GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

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Hey Michele, I'm going to call around to some powdercoating places tonight in the SD area. I've heard it's not too expensive, so if you want I can update you with what I find out tomrrow. There seem to be quite a few powdercoating places in the area.

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I'll post what I find on here tomorrow sometime.

Quote, originally posted by damronjr »There seem to be quite a few powdercoating places in the area. LOL - and you know why Thanks for checkin' out my site Michele When I say wetsanding, I mean using a VERY fine grit sandpaper and a tad of water while you lightly sand each coat of paint after they thoroughly dry. I must say, I never thought ov powdercoating my plastics..that should look HOT and might be cheaper than painting it.

Quote, originally posted by micheles_bad_vibe »and also, can i just pop out the control switches on the doors? thank you peeps!PS yes, you can, BUT be sure not to pull too hard on them as the wiring harnesses are connected. I removed the door panels and disconnected the harnesses first. You can then GENTLY wedge a butter knife under one of the top corners (closest to the dash) and pop them up.

Quote, originally posted by Psychobroker »I must say, I never thought ov powdercoating my plastics..that should look HOT and might be cheaper than painting it. Well, from what my boss just told me (he owns a motorcycle shop as well), you cannot powdercoat those plastic parts because you have to put them in a 400 degree for 20 minutes and they will not make it. I thought this would work, but I guess not. I will call around anyways to make sure, but this sure makes sense! However, he said if we both wanted to paint them we could pull all the stuff off and bring it to him and he could paint them all and charge us less if we both got the same color, which appears to be what has been happening thus far! He said it would be cheaper that way, but I don't have a quote or anything yet. i told him about doing all the silver trim, the engine cover, and the fuse box cover and he said they could do it if we wanted. Not sure it will be cheaper than just doing it somewhere else, though.

Hi...I also believe the powder needs to be electrically charged and will only bond to an electrical polar opposite material. Plastic can't be charged + or - so it wouldn't bond in the first place.Dave

Quote, originally posted by DavidPIL »Hi...I also believe the powder needs to be electrically charged and will only bond to an electrical polar opposite material. Plastic can't be charged + or - so it wouldn't bond in the first place.DaveYep, that's very true

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Quote, originally posted by micheles_bad_vibe »hmm... what color could that be?? purple?? all i want to do so far is just the console and the switch panels, but i did have the idea eon's ago to do all the silver parts... decided against it.let me know what you come up with though!Indeed! You better stick around! You tend to disappear for long periods of time!

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Quote, originally posted by micheles_bad_vibe »so ripping them out with my bare teeth isn't such a good idea?? There's a couple things I can think of that a woman can do with her bare teeth ...ripping out the panels isn't one of them

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Quote, originally posted by micheles_bad_vibe »are you trying to make me blush? cuz i don't blush that easily Nope, I have my gf for that

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I am waiting to get an engine cover in from raging so I can take it to work and give it to my boss so he can take it home with him and see what kind of prices this guy is going to charge us. Basically we can't powdercoat anything that's not metal. All the interior trim and the engine cover are all plastic. They would have to be painted. Once he gives me an idea of what he would charge to paint the engine cover I will go from there.

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Hopefully the engine cover will be here today or tomorrow. Mail is slow here for some reason. I'll be sure to let you know when I get the word!Oh, and you're right, this site has been really dead lately!

wish i had a picture of my engine cover to post, i painted mine the color of my flames and airbtushed a skull on it, looks pretty sweet, have got get a picture taken....... after polishing the CAI of course,

getting paint to adhere to plastics can be difficult, most of you auto parts stores have paints that are designed for plastics,the key to any painting is to make sure that your parts are clean, oil and dirt free, i.e. armorol. these are the steps i use, hopefully it will be helpfulstart with cleaning, hot soap and water work the best, then scuff with white (very fine) scotch brite pad. i prefer to use a scuffing gel along with that, most auto parts store have it, next claen with soap and water again, then with a plastics cleaner, then a adhesion promoter, and then your choose of paint, followed by clear if required,check out what they have at your favorite auto parts store, they are coming out with alot more plastic fiendly stuff, any questions ????????drop me a line!!!

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spray paint would be better, no brush marks,look for dupli color brand, you can find it anywhere, walmart, parts stores, but they have come out with some multi-tone colors in spray cans, it comes as a kit and comes out pretty cool for a spray can. they have a pretty awesome purple.

here is some of the things i was talking about earlier,

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or this

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All right Michele--I need to see pics of this!!

I'm really considering this now. dammit!

Quote, originally posted by 1badvibe »getting paint to adhere to plastics can be difficult, most of you auto parts stores have paints that are designed for plastics,the key to any painting is to make sure that your parts are clean, oil and dirt free, i.e. armorol. these are the steps i use, hopefully it will be helpfulstart with cleaning, hot soap and water work the best, then scuff with white (very fine) scotch brite pad. i prefer to use a scuffing gel along with that, most auto parts store have it, next claen with soap and water again, then with a plastics cleaner, then a adhesion promoter, and then your choose of paint, followed by clear if required,check out what they have at your favorite auto parts store, they are coming out with alot more plastic fiendly stuff, any questions ????????drop me a line!!!Seems like a long process. I don't know if I have the time or patience for a task like this.

Quote, originally posted by micheles_bad_vibe »coolio!Got the engine cover and asked the guy. He told me $100-150 for the engine cover and interior pieces as a guesstimate. What do you think? Seems a little high to me, but it's your call. We can use the the same paint and do it all at once and it will be easier/cheaper. Let me know. I'm sure the majority of that cost was the engine cover anyhow.

i don't think that's a bad price at all. just for the paint, work, and clear, it's expensive. when i had mine done professionally, it looked 1000 x's better than when I did it myself. and that with 3 layers of prime, wet sanding each layer, applying 2 layers of paint, and then another 2-3 layers of "clear".... still the pro job just can't be beat! unfortunately, i didn't do the engine cover... and too back because i did mine myself and already the clear is not so clear and shiny any more. keep in mind, for the engine cover itself, you'll need to use high heat paint. that plastikote stuff was what i used the first time on my interior pieces and they scratched way too easy. but you guys do what you want and think will be best for you. just telling you my experience having done both.

Quote, originally posted by trdvibe »i don't think that's a bad price at all. just for the paint, work, and clear, it's expensive. when i had mine done professionally, it looked 1000 x's better than when I did it myself. and that with 3 layers of prime, wet sanding each layer, applying 2 layers of paint, and then another 2-3 layers of "clear".... still the pro job just can't be beat! unfortunately, i didn't do the engine cover... and too back because i did mine myself and already the clear is not so clear and shiny any more. keep in mind, for the engine cover itself, you'll need to use high heat paint. that plastikote stuff was what i used the first time on my interior pieces and they scratched way too easy. but you guys do what you want and think will be best for you. just telling you my experience having done both.Thanks Hope! I wasn't sure about the price, but if it seems good and michelle wants to do it, then I will go for it. It just depeneds if we can agree on a color and get all the parts together so I can get them up there to get done. Thanks for the experience and advice!

the price is about right, give or take, if you were only closer............

Quote, originally posted by 1badvibe »the price is about right, give or take, if you were only closer............Yeah, IA is a little far!

Quote, originally posted by damronjr »Yeah, IA is a little far! HAHAHA ROAD TRIP!!!

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Quote, originally posted by micheles_bad_vibe »sounds like a good pricei kinda wanted to go martha stewart on it and be all "yeah i did it myself"... but it's my car, and i don't want to screw it upi'm down for $100-150I'll let him know and see when he can do it. Yours should be a lot cheaper since you're just doing the interior pieces, unless you want to go all out and do the engine cover too. Your call, just let me know. We have to decide on a color and it will probably better if we get the paint ourselves, but I know he can get it too.

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Quote, originally posted by micheles_bad_vibe »i would just be painting the interior stuffno engine cover yetOk, I'll talk to him right now and see when the guy can do it. I'll get back to you when I know.

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Quote, originally posted by micheles_bad_vibe »cool... and as far as color goes... metallic purple Yeah, but dark, light, bright, many options. Like the decals? That is what I was going to try to match. Cool?

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Quote, originally posted by micheles_bad_vibe »yeah, that's exactly what i was trying to match tooI talked to him and he said they should be able to match it or at least pretty darn close. He will talk to his painter tonight and see when he can do it. When will you be ready for it?

got the perfect purple, "blue berry pearl" really cool, its a brite plum color with blue pearl flakes, it flips back and forth from blue to purple.as far as getting your own paint, i would let the painter get the paint, there are differant reducers, harders, clears, and all have differant aplication guide lines. and some clears won't work with other paints. so if the painter normally uses ppg paint, and you buy dupont, he will not have the correct reducers, and harders for ppg. so unless you want to buy the color, clear, and appropriate harders and reducers, which in all likely hood would put you over the $100-$150 range let the guy buy his paint, just have to find a color you like.used to drive from 29 palms to here, it only takes 26 hours, ROAD TRIP!!!!!!, which in turn would cost you $100-150 is gas, so i guess your are back to square one.

Quote, originally posted by 1badvibe »got the perfect purple, "blue berry pearl" really cool, its a brite plum color with blue pearl flakes, it flips back and forth from blue to purple.as far as getting your own paint, i would let the painter get the paintYeah, that is what the boss said. They will get the paint. Don't know about the color, but he said they will be able to match it to what we are looking for and will have all the other necessary stuff as well as flex agent and all that. That color you mentioned sounds cool. We'll see what they do.

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Quote, originally posted by micheles_bad_vibe »possibly very soonJust let me know and I'll work it out with the painter. I'm ready when you are.

i got lucky w/ my paint job. he liked me so he did it for cost and so i paid him only $40 because i gave him an extra $20 for his work and help. i did most of the sanding.... had nothing better to do anyways. but definitely let him get the paint. automotive paint has many factors and not that cheap stuff we buy at the store. plus, if he buys it, it'll be cheaper than if you try and buy the same thing.

here is my engine cover

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That looks sweet!!!!

That definitely looks good! I hope mine comes out as nice as that!