What I just did, painted upper sway bar.

[TimmyB]

So Advanced Auto Parts has 50% off there Dupli-Color spray paints so ive been stocking up looking for things to paint. I just painted my upper sway bar a nice flame red last night. Sanded with 800 grit then a few coats of grey primer, followed 30 min later by 3 coats of the flame red then finished with clear coat about 1 hour after the color coat.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC02029.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC02030.jpg

Had to remove that vacumm line in order to remove and re-install the sway bar.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC02031.jpg

2 nice scratches in the new paint from installing that dam clamp thing. It fits on so tight. Im going to look for a small bottle of red touch up paint tomorrow to fix it.


So, what else has everyone painted? Just doing that sway bar I think it looks great. Another idea I had was buying some stainless steel hoses and install them over the rubber hoses in the engine compartment. And my engine is filthy as hell, but im afraid to clean it myself so I might take it somewhere and have it steam cleaned, if they even do that?

[Robert Palmer]

Very nice Timmy but cough.......clean that engine bay.....cough. :D

[Matt]

That looks sexy!!

+1 for braided hoses, those looks really cool!

[TimmyB]

haha, no sh** my engine needs a cleaning, I already said that so you guys wont poke fun. Lol.

I def like the SS braided hose look. I see about 3 hoses where I can fit them on easy. I was also thinking about painting the alternator and AC compressor pullys flame red to match. Anything else paople paint? Im not sure how that plastic K&N instake tube will come out because its not smooth.

[Megatron]

Looks good tim!

As for the HIR, I will get them from the store wed and let you know what happens.

[Marlin]

Just make sure you have a 'theme" is all I suggest, otherwise it's possible to end up looking like a dog's breakfast.
I think the K&n tube could be sanded smooth :)

edit: I'm refering to Timmy and painting pulleys etc

[jeeppro]

nice work

[TimmyB]

Just make sure you have a 'theme" is all I suggest, otherwise it's possible to end up looking like a dog's breakfast.
I think the K&n tube could be sanded smooth :)

edit: I'm refering to Timmy and painting pulleys etc

Wow too funny, about your dogs breakfast comment. I was actually at a meeting last week and someone said the same thing, and everyone in there looked at eachother because no one ever heard that comment before. We all laughed and the guy said it was a Canadian thing to say i guess. Lol.

And by theme do you mean the same color paint, or if i paint one pulley I should do them all? I am just really looking for things to do to my WK now, and the paint is on sale. Lol. At one of the auto stores near me they have VHT caliper blue spray paint on the clearance rack for $2.49 so i got a can to do my rear differential cover in, but now I think I want to do it in red. I like the "caliper" paint because a primer isnt needed because it adheres to bare metal, at least from what i see after a good cleaning,

[TimmyB]

Im actually thinking about painting my side mirrors now because I have a good idea what im doing with painting.

[Matt]

Im actually thinking about painting my side mirrors now because I have a good idea what im doing with painting.

Not red I hope, hehe

[Megatron]

Painted side mirrors. Nice.....i'll be waiting on that one

[Marlin]

Wow too funny, about your dogs breakfast comment. I was actually at a meeting last week and someone said the same thing, and everyone in there looked at eachother because no one ever heard that comment before. We all laughed and the guy said it was a Canadian thing to say i guess. Lol.

And by theme do you mean the same color paint, or if i paint one pulley I should do them all? I am just really looking for things to do to my WK now, and the paint is on sale. Lol. At one of the auto stores near me they have VHT caliper blue spray paint on the clearance rack for $2.49 so i got a can to do my rear differential cover in, but now I think I want to do it in red. I like the "caliper" paint because a primer isnt needed because it adheres to bare metal, at least from what i see after a good cleaning,

Hahaha, I didn't know it wasn't a common saying :) :lol:

Yeah I'm just meaning that I think don't go crazy with it, I've seen many underbonnets overdone, sometimes less is more, you know what I mean? It's like when you see a Hyundai with every part thats easily removed and painted done in an alternate colour, it's just tacky.
And definately don't mix colours :)

[Matt]

Hahaha, I didn't know it wasn't a common saying :) :lol:

Yeah I'm just meaning that I think don't go crazy with it, I've seen many underbonnets overdone, sometimes less is more, you know what I mean? It's like when you see a Hyundai with every part thats easily removed and painted done in an alternate colour, it's just tacky.
And definately don't mix colours :)

In summation, do it tastefully. :)

[Marlin]

lol, I was (badly) trying to explain tastefully :)

[Matt]

lol, I was (badly) trying to explain tastefully :)

No mate, you hit the nail on the head. Can't tell you how many times I've seen people go crazy randomly painting and covering things under the hood. Puke. Do a little here and there and make it look classy.

[TimmyB]

I want to only paint things that look like they might be aftermarket parts, like the upper sway bar looks money now, same with the brake calipers. I have seen rear differential covers painted so thats why I want to do that also but in red, plus its visible from the rear. Because my WK is black I think red is a great compliment color for the other things. Was thinking of maybe painting my rear shocks in the same flame red as the upper sway bar I just did. I would love to paint the engine covers or whatever you call them but to remove them looks like too much work.

[Scottina06]

Paint that K&N tube.....

I painted my strut bar a couple years ago and the hood insulation will stick to it...so be prepared the next time you open the hood. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

So to solve that...earlier this year I got the SRT strut bar and had it painted to match Inferno red....it looks mint cause its thicker...but shorter than the stock WK strut bar.

[B.P.O.D]

that paint came out great timmy!!!!

[TimmyB]

Paint that K&N tube.....

I painted my strut bar a couple years ago and the hood insulation will stick to it...so be prepared the next time you open the hood. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

So to solve that...earlier this year I got the SRT strut bar and had it painted to match Inferno red....it looks mint cause its thicker...but shorter than the stock WK strut bar.


Thanks for that info. I still have the stock hood liner off since im still in the process of soundproofing the hood. But now you just gave me an idea to install something over the stock liner like plastic or something durable to keep it from getting "stuck" in the paint. I could actually even cut away the stock liner where it might contact the bar too. I have 1/8" EPDM rubber im going to layer on the underside of the hood with up to 3/4". So if I cut away the liner just where the bar is im sure i will be fine.

[TimmyB]

I am going to do the CAI tube friday night then in the same flame red color. Should i mask over the "K&N" logo with painters tape so it shows after or just paint the whole thing you think?

[TimmyB]

that paint came out great timmy!!!!


Well ill be honest, the whole thing to paint on a scale of 1 to 10 was a 2, hardest thing was taking it off then installing it back the next day so the new paint wouldnt get scratched, but that clamp made me scratch it anyways. Before i installed it I wrapped it in a cloth to keep from getting scratched.

I def think I can do the side mirrors now with having a little experience with painting. I still have my stillens to do over because they dont look right in black metallic paint when my paint is the brilliant black crystal pearl, but they dont carry that color locally.

[Scottina06]

I painted the whole thing....you could always use one of the K&N stickers that came with the system if you want to

[TimmyB]

I think I threw those stickers out, or gave them away to someone. I really dont even care if it says K&N.

[TimmyB]

I just test painted a piece of abs plastic I had laying around that has an uneven surface similar to my CAI tube and it came out bad, not smooth and doesnt look that good with a gloss on it. I think i'll have to really sand the tube surface down well to a smooth surface to receive a gloss color and look good.

[Scottina06]

yep......mine was sanded and I used high build primer as well. Dont forget the adhesion promoter on plastic......LOL

[B.P.O.D]

i know daniel can do the brilliant black paint on the mirrors. i asked him bc i also have brilliant black

[TimmyB]

yep......mine was sanded and I used high build primer as well. Dont forget the adhesion promoter on plastic......LOL


Is the adhesion coat the first coat before the primer, or is it actually a primer then followed by the color coat? I have a couple cans of "sandable" grey primer that i can layer on good after I spend a good amount of time sanding the plastic tube as smooth as I can get it. Im so anal I actually completely sanded the previous color coat and primer down to the plastic on these used stillens I have, must of taken me about 3 hours total but I know i wouldnt feel right if I didnt do it, wanted it the best I could get it. Too bad it came out the wrong color and i have to do them over, Lol.

[Scottina06]

I use the adhesion promoter after sanding and before the primer

[TimmyB]

i know daniel can do the brilliant black paint on the mirrors. i asked him bc i also have brilliant black


Im just going to have a quart of it mixed up from a local auto paint store and try using the spray gun I have to use with my compressor. Its not that expensive buying it that way. I feel im confident I can have it come out good now after my sway bar came out good just using spray paint, nice n smooth with no pits or orange peel.

[B.P.O.D]

that's awesome! i have a spray gun and compressor too!!! maybe ill tackle this in the spring! do i smell a write up???

[Scottina06]

Ive done many write ups onhow to paint in your garage....just gotta search....LOL

[TimmyB]

Ive done many write ups onhow to paint in your garage....just gotta search....LOL


Yea but if its not one of the first few posts it gets lost forever for no one to ever find again. Lol.

I cant believe my simple post on painting my upper sway bar is on 2 pages now.

And why wait till spring, perfect time to paint, its getting cold out, perfect to do things inside, I dont have a garage but my basement is setup like a nice workshop. Wish i could drive my car down there somehow. ha.

[mizman]

Very nice. I like it!

[yousmellfunnytoo]

Very nice. I like it!

First post to celebrate a thread almost turning 1 year old... Nice :lol:

[B.P.O.D]

timmy lets get an update on this???? did the paint stay on? did the stuff from under the hood stick on the paint?