirt off so the dye can actually get into the plastic.

If you look at my pics all my trim was done - the bumpers were one colour and the arches were another - now they're all the same!

It should last you alot longer than those silicone dressings - you shouldn't have to do it again for years not weeks!

Edited July 31, 2008 by Maccer

[jimistdt 1]

That looks truly awesome.

 

One question, when you use the window winders does the dye stay on the winder or does it come of on your hand?

 

 

Again great job.

 

 

GROUP BUY!?

[Maccer 0]

Thx Jimi; Re the winders, once it's dry that's it, it doesn't rub off. It soaks into the plastic (as many car plastics are porous to a degree) and colours the top layers where the pigment has been bleached. Like when you wash your car and all the trim looks great again because the water soaks into the top layer and the light gets through to the unbleached dye underneath. This stuff re-dyes the actual plastic so it won't wipe off the top.