Jenn's Stupid Question Time ::Claps::

Today is stupid question day...so everyone gawk and laugh at me as i ask some stupid questions about cars, engines, and interior :cwm27:

1) ok first stupid question....what's the best way to get dirt, grime, grease, and paint out of your interior? such as the dash, door panels, and consoles...i'm thinking simple green, but i dont want to go out and buy it if it's not going to work on this kind of thing

2) I think i know the answer to this, but i'm going to ask anyway...what are the stock specs for an ls/vtec and b20b/vtec with a GSR head...such as hp/tq/etc

3) For God's sake! How much added weight does the h22a actually add to a civic's front??!?!?!?!! I've heard anywhere from 20lbs-200lbs and i don't think anyone knows :disappoin

4) my headlights have officially died...are piaa's the best to buy? and what color? i want something white, but i don't want to blind people 10miles away from me either...give me a temperature and wattage..i'm thinking 5500k not sure..and where can i get them for a really good price?

5) I'm looking to get my car painted this summer....and i'm trying to decide between two colors...the stock color (which is horizon grey) or the very spectacular ultra uber stock 2005 Altima "Smoke" Color...it's like a dark gunmetal color, very sweet...my theme for the car is gray and black and i love both of those colors :smokin: ...that being the case...should i sand and prime before i go to the body shop? or should i make them do all the work, cause i know it will get done right..cause if it will cut down on the price, then i'm doing it myself hehe :iceslolan

that's all for now, until next time, thanks! - Jenn

ooo... body work : ) my favorite

5) go for the gunmetal - the richer the gray, the better: ) and if you want to sand and prime yourself --

im assuming you'll be priming twice --

1. sand off original paint
2. Bondo work to smooth out body
3.(primer/sealer)
4. sand
5. primer
-- at least this how we paint cars with the type of PPG paint we use, and its two different types of primer, not the same primer twice
anywho- if that's the case, MAKE SURE you get your car to the paint shop and have it painted WITHIN 24-36 HOURS after that second primer... otherwise you may as well have them do all the work
And make sure the body is AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE with your bondo.. even the tiniest little ding will f* up the final paint job

So if you're up to, i'd say prime it yourself - just take your time -- if you've never done it before, it's not hard; just use common sense...blah blah blah

let me know what you decide i can give you more tips if you need it

have fun ~*~Cass


PS - simple green is a good cleaner for vinyl and. if my memory serves me correcty. upholstery alike -- if youre having carpet/ cloth issues -- most auto stores/ target/ walmart...etc also sell upholstery cleaner in the car section

3) For God's sake! How much added weight does the h22a actually add to a civic's front??!?!?!?!! I've heard anywhere from 20lbs-200lbs and i don't think anyone knows :disappoin

4) my headlights have officially died...are piaa's the best to buy? and what color? i want something white, but i don't want to blind people 10miles away from me either...give me a temperature and wattage..i'm thinking 5500k not sure..and where can i get them for a really good price?
I don't think anyone has the exact number on how much more the h22 weighs. But it's between 35-50lbs more than the b16a; http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=684550

For lights, I like the Sylvania Silverstars. When you're driving the light looks bright white, but when you're on the outside looking at them they are a slight tint of yellow. I believe I got them for $40 a pair at Pep Boys, but I've seen them on e-bay for $20-30 a pair. Here's a huge thread about different bulbs and ideas to look for: http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=177538

1. sand off original paint
2. Bondo work to smooth out body
3.(primer/sealer)
4. sand
5. primer
.... sorry - i must be drunk or something

IT GOES LIKE THIS:

1. scuff sand off paint
2. bondo
3. primer sealer
4.THEN PRIMER
5.THEN WET SAND

and you go back and forth between 4 and 5 until everything is a smooth as possible then get it right over to paint within a day and a half

... i think iwas drunk this morning or something when i wrote that first post :screwy:

ps. i don't know who you're planning to have paint your car, but if its a commercial chain or someone you don't know to well - maybe you want to have a try at prepping on your own so you know everything looks how you want it to look instead of having to fight for them to correct their own laziness later - thats IMO

1) to get the dirt and grime off of vinyl and plastic just use some sort of household degreaser/cleaner and lots of elbow grease. 409 etc. Then take use some armorall or something to give it a nice shine.

2) Dunno about this one.

3) It doesn't weigh that much more. Its how the motor sits that affects handling.

4) Anything higher than 4700k you are just getting more purplish and actually losing light output. 4700k is pretty white.

5) I FREAKING LOVE GUNMETAL PAINTED CARS...looks so sweet.

ps. i don't know who you're planning to have paint your car, but if its a commercial chain or someone you don't know to well - maybe you want to have a try at prepping on your own so you know everything looks how you want it to look instead of having to fight for them to correct their own laziness later - thats IMO

That's where my problem lies, i live in the outside of the tampa area and all of the really great bodyshops START at 4k for my car....they'd take my whole car apart and it would take about 3weeks....my second problem is the guy that had the car before...took it to maaco and they completely trashed it with the 250 dollar job...that's why the paint job would cost so much for me...so i'm assuming i'd have to prime and sand the hell out of this car in order for it to look somewhat decent? :uhoh: i'm not up to snuff on painting and techniques and such...but my point is i'd probably be taking it to Maaco...and making them do like 700 job, that way the clear coat is sprayed on seperately..the guys down here that work there do a pretty good job..and there pretty good at fixing mistakes without giving people much grief..what do you guys think?? I'm not really high on paint, i want it to look good...but i'd rather spend alot of money on the engine then on my ride's paint...Here's the "gunmetal" color i want to do..i saw this color in person at the mall once and oh my God it is gorgeous in real life! if you guys have any other suggestions on which has a really cool deep gray/gunmetal color...let me know :)

http://www.config.nissanusa.com/img/m/config/i/csx_alt_05_ser_k11_lg.jpg

thanks guys for the input, i will definitely check into those bulbs, and Cass if you could give me some more tips on sanding and such, that would be great too :)

This was painted at 1Day Paint & Autobody in San Diego. Same thing, separate clear. The original owner later buffed it out himself. It's not going to win a show or anything, but just to give you an example. The prep work is what will really make or break a paint job. The color is the factory Lexus IS300 blue.

http://www.hdpixel.com/gallery/data/500/3773084ag9-med.jpg

Don't mind the dent on the fender LOL!!

The prep work is what will really make or break a paint job.




I couldn't have said that better myself.
It doesn't matter how beautiful your paint is -- if that body isn't as clean and smooth as God could make it... you may as well not paint at all

I know you're saying you're pretty much about the go and not the show -- but before i get into too much depth on the painting: Are you doing any body mods at all (bumper covers, fenders, etc...) because its worth your effort to do ALL THAT first

oh, and, if you don't think you have the eye for detail (even the slightest pitting in the bondo and primer work can cause nasty things to happen to the good paint) and if you have any doubts on the prepwork - invest in having someone else do it
but if you're just unsure of exactly HOW to do but have the confidence to give it a shot then I'm still here to help you out...
or you could always bring it on out to cali for a week and we'll do the whole damn thing for ya : )

: ) more to follow...

That's where my problem lies, i live in the outside of the tampa area and all of the really great bodyshops START at 4k for my car....they'd take my whole car apart and it would take about 3weeks....my second problem is the guy that had the car before...took it to maaco and they completely trashed it with the 250 dollar job...that's why the paint job would cost so much for me...so i'm assuming i'd have to prime and sand the hell out of this car in order for it to look somewhat decent? :uhoh: i'm not up to snuff on painting and techniques and such...but my point is i'd probably be taking it to Maaco...and making them do like 700 job, that way the clear coat is sprayed on seperately..the guys down here that work there do a pretty good job..and there pretty good at fixing mistakes without giving people much grief..what do you guys think?? I'm not really high on paint, i want it to look good...but i'd rather spend alot of money on the engine then on my ride's paint...Here's the "gunmetal" color i want to do..i saw this color in person at the mall once and oh my God it is gorgeous in real life! if you guys have any other suggestions on which has a really cool deep gray/gunmetal color...let me know :)

http://www.config.nissanusa.com/img/m/config/i/csx_alt_05_ser_k11_lg.jpg

thanks guys for the input, i will definitely check into those bulbs, and Cass if you could give me some more tips on sanding and such, that would be great too :)

maybe you should check out some autobody repair and paint school in your area. then talk to the teacher about getting your car painted. if youre cute im pretty sure theyll do a show car type paint job for you free. all you have to do is buy the paint and other materials, about $200.

you're gonna spend more than 200 on paint and materials -- especially if you're getting factory color

...we got our paint in Louisiana where it's CHEAP and it was about $400 -- now this was for the accord, so i'd suspect you'd need less paint (not much though) -- but i should also mention that the only paint we had to remove was the orignal factory stuff and the remnants of some repairs done last april so you'd be doing more sanding than we did and that's not gonna change your cost so much except that you may need a little more sandpaper

and remember too - other body work (kits and whatnot) will cost a little more withe fiberglass/bondo/whatever

not trying to scare you - just giving you an idea
and its great bonding experience for you and your car ; )

you're gonna spend more than 200 on paint and materials -- especially if you're getting factory color

...we got our paint in Louisiana where it's CHEAP and it was about $400 -- now this was for the accord, so i'd suspect you'd need less paint (not much though) -- but i should also mention that the only paint we had to remove was the orignal factory stuff and the remnants of some repairs done last april so you'd be doing more sanding than we did and that's not gonna change your cost so much except that you may need a little more sandpaper

and remember too - other body work (kits and whatnot) will cost a little more withe fiberglass/bondo/whatever

not trying to scare you - just giving you an idea
and its great bonding experience for you and your car ; )

the 3 stages acrylic urethane paint are expensive. the catalyst itself is about $50 a pint. clear coat is about $120 a gallon and base color is about $80 a gallon. plus other materials like sandpaper and etc. yeah ill be expensive for a real paint job. so im guessing for a mickey mouse paint job is probly about 500-700 dollars and for a real paint job like below is gonna cost you some money.
http://www.config.nissanusa.com/img/m/config/i/csx_alt_05_ser_k11_lg.jpg

I know you're saying you're pretty much about the go and not the show -- but before i get into too much depth on the painting: Are you doing any body mods at all (bumper covers, fenders, etc...) because its worth your effort to do ALL THAT first

oh, and, if you don't think you have the eye for detail (even the slightest pitting in the bondo and primer work can cause nasty things to happen to the good paint) and if you have any doubts on the prepwork - invest in having someone else do it
but if you're just unsure of exactly HOW to do but have the confidence to give it a shot then I'm still here to help you out...
or you could always bring it on out to cali for a week and we'll do the whole damn thing for ya : )

: ) more to follow...


Trust me...if i had the money, and about three weeks to take off from school...i'd drive 5days out there so you could lol!

I have faith in myself...i'm the kind of person that wants to experience everything about my car....I also have a friend that helped his dad sand down his car so he would be willing to help me as well...
I'm buying a new front bumper...falling apart car and it's cracked..it's just a wreck hehe. :icon16:

I do have a couple of questions tho....

There's some rust on the trunk lid, and over the drive side door...how would i go about fixing that area....i know they have some kind of rust stopper stuff that you can get (i can't remember the name) but i kind of want to get it out of there completely that way i don't have to worry about it...Should i just get a new trunk lid?...i'm going to be having this car until it literally dies on me, so i don't want that to come back and haunt me later on

Second...i was looking online and they have "primed" and "raw" front OEM bumpers for my car...would raw be better? cause all of this probably isn't going to be taking place until the summer time so i can sweat like a dog here in florida and save up some moola :naughty: but i need to go ahead and replace my bumper before i run over it one day lol.. :cwm27:

anyways, fill me with knowledge..just not too much :screwy:

the 3 stages acrylic urethane paint are expensive. the catalyst itself is about $50 a pint. clear coat is about $120 a gallon and base color is about $80 a gallon. plus other materials like sandpaper and etc. yeah ill be expensive for a real paint job. so im guessing for a mickey mouse paint job is probly about 500-700 dollars and for a real paint job like below is gonna cost you some money.
http://www.config.nissanusa.com/img/m/config/i/csx_alt_05_ser_k11_lg.jpg


if you use 3 stage paint you DON't generally use clear coat with it. that's what three stage is...base coat, tinted clear coat, clear coat - it's all inclusive
note: the paint we use is NOT three stage, which I personally prefer because you have more options this way

I do have a couple of questions tho....

There's some rust on the trunk lid, and over the drive side door...how would i go about fixing that area....i know they have some kind of rust stopper stuff that you can get (i can't remember the name) but i kind of want to get it out of there completely that way i don't have to worry about it...Should i just get a new trunk lid?...i'm going to be having this car until it literally dies on me, so i don't want that to come back and haunt me later on

Second...i was looking online and they have "primed" and "raw" front OEM bumpers for my car...would raw be better? cause all of this probably isn't going to be taking place until the summer time so i can sweat like a dog here in florida and save up some moola :naughty: but i need to go ahead and replace my bumper before i run over it one day lol.. :cwm27:

anyways, fill me with knowledge..just not too much :screwy:

I'd look for a new trunk lid, especially since you're planning on keeping the car and doing a good paint job on it and all -- check out local salvage yards if you have any -- http://www.usedpartscentral.com/request.htm
or check out that link and submit requests for whatever you need -- I starting getting responses for a motor I was seeking in 5minutes, no lie

behappy you don't have the rust issue i have see my picture:
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=503/295295rusty_wells.JPG
because im going to have to cut that out and fabricate new fenders :mad:

drivers side door? i don't know how bad that is -- if its minor & superficial you can sand it down and bondo it in otherwise you may have to fabricate or replace

as for your bumper cover - you say its OEM - so im a ssuming its plastic? find out what type of primer is on it and then i can help you \

alright...that's enough for now : ) :iceslolan

hey guess who had another moment... it's single stage paint that i don't like because it does everything in one application... 3-stage is the way to go - i realize i was misinformed by a lady at one paint shop who calls the single stage 3-stage because it does everything ... and now her bad habit has seeped into my brain grr

Question for the headlight

The Brightest I can find in all the stores around my area is about 4000K to 4100K............And I'm using it in my RSX now. It's called Silverstar. And it looks like highbeam even it's in low, and I've got some highbeam response from the opposite lane almost everytime.

Hey I talked to my husband last nite about your bumper issue -- if raw is cheaper, buy raw because you're just gonna be sanding and priming the rest of the car anyway

and as for paint prices - if youre JUST sanding and priming -plan on about $200-250 dependent on how much paper and body filler you need (assuming you already have the air compressor and gun)

Hey I talked to my husband last nite about your bumper issue -- if raw is cheaper, buy raw because you're just gonna be sanding and priming the rest of the car anyway

and as for paint prices - if youre JUST sanding and priming -plan on about $200-250 dependent on how much paper and body filler you need (assuming you already have the air compressor and gun)


i don't have the compressor and gun...i'm not sure if my friend has them or not...if not where and how much would they be?

The rust spots are very minor, so bondo will probably be ok...i was looking at them and there's not that bad...of course i don't konw what's under the top paint job :uhoh:

I'll go ahead and get the raw...if the screws don't come with the bumper, could i just go to autozone or someplace and pick them up? The guy that had the car before me completely trashed this poor thing...and the bumper isn't being held on by screws :eek7:

i will only be sanding and priming, and then i'll take it up to maaco to have them do the paint...i doubt they can make it look bad if i do all the prep work (maybe i'm wrong hehe)

I have a lot of work ahead of me as you can tell..lol..thanks for the help :)

i don't have the compressor and gun...i'm not sure if my friend has them or not...if not where and how much would they be?

The rust spots are very minor, so bondo will probably be ok...i was looking at them and there's not that bad...of course i don't konw what's under the top paint job :uhoh:

I'll go ahead and get the raw...if the screws don't come with the bumper, could i just go to autozone or someplace and pick them up? The guy that had the car before me completely trashed this poor thing...and the bumper isn't being held on by screws :eek7:

i will only be sanding and priming, and then i'll take it up to maaco to have them do the paint...i doubt they can make it look bad if i do all the prep work (maybe i'm wrong hehe)

I have a lot of work ahead of me as you can tell..lol..thanks for the help :)

screws are screws are screws... if the screw fits - use it

as for your compressor and gun... a good HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) gravity-fed gun can run you anwhere from 30 to upwards of 300 dollars -- I'd say gravity fed is the best because it limits your pressure coming through the gun, eliminating one variable and allowing for a better finish because it forces you to take your time

You'd need a fairly large compressor, though - Steve says at least 35lbs... and those can be $500 easily - the reason you need one so large is to ensure you are still using the tanks reserve air and not running straight off the motor - because the motor will not be able to provide a steady supply of consistent pressure (and trust me, the last thing you want is a sputtering, spitting paint gun)

so i'd say look into maybe somewhere you could rent a compressor or someone that has one you could use -- even if you have to buy the gun yourself, which may be a worthwile investment if your like me, who likes to keep good tabs on how well kept her tools are

i don't have the compressor and gun...i'm not sure if my friend has them or not...if not where and how much would they be?

The rust spots are very minor, so bondo will probably be ok...i was looking at them and there's not that bad...of course i don't konw what's under the top paint job :uhoh:

I'll go ahead and get the raw...if the screws don't come with the bumper, could i just go to autozone or someplace and pick them up? The guy that had the car before me completely trashed this poor thing...and the bumper isn't being held on by screws :eek7:

i will only be sanding and priming, and then i'll take it up to maaco to have them do the paint...i doubt they can make it look bad if i do all the prep work (maybe i'm wrong hehe)

I have a lot of work ahead of me as you can tell..lol..thanks for the help :)
Hey Jenn,
I live in the Tampa (t town ) area as well and if you know someone that can get you onto MacDill they have booths you can rent there and compressor guns, where you can do all of your body work, I believe it's $30 a day + cost of the gun rental, but they also rent by hour. Let me know if you need more info. My boyfriend just painted his bike there. Hope it helps!

Hey Jenn,
I live in the Tampa (t town ) area as well and if you know someone that can get you onto MacDill they have booths you can rent there and compressor guns, where you can do all of your body work, I believe it's $30 a day + cost of the gun rental, but they also rent by hour. Let me know if you need more info. My boyfriend just painted his bike there. Hope it helps!
i guess macDill is a military base? yeah my husband's navy and the base here has the best hobby shop ... sorry i don't live closer i'd get you on

i guess macDill is a military base? yeah my husband's navy and the base here has the best hobby shop ... sorry i don't live closer i'd get you on
Are you in Florida as well?

im in port hueneme california - i won't be back east coast way for a couple months and i'm still not sure if ill be down south at all

who knows i travel a lot

Hey Jenn,
I live in the Tampa (t town ) area as well and if you know someone that can get you onto MacDill they have booths you can rent there and compressor guns, where you can do all of your body work, I believe it's $30 a day + cost of the gun rental, but they also rent by hour. Let me know if you need more info. My boyfriend just painted his bike there. Hope it helps!


OMG!!! I didn't even think about that! I love you! lol..sorry i get excited when i found something out that benefits me hehe... :screwy:

my best friend has access to the base, so she can get me in, and yeah Macdill is a mililtary base...Central Command :iceslolan

i will definitely look more into that...have you ever used the gun? Cause i could use all of the help and knowledge that i can get from it :) you guys rock! hehe

OMG!!! I didn't even think about that! I love you! lol..sorry i get excited when i found something out that benefits me hehe... :screwy:

my best friend has access to the base, so she can get me in, and yeah Macdill is a mililtary base...Central Command :iceslolan

i will definitely look more into that...have you ever used the gun? Cause i could use all of the help and knowledge that i can get from it :) you guys rock! hehe
Not a problem, I'm glad I could actually help someone, the place on base is called AutoSkillz and my guy said that the gun rental is something like $3 an hour and to rent the booth all day was around $25, but he did it a few months ago so just call to make sure. You have to bring your own gloves, mask, that sticky dust cloth stuff and what not. Also you have to call ahead to reserve the booth, sometimes they're all taken already, but you can chance just riding up there and getting lucky. I never used the gun myself but I'll get the specs. of it all to you tomorrow so that you'll atleast have some hint of how to do it, but the guys there can show you too.

I'd recommend getting your own HVLP gun (gravity fed if you can) if youre not too pressed for money -- Ive had experience with borrowed guns before... and you never know where they've been or how theyve been treated -- but this is just me, like i said before

Okie.. I talked to my guy and he said the guys at Autoskillz actually load up the gun for you.. he said "they load it up and tell you to pull the trigger".. but some tips if you do end up going there.. ofcourse you have to bring your own paint (we got ours at autozone- the guys there give you full instructions on how long to leave the paint on before the next coat.. or clear coat like we needed) you also have to bring paint thinner as they make you clean out the gun after use and he said def. not to forget some rubber gloves like dishwashing gloves b/c he learned the hard way that the thinner burns the ish out of your hands. hmm.. whatelse did he say.. oh yeah practice a few times w/ the width of the spray and how close you need to be and whatnot.. but like he said they'll tell you all a/b that at autozone.. where abouts in tampa are you.. theres an autozone either on nebraska or florida that was especially helpful. let me know if you need any more info..

Alright, Jenn - print this out and keep it close :smile: :

I'd say go for PPG paint - my experience, its really the best, and if that means you have to search out a PPG dealer, then by all means go for it - if we could find one in the middle of nowhere-north-central Louisiana, then it shouldn't be too hard for you

Make sure you know the type of gun they're using, it's probably HVLP (Hi Volume Lo Pressure) like i had talked about before... in that case you can even use the same paint codes (which I will include in the following novella :biggrin: ) that we used.


***STEP ONE***Sanding and Body Filling
-take care of this ish before you go to the paint booth
- scuff sand the car all over to create a better surface for sealing - you DO NOT need to sand off all the paint, just rough it up
- any areas that require filler (small dings, rust spots, etc) should be COMPLETELY sanded down so that you are applying the bondo directly to the bare metal
-fill in your low spots with bondo, working efficiently and carefully so that everything is as even and smooth as possible (i can give you more bondo tips later if you need)... you can test the smoothness by eying it or rubbing your finger accross once it is all dried

***STEP TWO***The Epoxy Primer-Sealer
Before you start:
**wear sleeves, long legs, eye protection, and get a good face mask - preferably a respirator (maybe AutoSkills has one?) because those fumes WILL mess you up and get gloves like integragrl mentioned - a pack of cheap latex disposables works find, or their non-latex counterparts if you're allergic
**I don't know how autoSkills will be about this, or if you'll have to provide your own - but we laid plastic dropcloth on the booth floor under the car before we started

and NOW....

**remove your head and taillight assemblies, put them somewhere moisture-free - we also take the side view mirrors off, but you could just cover them up if you'd prefer

**cover up your exhaust, especially if it's aftermarket - don't be like my husband who didn't cover his custom pipes well enough and got gray primer on that pretty pretty chrome :banghead:

**with painter's tape (scotch brand 1 - 1/14" blue tape) and craft paper, cover up your windows and anything else you don't want to paint
- your paint store should have rolls of this readily availible for pretty cheap

**apply the primer-sealer - we used MP170, a gray, non-chrome sealer that mixes at a 2:1 ratio with its catalyst, MP175
- keep an even distance ( i believe Stephen works at about 10-12" away) and apply the primer smoothly and steadily
- get a nice even coat on there, about 1mm, don't over spray because you'll get runs and drips with a possible orange peel issue as your end result
- just keep this in mind: the primer-sealer is a layer that you DO NOT sand, so it is important to take as much care with it as you can

**dry time 30min @ 70F air temp (that's a rough estimate)... and take the time to let it dry properly; iknow that might seem like common sense but im just trying to get as much as i can covered for you
- it may take a little longer if the air is not dry enough and your booth is not temperature controlled

***STEP THREE***Primer Surfacer
**we used PPG MP181 1K Primer-Surfacer which mixes at a 1:1 ratio with MR Reducer

**Paint this on just as you did the last one and allow fair time to dry

**Wet sand as well as you can - smooth that car to where it almost feels as slick as bare metal (there may be some spots wher your sanding reveals the lighter gray sealer underneath... thats OK : )

**apply an even topcoat of the same primer and allow to dry

***STEP FOUR*** put your car back together
***STEP FIVE*** take her to the paint shop
**just remember to get there within 36-48 hours or youll have to do this ALL OVER again


Looking at receipts, prep materials alone (primer and catalyst/reducer, sandpaper, craft paper, tape ...etc) ran us about $200 after tax
unfortunately we never had time to finish painting the car (as you can see from my avatar... she's supposed to be red with an ice blue pearl in the clearcoat) so we'll have to start over on the priming

if you do decide to do your own paint, be wary that factory colors are expensive -- our basecoat + clear and whatnot was more than $300... but red is also an expensive color -- this is another reason i recommend PPG because their colors are OEM... just get the paint code and i'm sure they have it

p.s. you can NEVER have too much sandpaper -- for the initial strip-down we used one of those little electric handheld sanders that uses ROUND pads

i don't think you'll have to sand or prep that front bumper at all before you put the primer-sealer on, but i'll check with Stephen when he gets home later (like i said, i'm still learning about plastic)

I'm going to try to find the roll of film with the pictures of the prep work steve did on the 98 Accord and send you some just to get you a better idea

alright now, that's ENOUGH for me for now i gotta go catch a nap

...more to follow, i promise :lol2: yay

~*~Cass

Awesome, i will definitely keep this with me and sleep with it so it soaks in :naughty:...i have a friend that that has a car that isn't running right now that he's going to junk...i'll see if i can practice on it...i would just fell more comfortable if i could do this a couple of times before i did it on my car :) will see...thanks for the help you girls rock!! hehehe

yo... make sure that bumper will paint as easily as the metal (ask the supplier) -- if its polyurethane... you might need to use other sealers first (im notsure)