I ran over my GFX kit

[allbaugh_04]

Yep, I went up a tall entry of a driveway, it popped off, and I ran it over. I zip tied it back on



A. Is it salvageable as is?
B. If I have to buy another, where's a reasonable place online?
C. Scrap the whole GFX kit and fill the holes, but at what cost? I've already looked over the car with this piece off, the bumper is going to need to be repainted (chaffing) if I take off this piece and I'm sure the rest is the same way, but at what cost for all this?

[cammed goat]

I see the "red x". I assume your front spoiler came off? If it's not salvageable, you can try RKSport, Wings West or Extreme Dimensions for a replacement if you can't find it on GMPartsDirect.

[cammed goat]

Oaky. I restarted my computer and I can now see the pic. Sand it down/respray and reinstall. Does that use two-sided tape along the front edge, or does it use screws all around?

[allbaugh_04]

Well, you see where that crease is? I will take another pic, but I'm just not sure the paint would stick to the plastic, the way I damaged it...

This is all I could find so far...2002 Chevy Camaro Base Model - 1F1205601 Moldings/Body L36M271FP87

$655, wtf?

[cammed goat]

Adhesion promoter should work. Flexible primer to use prior to spraying.

[KahanaReef]

Boy... I hate when that happens All I can say is that it is really important to use a quality flex agent when you repaint. This has happened to me twice now and I'm considering taking the whole kit off. Too many steep and narrow driveways around here. The guy I had repaint it last time (he mostly just does Harley's) said he would and he did not. A few months later, I was coming out of another driveway while another guy was coming in and I just barley heard a teeny scrape going like 3 mph. Didn't think anything of it. Got home later that night and the paint creased and started coming off in chunks in the front

[cammed goat]

Adhesion promoter is key when painting plastic/polyurethane/rubber.

[allbaugh_04]

Boy... I hate when that happens All I can say is that it is really important to use a quality flex agent when you repaint. This has happened to me twice now and I'm considering taking the whole kit off. Too many steep and narrow driveways around here. The guy I had repaint it last time (he mostly just does Harley's) said he would and he did not. A few months later, I was coming out of another driveway while another guy was coming in and I just barley heard a teeny scrape going like 3 mph. Didn't think anything of it. Got home later that night and the paint creased and started coming off in chunks in the front

So did you end up fixing yours?

Adhesion promoter is key when painting plastic/polyurethane/rubber.

I might be able to handle that. Where would I get some quality GM paint, dealership?

I'm already being negative about this, the front bumper I swear is a lighter shade of pewter already, so I doubt it's going to match and I'm OCD about everything.

[KahanaReef]

So did you end up fixing yours?

Nope. Not this time. I'm thinking about losing the whole kit. We paid this "friend of ours" like $300 to fix it the last time, which was a pretty good deal considering that any body shop in the area wanted upwards of $600. I had done my research and was adamant about making sure he used the flex agent. He said he did. But, like I said, minor scrape, big chunks of paint peeled off.

I have to be really careful even when parking. Pulling up super slow making sure that the front end doesn't scrape on parking lot curbs and stops. It's a pita.

[cammed goat]

Your local parts store should have the adhesion promoter. It's in rattle can form and is a clear primer for metal/plastic. They should also have the paint through Dupli-Color if not dealer. Dena, you can do this yourself if you want. Mask off the front bumper and scuff the front spoiler, spray the adhesion promoter and let get tacky, then on with the basecoat then clearcoat.

[KahanaReef]

I'm not sure if I want to fix it or take it off completely at this point

[cammed goat]

Is yours polyurethane? You could have the spoiler molded onto the front bumper cover so it won't come off. Just a thought.

[KahanaReef]

It would still scrape everywhere though. It's pretty low and hits just about everything.

[SteveC]

I'm not sure if I want to fix it or take it off completely at this point

Another vote for removing the kit.

[HetRules]

bummer! Those kits are so low they hit everything.

[dv96ws6]

My brother has 2002 WS6 and he bought the bolt on bumper guard. That will prevent this type of situation.

[Firebirdjones]

I use the adhesion promoter on alot of plastic interior parts when dying stuff here, but have never bothered to use it when I occasionally get a polyurethane bumper in here to paint.

I have however "sometimes" used the flex agent for the paint pm urethane bumpers but that depends on whether the person wants to pay for it. A tiny pint of that stuff is over $100 here, it's ridiculous. A couple guys at the paint store I deal with don't even recommend it anymore and admit they rarely sell it to the point they don't keep it in stock anymore, it has to be ordered.
Last time I sprayed the rubber nose on the front of my 70 formula I didn't even bother with it. The flex agent would have cost more than the color and clear I sprayed on it...CRAZY!!
I didn't use it on the last bumper I sprayed for a 4th gen either because the guy was cheap. When I got the bumper, it had alot of hairline cracks in it where it had been bumped before (original paint) so even the factory paint is subject to cracks and flaking. That's been a few years and never came back "shrug" I find the prep work is most important and where most of the time needs spent. I also use a good urethane primer/filler/sealer with excellent adhesion which I believe is key.

In most cases I suspect people don't go around bumping things either so the paint isn't a problem, but these low hung ground affect pieces are another story all together. I don't think the paint would survive anyway even if a flex agent was used when things are bumped or scraped and 3500 lbs. is coming down on top of it. I could easily see a repaint in order regardless of material used.

Currently we are painting our little 89 5.0 mustang which has urethane bumpers front/rear. Not using any flex agent in this one either. Going to be a daily driver for my son when finished. I can't see spending an extra $200 on flex agent materials for a daily driver that's going to see rock chips and scratches anyway. Based off of many years of painting with and without the added flex agent, and knowing we are going with a good urethane primer with better adhesion properties, I'm confident it will last.

[Firebirdjones]

Just to give you another clue as to why people are seeing paint jobs that don't last.

As I mentioned I like to use the urethane primers as they have better adhesion properties, direct to metal, etc etc...

However that stuff is $170 a gallon. Usually takes close to 2 gallons to do a car properly. The paint store I deal with again, doesn't carry this in stock anymore because it's a hard sell. I have to order it. The primers they do carry are what all the shops around here are buying, and it's cheap $60 a gallon primer. That gives you a clue as to what shops are doing to save coin, and/or customers that don't want to pay for materials.

Also alot of that laquer based primer nowadays is junk, with poor adhesion properties, flakes off, etc... which may explain paint flaking issues. I used to use laquer red oxide primer quite a bit on frame off restorations (classic cars) where floors are red oxide laquer. But since the EPA has stepped in and removed alot of the chemicals in the laquer paints, the quality is now horrible. I'm forced now to custom mix a quality paint with a flatten agent to match the red oxide for a better quality job that will last and sometimes go over that with a flat clear (another expensive product) for protection and ease of cleaning.

Materials keep getting more expensive and quality is suffering. So shops and customers are finding ways to recoup that money lost. Usually that means using cheaper materials.

[KahanaReef]

Good information, FBJ. While my son was out for Thanksgiving, he showed me how his front grille turned out on his truck using that Plasti Dip and I was pretty impressed. I've only ever seen pictures before. He also peeled off some to show me how easy it came off and also how durable it actually is.

So, I was thinking I may at some point, do the entire kit in the black as well as the rear panel. The only problem would be the contrast of the gloss sail panel. But my son did mention that there is now a clear Plasti Dip coat. I haven't really looked into it but it may be a good solution for ground kits that are so low and prone to bend some at higher curb stops and scrape coming out of steep driveways

[Firebirdjones]

Now that's something interesting Kahana that I never thought of. I've used the plasti-dip, they sell it in small cans here at Home Depot. I've used it on tools and other small car pieces that I wanted a sort of rubber protective coating on but I've never thought, or even tried it on major body panels before. I'd like to hear how that turns out.