Front Bumper Cover Chipping

[bigjuice_7]

basically i hit a opossum( ran right across the road when it was pitch black out) so my front bumper or "cover" looks like crap. The paint just chipped off on most of the bottom and my black fog light cover thing fell out too but i found it. So Im wondering what are my options are to repair this. Should i take the cover off and sand all the paint off till its just plastic and start painting or should i just buy a new bumper cover??? i found a new one cheap like 50 bucks but the shipping is insane like 100 dollars or more. Any suggestions??
thanks

 

[dented_coffee]

If your bumper cover is not cracked then paint her dude. A new cover is primed if that at all. You will still need paint no matter what bumper choice you go with.

 

[WORPeclipse]

Is the paint stock? If the paint is peeling off in more than the places you hit the animal then you have adhesion probs and all the paint needs to come off and re-prep and paint the whole bumper. Alot of the times a bumper will appear to have good adhesion til the paint gets cracked and starts peelin and then the whole thing will peel. Most of the times you buy a new cover they come with any paint or primer. For the most part only the metal parts come primed and then you still have to sand and repaint them. They are only primed to keep from rustin. None of the urethane bumpers that ever came through our shop was ever in primer when we got it. If you dont do your prep work right on the urethane the paint will never stick though. Also unless you go with a new factory bumper you are almost always goin to have fitment problems with a after market bumper. By after market i dont mean body kit i mean anything thats not from vehicle manufacture.

 

[Thomas91169]

depending on how faded your paint is, you can buy these on ebay for like $250 pre-painted to match your color code. Ive only seen it on two cars (the solid red and white 2g colors). Ive contemplated just getting one for mine (Magenta Grey Pearl).

 

[Oldsid]

Is the paint stock? If the paint is peeling off in more than the places you hit the animal then you have adhesion probs and all the paint needs to come off and re-prep and paint the whole bumper. Alot of the times a bumper will appear to have good adhesion til the paint gets cracked and starts peelin and then the whole thing will peel. Most of the times you buy a new cover they come with any paint or primer. For the most part only the metal parts come primed and then you still have to sand and repaint them. They are only primed to keep from rustin. None of the urethane bumpers that ever came through our shop was ever in primer when we got it. If you dont do your prep work right on the urethane the paint will never stick though. Also unless you go with a new factory bumper you are almost always goin to have fitment problems with a after market bumper. By after market i dont mean body kit i mean anything thats not from vehicle manufacture.

I have a similar problem and I found a bumper in very good shape in the junkyard but of a different color than my car. How do you recommend that we remove the paint? I am thinking about using an orbital sander (air or electric) and was wandering if it is not going to heat the palstic too much. Once I remove all the paint I will take it to a body shop and have it properly painted.

 

[KKneipper]

Wow, for a guy with only 16 posts, WORP seems to know his shit, when it comes to body work. I'm gonna keep my eye on this guy. Could be VERY helpful in the future.

I have a similar problem and I found a bumper in very good shape in the junkyard but of a different color than my car. How do you recommend that we remove the paint? I am thinking about using an orbital sander (air or electric) and was wandering if it is not going to heat the palstic too much. Once I remove all the paint I will take it to a body shop and have it properly painted.

Wet sand. It takes A LOT longer, but works very well. If you're going to use a power sander, then I would (just to be safe) just keep moving it rather quickly over the bumper and don't stay on one spot for more than a second or two, as to avoid possibly melting the plastic. After each pass over the bumper, I'd give it a few minutes to cool down if it feels warm.

 

[WORPeclipse]

I have a similar problem and I found a bumper in very good shape in the junkyard but of a different color than my car. How do you recommend that we remove the paint? I am thinking about using an orbital sander (air or electric) and was wandering if it is not going to heat the palstic too much. Once I remove all the paint I will take it to a body shop and have it properly painted.

I have to say if you are goin to have a shop paint it then have them prep it. Prep is the big key to a good paint job. Plus alot of shops wont warranty it or even touch it if someone else did the prep work for this reason. Also dont use just a orbital make sure its a DA ( dual action). A standard (single action) only spins like a angle grinder. Where as with a DA is spins that direction and also rotates the head while spinning the pad. Keeps from diggin into the paint as easy.

Wow, for a guy with only 16 posts, WORP seems to know his shit, when it comes to body work. I'm gonna keep my eye on this guy. Could be VERY helpful in the future.



Wet sand. It takes A LOT longer, but works very well. If you're going to use a power sander, then I would (just to be safe) just keep moving it rather quickly over the bumper and don't stay on one spot for more than a second or two, as to avoid possibly melting the plastic. After each pass over the bumper, I'd give it a few minutes to cool down if it feels warm.

Thanks man. Yeah just cause i have a little post count dont mean i dont know my stuff like some people think. I have been building car and trucks for over 15 years. Started as a hobby when i was a kid with my uncles and grandfathers. One of my grandfathers built drag cars in the '60s and '70s. I have worked in and ran both body shops and performance shops for years. Used to be on here back in like '99 when i had my 1g talon.

You can also use a DA sander like your talkin bout and wet sand with it. They have velcro pads that are just for wet sandin with a DA. You can get them from like 120grit to somewhere around 3000 if i am thinkin right. You can also get a foam pad to go with them so you can go around corners and such without removing material.

 

[Thomas91169]

if you dd the car find a good bumper at the junkyard or a local ad and take it down to a reputable body shop and have them prep/paint. This way they warranty their work. If you do the prep they wont warranty shit since any issues theyll just blame on your prep work. Wont cost more than 200-250$ to have a shop paint a front cover. If you dont DD the car then hell, just pull off the one you have now and take it down there and repeat the above.

 

[Oldsid]

Thanks a lot for the help guys. The only reason I wanted to remove the paint myself is because the shops here charge an arm and a leg for labor! I wish I can find a shop that will do it below $300.

 

[bigjuice_7]

i found this on ebay... NEW FRONT BUMPER COVER 97 98 99 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 1997: eBay Motors (item 370423175738 end time Sep-21-10 00:45:25 PDT)

and the guy i bought the car from painted the whole car the factory red color r87. I just dont think he used like the flexible paint or whatever on the bumper. no cracks either just wondering since i moved to a state that you dont have to have a front license plate if the holes the dude drilled for the mount can be like filled and look flush and he drilled at least 4 or 5 holes

 

[WORPeclipse]

i found this on ebay... NEW FRONT BUMPER COVER 97 98 99 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 1997: eBay Motors (item 370423175738 end time Sep-21-10 00:45:25 PDT)

and the guy i bought the car from painted the whole car the factory red color r87. I just dont think he used like the flexible paint or whatever on the bumper. no cracks either just wondering since i moved to a state that you dont have to have a front license plate if the holes the dude drilled for the mount can be like filled and look flush and he drilled at least 4 or 5 holes

The bumper in that add is OE replacement meant a after market bumper and may not fit correctly.

Not tryin to bust balls or anything but the stuff to make the paint flexable is simple called a flex agent. Some painters swear by it some says its a waste. You can fill it 2 ways:

1- plastic weld with the right filler

2- panel bond

Panel bond is easier to use but is harder than the bumper material and may crack the paint over time.

Plastic welding wont crack out and will flex like the original bumper but you can melt the crap out of your bumper. Have to be more careful.

Either way need to make sure you use a glazing putty and clean everything up and sand smooth. Most of the putty will get sanded off its just fill minor imperfections.

 

[bigjuice_7]

ok sooo my best bet is to sand off all the paint on the cover im thinkin?

 

[WORPeclipse]

I would just to be sure you dont have a adhesion problem. Cause if you dont and you paint over it by just featherin the edges of where its peelin the new paint will just come off with the old.

 

[KKneipper]

I would just to be sure you dont have a adhesion problem. Cause if you dont and you paint over it by just featherin the edges of where its peelin the new paint will just come off with the old.

Even "Last Call" chicks don't look as bad as cars with bad paint jobs.

Prep is everything, and make sure you take your time with it to get it right. If you have a sprayer, go ahead and try to paint the bumper yourself. If you screw it up, let it dry, and take it to a shop and pay them for the prep too.

 

[WORPeclipse]

Even "Last Call" chicks don't look as bad as cars with bad paint jobs.

Prep is everything, and make sure you take your time with it to get it right. If you have a sprayer, go ahead and try to paint the bumper yourself. If you screw it up, let it dry, and take it to a shop and pay them for the prep too.

Hes got a point. You never learn to do somethin if you dont try. I suggest you go by a junk yard or body shop and get a scrap bumper and try to test paint on first. Would be cheaper than doin yours F'in it up and havein to pay a shop to redo it and would prob cost more for "extra" prep work to fix the mess up. Most body shops will give you messed and torn up bumper covers so they dont have to deal with them.

 

[bigjuice_7]

ok guys so should i chip off all the rest of the paint on the bumper then prep it?
I recently spray painted my rims black and they turned out pretty good. and im sort of a perfectionist so i like to do as much as i can by myself

 

[WORPeclipse]

Chip off what will with out hurtin the bumper. What dont come off use the DA and wet sand or just wet sand by hand.

 

[bigjuice_7]

ok and is there a better place to buy the actual paint for it than paint scratch.com? my dad used this on his 4 runner and its still holding up, im just wondering and all do i need? for the prep work?
thanks guys

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

I wouldn't recommend chip away at your soft plastic bumper. Just use a orbital sander and sanding block and take your time.

 

[SlickGSXEclipse]

I agree with wet sanding and taking your time. I repainted my aftermarket oem bumper w/rattle cans, I don't think it turned out too bad. I sanded the old red paint till It felt and looked smooth, then primed with rustoleum plastic primer, then sanded that untill it looked and felt smooth, and then finally sprayed the red and then wet sanded and buffed to a shine. It's held up well in the last 3 months, no major chips or anything, just some small nicks from highway driving. I wouldn't recommend rattle can though, if you have access to a spray gun. As long as you take your time it'll be fine, you if mess up or don't like how it looks after, just sand and do it again...its all just the inconvenience of time. Good luck.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

I wouldn't recommend rattlecan either because it probably wont last. It will probably start to fade within a couple years, depending on how much it sits outside. Especially wthout a clearcoat. I would go with automotive finishes and don't forget to clear, then wetsand/buff.

 

[wkmitsu]

You can DA sand with 300 grit on all the places that are chipped and feather them out. Any place you don't touch with the DA sander you'll need to scuff really good. Spray adhesion promoter on the areas that are down to plastic. Roll prime the main areas of the bumper and wet sand it with 600 grit. Seal it, paint it, clear it. Wet sand the clear with 2000 grit and buff it back to a mirror shine. Should look as good as the front bumper on my car when you're done. I have pictures in my profile.

 

[WORPeclipse]

You can get automotive paint from oreilly auto parts. They carry Dupont paint. they have many lines of paint Nason being their cheapest.

On a side note their cheap stuff can turn out nice. This car was painted with Nason and wasnt wet sanded and buffed in this pic.

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Don't make fun of the big tach that was back in like 02 or 03

 

[bigjuice_7]

hey worp the plastic weld you recommend to fill in the license plate holes, do you mean JB Weld?

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

hey worp the plastic weld you recommend to fill in the license plate holes, do you mean JB Weld?

He means plastic weld epoxy. You can also use some Bondo plastic bumper filler to fill holes drilled for license plates.