withac
Full Access Member
Okay, here’s a link to an excellent write up on how to paint your grille bow tie from the back. I really like the look when painted this way. It has a depth and an OEM look to it.
http://www.gmfullsize.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94524
Now I’ll also add how not to do it. I live in a small town, one grocery store. They only had the no fumes kind of oven cleaner but it said heavy duty and I was impatient so I bought it. BIG mistake. It removed some of the stuff from the back but not all, and it was slow. Once again I got impatient and decided to use nail polish remover. Yeah, I knew better but did it anyway, BIG mistake again. Still didn’t do the job so, once again, knowing better, I tried something else, I think carb. cleaner if I recall. Another BIG mistake. I got all of the gold off the back but it still left some of the black on the edge/border. I decided I like this so I masked the front and the back leaving just the border showing and painted the edge black. If you compare my pics to the pics in the link you’ll see the black border I’m talking about. When that dried I removed the tape from the back and painted the back red. When it had dried and I removed the tape from the front it was clouded badly from all the chemicals I’d thrown at it. In case you’re an idiot like I was, this can be saved. First I sanded with 2000 wet/dry. Then I polished with 0000 steel wool. Next, I polished it with Meguiar’s Dual Action Cleaner/Polish, a wool bonnet, and my random orbit buffer. Next I used Meguiar’s Deep Crystal System Step #2 Polish and the buffer. I might have finished it off with a coat of Meguiar’s Gold Class wax, I don’t quite remember. As you can see from the pics, I salvaged the bow tie and it actually turned out pretty good, but do it right the first time and you won’t have the hassle.
I’ve always wondered what it would look like if you stenciled the initial or logo from your favorite college on first then painted the whole thing.
Also, somebody posted up once where they tried this with a bow tie that was badly cracked. It fell apart when they tried to pry off the back. Mine had a little rock chip and crack in it so I was okay, but if you have cracks running all the way through you might want to think twice.
http://www.gmfullsize.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94524
Now I’ll also add how not to do it. I live in a small town, one grocery store. They only had the no fumes kind of oven cleaner but it said heavy duty and I was impatient so I bought it. BIG mistake. It removed some of the stuff from the back but not all, and it was slow. Once again I got impatient and decided to use nail polish remover. Yeah, I knew better but did it anyway, BIG mistake again. Still didn’t do the job so, once again, knowing better, I tried something else, I think carb. cleaner if I recall. Another BIG mistake. I got all of the gold off the back but it still left some of the black on the edge/border. I decided I like this so I masked the front and the back leaving just the border showing and painted the edge black. If you compare my pics to the pics in the link you’ll see the black border I’m talking about. When that dried I removed the tape from the back and painted the back red. When it had dried and I removed the tape from the front it was clouded badly from all the chemicals I’d thrown at it. In case you’re an idiot like I was, this can be saved. First I sanded with 2000 wet/dry. Then I polished with 0000 steel wool. Next, I polished it with Meguiar’s Dual Action Cleaner/Polish, a wool bonnet, and my random orbit buffer. Next I used Meguiar’s Deep Crystal System Step #2 Polish and the buffer. I might have finished it off with a coat of Meguiar’s Gold Class wax, I don’t quite remember. As you can see from the pics, I salvaged the bow tie and it actually turned out pretty good, but do it right the first time and you won’t have the hassle.
I’ve always wondered what it would look like if you stenciled the initial or logo from your favorite college on first then painted the whole thing.
Also, somebody posted up once where they tried this with a bow tie that was badly cracked. It fell apart when they tried to pry off the back. Mine had a little rock chip and crack in it so I was okay, but if you have cracks running all the way through you might want to think twice.
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