X Brace painting

[sambo32]

I am thinking of painting the x brace and wanted to know if it can just be painted or does it have to be powder coated. I also need opinions on what color, I was thinking a satin black to match the rest of the structure.

[dsp300c]

I was wondering the same thing. I was going to leave the ends and middle the silver color and paint the straight long pieces white like the car.

[TRH62]

23883

Powder coated mine! Looks great!

[Martin]

That does look really nice.

[sambo32]

That two tone color is attractive, well done

[Jack B]

I had mine painted with the body color paint, then clear coated it.


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[sambo32]

Do you think I can accomplish the painting on my own with a spray can, or is it recommended to take to a body shop.

[Jack B]

Body shop



Do you think I can accomplish the painting on my own with a spray can, or is it recommended to take to a body shop.

[ViperGeorge]

23892

Painted. Use a body shop.

[Nightstalker]

Hand painted X-Brace and valve covers.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u230/walterk15/Viper%20Valve%20Covers.jpg (http://s169.photobucket.com/user/walterk15/media/Viper%20Valve%20Covers.jpg.html)

[BJG32]

You can hand paint yourself. If you are not happy take it to a body shop. Powder coating will probably be a cheaper professional job if you take in as is with bare metal....safer from damage too.

[Nightstalker]

Yes, you can accomplish this with spray cans. The results speak for themselves.

[BJG32]

I rattle canned mine before I got my carbon fiber xbrace and engine covers. Was 100% happy with the results, but wanted CF. You do have to know what you are doing though...

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[Synergy]

Those look badass!

[ACR Steve]

Nightstalker- That's from a can???? damn good job

[dirtyboot]

Did you intentionally set this up for the logo to face you? I hadn't seen any others done this way, it threw me into an ocd loop :hog:


I had mine painted with the body color paint, then clear coated it.


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[Scott_in_fl]

You can rattle can it, but you need to use the right rattle cans :)

In all seriousness, you want to get 1/2 pint of color from your local PPG jobber (or similar), a Preval spray kit from Amazon, and a can of high gloss 2k clear like SprayMax from Amazon. The preval will do a fair enough job of getting the color on. The real "touch" is in spraying the clear. Be careful though with 2k clears as they are nasty chemicals. You can get a cheap 3m mask that can handle charcoal filers (6001 I believe is the filter number).

Paint outside, and paint upwind to further reduce risk (and cover up your body -- this crap penetrates your membrane tissues). You're doing such a small piece that you should be able to knock out a real nice job pretty easily (lay on your first coat of clear very thin, and then build it up with thicker coats after about 5 minutes between coats). You might actually have fun doing it (as long as you can do it safely). Look for YouTube videos on spraying with 2k rattle cans like SprayMax.

Total cost should be quite a bit less than $100.

[sambo32]

I was thinking of using a can of Krylon satin black with no clear, I would first do a nice job on scuffing the silver paint on the brase. My goal is to have it match the rest of the under hood structure.

[Nightstalker]

Nightstalker- That's from a can???? damn good job


Yes, all from a spray can.

From NAPA:

- Dupli-Color: Specialty Hi Temp Gloss Black Engine Enamel (3 cans)
- Dupli-Color: Color Gloss Clearcoat (3 cans)
- Dupli-Color: Paint Stripper (2 cans)
- Dupli-Color: Specialty Hi Temp Gray Engine Primer Engine Enamel (2 cans)
- 200 and 400 Grit Sand Paper
- Emblem from Dodge dealer (1)
- Rubber mallet to flatten out badge.



From Michael's:

Krylon: Strength Spray Adhesive (1 can)
- For the valve covers


Amazon:
- ARP Bolts (#661-1002)
- For X-Brace


- No one at the house to bother you when you are working. (Priceless)

[poptarts]

i wonder if hydrodip out last.. probably not cause of heat issues

[Nightstalker]

I was thinking of using a can of Krylon satin black with no clear, I would first do a nice job on scuffing the silver paint on the brase. My goal is to have it match the rest of the under hood structure.

That sounds like it would be very nice in a Flat Black. I stripped mine down to bare metal then primed sanded, painted and then cleared. I can't tell you how many layers of each I used. I went by the can.

[Nightstalker]

i wonder if hydrodip out last.. probably not cause of heat issues

That is why I choose High Temp Engine paint. I was concerned about the temps under the hood. So far no issues. Just more to wax now.

[Jack B]

You are typically standing to the rear of the emblem, therefore, it reads correctly the way it is positioned




Did you intentionally set this up for the logo to face you? I hadn't seen any others done this way, it threw me into an ocd loop :hog:

[F2V]

Did you intentionally set this up for the logo to face you? I hadn't seen any others done this way, it threw me into an ocd loop :hog:

Here are pics of my car, with original painted X brace and logo installed by Mark Trostle



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[dirtyboot]

True and I think it looks good; it defied my expectation to see it facing the windshield, which goes in hand with the viper's defiant history. Props for thinking outside the box.


You are typically standing to the rear of the emblem, therefore, it reads correctly the way it is positioned