E92 Side Gills

[Deeps]

How you all doing guys?

I ordered and fitted my Melbourne red side gills on my Jerez Black M3 and not really feeling it anymore :

So think I'll need to be giving either these or my OEM chrome ones a respray.

Has anybody attempted spraying their own? Whats the best way to proceed? (I.e. any tips on which products to use prior to painting and any finishing clear coats to use?)

[Deeps]

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[NELSON.MLGB]

I did it to mine. Sand it Down and use dupli color to spray. U can also purchase the oem black ones, they are always the best.

[Nicname]

I'll take just the markers without the tints off your hands if you'd like.

[Deeps]

Originally Posted by Nicname

I'll take just the markers without the tints off your hands if you'd like.

Thanks bud, but I ordered these from Bimmian and had them shipped to the UK. So after postage and customs charges, you'll be better off ordering a painted pair from Bimmian directly and shipping inland.

[ec_E92]

Originally Posted by Deeps

How you all doing guys?

I ordered and fitted my Melbourne red side gills on my Jerez Black M3 and not really feeling it anymore :

So think I'll need to be giving either these or my OEM chrome ones a respray.

Has anybody attempted spraying their own? Whats the best way to proceed? (I.e. any tips on which products to use prior to painting and any finishing clear coats to use?)

I sprayed mine to go anti-chrome. Get a multi pack of sandpaper from an autoparts store (something around 100 / 1000 / 2000 grit combo pack) and once you've knocked the chrome off wetsand to a smooth finish. I used Dupont Acrylic clear coat over Rustoleum Metallic Indoor/Outdoor. You can use Dupont Acrylic, I just found I liked the blue better on the Rustoleum. Then I hand buffed with a microfiber towel and some compound/polish. Took me 1 Sunday afternoon and the best part is if you screw it up, sand it down and respray!

Sorry for crappy iPhone pics.

[LarThaL]

You can get your OEM color in a spray can here:

http://www.paintscratch.com

[Deeps]

These look awesome bud, such a neat finish! Thanks for the tips and advice, and for taking time to take some pictures.

I had my first go today, and failed miserably. I used a low grade sand paper to remove the chrome, then washed it clean, dried it, and then had a go with a first coat. I sprayed in linear motions from one end all the way to the other, and did it twice for a single coat, but it turned out to be too much since it started dripping. Once dried I used a finer paper to sand down the thicker areas and then rewashed and gave it a second coat, but now its completely uneven and the areas I sanded to remove the drops are now still exposed. I look at how perfect my MR one from Bimmian is and I realise how much I still have to learn about being able to use spray paints effectively lol.

I'll strip it down and start again tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Originally Posted by ec_E92

I sprayed mine to go anti-chrome. Get a multi pack of sandpaper from an autoparts store (something around 100 / 1000 / 2000 grit combo pack) and once you've knocked the chrome off wetsand to a smooth finish. I used Dupont Acrylic clear coat over Rustoleum Metallic Indoor/Outdoor. You can use Dupont Acrylic, I just found I liked the blue better on the Rustoleum. Then I hand buffed with a microfiber towel and some compound/polish. Took me 1 Sunday afternoon and the best part is if you screw it up, sand it down and respray!

Sorry for crappy iPhone pics.

[ec_E92]

Originally Posted by Deeps

These look awesome bud, such a neat finish! Thanks for the tips and advice, and for taking time to take some pictures.

I had my first go today, and failed miserably. I used a low grade sand paper to remove the chrome, then washed it clean, dried it, and then had a go with a first coat. I sprayed in linear motions from one end all the way to the other, and did it twice for a single coat, but it turned out to be too much since it started dripping. Once dried I used a finer paper to sand down the thicker areas and then rewashed and gave it a second coat, but now its completely uneven and the areas I sanded to remove the drops are now still exposed. I look at how perfect my MR one from Bimmian is and I realise how much I still have to learn about being able to use spray paints effectively lol.

I'll strip it down and start again tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for the compliments! Just go easy on the coats and slowly build them up, I think I applied 5-6 light coats of color and 3 light coats of clear. I'll admit I sanded down my first attempt as well and resprayed.

Good call on rinsing them off after sanding, I forgot to mention that, you want a clean surface for the paint to adhere to.

I don't think I could get the rich, deep automotive gloss finish that Bimminian or IND can produce, but for $10 in supplies and a few hours I think they look damn good!

[Deeps]

Second attempt is much better, 6-7 thin coats of base paint, now nice and smooth.

For the clear lacquer, should I wait for the base to dry completely first?

[DJDeez]

Originally Posted by ec_E92

Just go easy on the coats and slowly build them up, I think I applied 5-6 light coats of color and 3 light coats of clear.

I can't stress this enough, less truly is more when it comes to paint! I remember my first time, laid the paint on so heavy it was dripping everywhere LOL talk about a lesson learned!

Originally Posted by Deeps

For the clear lacquer, should I wait for the base to dry completely first?

Does it not state on the can of clear lacquer? I would wait 5 minutes between base coats and 30 minutes before clear, try that out. The more coats of clear, the further the depth.

[Deeps]

Thanks for all of your tips guys! Took your advice and its come out immaculate now! I went for the GTS Orange

Although I did break one of the clips whilst sanding

[ec_E92]

Originally Posted by Deeps

Thanks for all of your tips guys! Took you advice and its come out immaculate now! I went for the GTS Orange

Although I did break one of the clips whilst sanding

Looking good!

[Deeps]

Originally Posted by m3alabama

wait your putting orange gills on a black car? I was just going to say thank goodness you came to your senses with the red ones and were going back to black or chrome but yikes. Sometimes certain colored mods like gills or front grilles are just too much

Lol indeed.

Your reaction may be justified - but I guess I felt like experimenting with the red to see if it would look good, wanted to try something different, unique, like the IND guys do with theirs (all the M3s in my area are completely stock, I haven't even seen anybody change to black grills/gills).

The orange was the next experiment - will see how it looks once fitted.

[Deeps]

Also, FYI my Bimmian melbourne red side gills are up for sale if anybody in the UK is interested? (Anybody in the US - better off buying from IND or Bimmian to save on international shipping and customs).