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Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 1:32 pm
by SydneyJules
Opinions requested:

Paint or Powdercoat Windscreens wipers?
Gunmetal Grey or Black?

Paint or leave front Sill vents (Gunmetal Grey/Black)?

Paint or leave rear body triangles (Gunmetal Grey/Black)?

Car is in the shop now so I need to make a call on these bits soon!

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 10:20 pm
by MD
Powder coatings tend to oxidise in the strong Aussie sun and display a chalk powder when aged. The older paints like enamels (known in the industry as "jam") is only used on cheap resprays these days. Acrylics stand up well but require more work to polish up for a finish. Finally, two packs create a good finish but being a hard paint, chip most readily and hard to touch up.

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 10:56 pm
by SydneyJules
Thanks for the advice! What about colours, mike? What did yOu do? Exterior is going to be 530 red

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:29 pm
by Al_Cam
I'd go with all those pieces black. I think these cars need plenty of contrast, particularly in red and white. Paint the bumpers too, except for the flat inserts, like the metallic blue one in the header of this site at the moment.

If there's going to be any parts not in the body colour, then you have to include the rear vents. There 's a white GTV6 for sale in NSW at the moment and the rear vents are white. It always jars with me.

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/deta ... 4294900491

If you do paint the bumpers, then probably the lower door/sill parts in body colour too.

In fact when i think about it the header image on this site is almost what I like best. It looks like the bonnet insert/tea tray is not black.

If you're doing that much, don't forget the Don't forget the plastic exterior door handle surrounds and consider the handles themselves too.

Just my thoughts.
AL.

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 4:57 am
by SydneyJules
Thanks Al,

My car will have Zender bits on it, although I may end up leaving the sideskirts and door mouldings off, and having the black rubber trim piece run mid height down the doors and sills.

Contrast- I agree 100%

The wipers will go back to black.

The main question I have really relates to the body triangles and the bonnet vents (in front of the windscreen)- mine are all grey, unpainted, but I'm wondering, were they black when new?

I'm thinking about having these trim pieces and the window frames etc painted gunmetal grey. well, the frames will definitely be gunmetal.

Not too sure about the longevity of painting the door handles and surrounds....

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 2:07 am
by David
The body triangles, bottom skirts, front vents, etc were grey from new. Gunmetal or charcoal with the smaller items in black will give plenty of contrast. Get the plastic bits painted in acrylic with plasticizer and they will last a lot longer and have a decent shine on them.

Are you fitting the Zender side skirts and bumpers and will they be in the body colour?

Integrated body colour mouldings or contrasting is a matter of personal choice. I have seen great examples of both. Post some pics when done to help me decide on mine!

David

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:48 pm
by SydneyJules
Thanks David- yours looks pretty good, btw- what wheels have you got on it? Any bigger pics?

I'm thinking gunmetal window frames, front window sill vents and rear plastic triangles.

Black windscreen wipers.

Door moulds and side skirts will probably go on, but no rear wing-

I had thought about painting the lower half of the car gunmetal- so basically, the whole zender kit- one of my mates reckons it will look like a VL Calais!!! (suggesting a google search for those not from Oz!).

Whatever wheels I choose, I want a 3 piece imitation (only because real 3 piece wheels mean I wont be able to get rs coilovers!). I've got some 156 superturismo 17x7s to go on it for now, but I will probably go with the 18x8 BB5 LM copies from wheelwarehouse.com, and get the centres painted a pale gold.

I agree entirely that these cars need contrasting trim to allow the lines to stand out- and with the zender kit and right wheels, they really are the "bad boy" 80s Alfa- they have an almost Lambo look to them- like a Jalpa "lite" :)

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:45 pm
by David
Wheels are 15" Zenders, I think were fitted when the body kit was fitted. Could even be a dealer fit from new but I'm not sure.



David

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 10:18 am
by squadragrunn
here , zender wheels under my car (no longer because they don't fit gta brakes)
Image

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 1:17 am
by SydneyJules
The 5 spokes definitely suit the car- I'm definitely a fan of non-fussy wheels for these cars- even my previous mesh rims were a little too fussy. I've got some Rota wheels from 18racing in mind, or BBS LM copies. Anyway, money to be spent elsewhere, first!

Kevin sent me some images to check out: here's a Zender bodied GTV with the trim pieces all colour coded- I'm definitely leaning towards having them painted gunmetal:

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 1:20 am
by SydneyJules
try that again:

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 1:21 am
by SydneyJules
And just noticed how good that car looks without the Door mouldings....

Re: Windscreen Wipers and Body Plastic

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:32 pm
by Al_Cam
One advantage of painting all the plastic bits (any colour) is that you don't have to be so careful when (if) waxing.

Maybe wax/polish would help paint on plastic parts last longer. Or may not make any difference if the paint gives up due to plastic flexing with temperature.

AL.