WhoDatPanic
04-23-2010, 09:41 PM
Well you want to paint your stock grille and don't know where to start... Well here is a DIY for painting your stock grille. First you are going to need : Screw Driver, 10mm socket wrench, 1200 grit sand paper, Bulldog adhesion primer, (Color matched paint, thinner, Clear, and acetone. Or just some rattle can spray in whatever color you want.) Some patience, of course if your going color match paint clear and all that you need a spray gun, compressor, mask.
This is what it will start out like.....
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/th_iphone007.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/?action=view¤t=iphone007.jpg)
First open your hood and look at it from the front like the picture above is at... you will notice for philips quarter turn screws on the four corners of the middle of the grille... in these spots, of course when you do it the grille will still be on the tahoe at this point.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/th_tut.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/?action=view¤t=tut.jpg)
After you get those turned there is a 10mm socket right in the middle of the top part of the grille by the lever to open the hood just unscrew that and your ready to remove the grille.
To remove the grille just simply pull on each side of the grille it will be hard and feel like your going to bust it in half but it just pops out at least mine did you might want to ask others on here if there is easier way to pop out the sides...
then you have your grille......
NOW, simply take your 1200 grit sand paper and go to town on the grille sand it all get all the fake chrome off you will start to notice it getting dull looking... after you do that of course wash it and dry it.
Then take your bulldog adhesion primer and spray 1-2 coats on the grille until it is completly covered like this next picture.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/th_IMG_0615.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/?action=view¤t=IMG_0615.jpg)
Now for the paint depends on which method you go with but either way put on 4-5 base coats i think i did 5 better more than less but start light dont try to cover the whole thing in one coat it will run and you will be :emotions122:
then let dry between each coat and wetsand if you want i didnt.... then get your clear and spray anywhere from 2-4 coats of clear letting dry each time for like 30-60 minutes each time.... then by the time your done it should look like this ....
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/th_IMG_0618.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/?action=view¤t=IMG_0618.jpg)
Then just simply but the grille back on the way you took it off and blahm! you got yourself one nice grille!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/03%20Hoe/th_IMG_0645.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/03%20Hoe/?action=view¤t=IMG_0645.jpg)
This is what it will start out like.....
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/th_iphone007.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/?action=view¤t=iphone007.jpg)
First open your hood and look at it from the front like the picture above is at... you will notice for philips quarter turn screws on the four corners of the middle of the grille... in these spots, of course when you do it the grille will still be on the tahoe at this point.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/th_tut.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/?action=view¤t=tut.jpg)
After you get those turned there is a 10mm socket right in the middle of the top part of the grille by the lever to open the hood just unscrew that and your ready to remove the grille.
To remove the grille just simply pull on each side of the grille it will be hard and feel like your going to bust it in half but it just pops out at least mine did you might want to ask others on here if there is easier way to pop out the sides...
then you have your grille......
NOW, simply take your 1200 grit sand paper and go to town on the grille sand it all get all the fake chrome off you will start to notice it getting dull looking... after you do that of course wash it and dry it.
Then take your bulldog adhesion primer and spray 1-2 coats on the grille until it is completly covered like this next picture.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/th_IMG_0615.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/?action=view¤t=IMG_0615.jpg)
Now for the paint depends on which method you go with but either way put on 4-5 base coats i think i did 5 better more than less but start light dont try to cover the whole thing in one coat it will run and you will be :emotions122:
then let dry between each coat and wetsand if you want i didnt.... then get your clear and spray anywhere from 2-4 coats of clear letting dry each time for like 30-60 minutes each time.... then by the time your done it should look like this ....
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/th_IMG_0618.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/?action=view¤t=IMG_0618.jpg)
Then just simply but the grille back on the way you took it off and blahm! you got yourself one nice grille!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/03%20Hoe/th_IMG_0645.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/nickah9/03%20Hoe/?action=view¤t=IMG_0645.jpg)