Black trim

henocsr · 21st February 2009, 20:15

What does ever body else use to recolour black plastic trim on their maestros/ montegos. I have been using autoglym rubber and vinal cleaned, which i have always used on my other Rovers buit the efis bumpers were the red inserts are, are nearly white so its no good.
I hope i dont have to respray them

G51 NAV · 21st February 2009, 21:07

I can list you any number of products which will do a good temporary job if you want your car to look good at a show, the simplest of which is actually black shoe polish. But if you want the black to actually stay black, respraying is the only permanent solution. Not just bumper strips, this also goes for door-mirror surrounds and models which have the unpainted black bodykit.

Spraying them is not the hard job: after a practise you'll find that any monkey can get a satisfactory job spraying rough plastic with thin coats of satin-black paint. It's not like you're trying to get an even, highly reflective shine. With the bumpers, it's masking-off which is a PITA, in so far as it's fiddly and time-consuming.

henocsr · 21st February 2009, 21:32

cheers, i will have to spray then. Mine has the black body kit too

G51 NAV · 21st February 2009, 21:38

You won't regret painting them. It does make a lot of difference as a finishing-touch to a car which looks otherwise cosmetically tidy.

MaestroTurbo · 21st February 2009, 21:38

Try a heat gun.... but the black 'inserts' turn white and there is very little you can do to improve things apart from paint them black again. The plastic isnt porous enough to absorb any chemical.

wee_dav · 23rd February 2009, 00:22

A guy in my work (who used to build montegos in cowley) told me about a chemical he used in the past but cant remember the name of it. he said its like a dye or stain which makes them pure black again. I will ask him again what its called. Sounds good but maybe the plastic isn't pourus enough to absorb. I'd love to redo the plastic on the tops of my doors. auto glym works but only for a day.

G51 NAV · 23rd February 2009, 08:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by wee_dav

A guy in my work (who used to build montegos in cowley) told me about a chemical he used in the past but cant remember the name of it. he said its like a dye or stain which makes them pure black again.

That will probably help on everything but the bumpers. The polycarbonate is not porous enough.

Jumturbo · 23rd February 2009, 09:31

I think you are talking about the natural plastic finish which was moulded in black and not painted at all at the factory? As we know all plastic moulded products will fade in sunlight. Under the surface however the coloured plastic should be unaffected. You somehow need to remove the top surface. Try a foam rubbing compound - the sort you use on new paint. Or Maybe T-cut and plenty of elbow grease!

Best to try this before you go to trouble of painting etc. Another thing to try is a product used for cleaning PVC window frames. We cleaned our frames last year with this stuff with amazing results. The ground in grime was easily removed. It was a kind of thinners based chemical, probably find it on line if you search for PVC window frame cleaner. Watch any painted surfaces though!

Simon · 26th February 2009, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by wee_dav

A guy in my work (who used to build montegos in cowley) told me about a chemical he used in the past but cant remember the name of it. he said its like a dye or stain which makes them pure black again. I will ask him again what its called. Sounds good but maybe the plastic isn't pourus enough to absorb. I'd love to redo the plastic on the tops of my doors. auto glym works but only for a day.

Vinylkote?

John S · 26th February 2009, 17:35

Carplan liquid wax is good for black plastics I find.