What's the best way to paint FJ80 bumper end caps? (1 Viewer)

[JCruse]

I guess they're aluminum? Mine have the white discoloration/mottling on them and I'd like to paint them but don't really know the best way to do it. I have no painting equipment so I guess it will be done with rattle cans, but what's the best way to do it? Do I NEED to strip them? Do they need primer? I'm just looking to return them to stock or as close as I can get. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Yodaforce]

By stock, are they the standard black plastic pieces? Seemingly raw with no color coat?

If so, you can wash them with warm soapy water, dish detergent soap, and a red scotchbrite pad. The pad will clean and scuff the plastic, and when dry you can spray a coat of trim black. I buy mine from SEM at about $12 a can, but the finish is very close to factory (not too shiny, but not too flat) and as long as it lasts for me (a few years) I just refinish the parts with the same process.

 

[JCruse]

By stock, are they the standard black plastic pieces? Seemingly raw with no color coat?

If so, you can wash them with warm soapy water, dish detergent soap, and a red scotchbrite pad. The pad will clean and scuff the plastic, and when dry you can spray a coat of trim black. I buy mine from SEM at about $12 a can, but the finish is very close to factory (not too shiny, but not too flat) and as long as it lasts for me (a few years) I just refinish the parts with the same process.

OK the paint sounds good but I think they're made of aluminum. It feels and sounds like metal but is not magnetic. I have a 97, are you perhaps maybe talking about the earlier model FJ80's? Mine are actually grey in color - now with white splotches on the sides, but not the top or front. That's still a fairly good grey.

Please let me know if you've got an FJ as opposed to an FZJ.










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[Splangy]

Rear bumper? They should be plastic. You can have your local paint jobber mix you up a spray can of the original Toyota grey paint. I had a quart mixed up and sprayed my TJM front and custom swingout rear bumpers the OEM color.

 

[JCruse]

I'm sorry I didn't say, it's the FRONT bumper end caps I'm looking to paint.

Actually I may need to paint the whole bumper to get it all to match. But first I'd like to do the caps since they come off easy and are in far worse shape.

Splangy, do you mean going to a body shop for the paint match? I'm not sure who a "paint jobber" is. I've never done this before. I recently taught myself to polish paint, never sprayed anything before though. At least not on a car.

 

[skidplate]

I'd rough it up with some 400 wet/dry sandpaper, wipe the surface with alcohol and paint it with this stuff. I've used it on aluminum, steel, and plastic and it works great.

 

[JCruse]

Does the trim&bumper come in colors or just black? I'm trying to replicate the OE grey color on the front bumper of a '97 FJ80.

Originally I was going to paint the front end caps only because they had been scuffed and turned white for some reason, but I guess I might as well do the whole bumper since the center section is all pitted. If all goes well (my first painting) I'll go ahead and do the back one too.










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[Splangy]

Does the trim&bumper come in colors or just black? I'm trying to replicate the OE grey color on the front bumper of a '97 FJ80.

Originally I was going to paint the front end caps only because they had been scuffed and turned white for some reason, but I guess I might as well do the whole bumper since the center section is all pitted. If all goes well (my first painting) I'll go ahead and do the back one too.

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Your local paint guy should be able to mix the OEM color in a rattle can if you don't have painting equipment.

 

[PFDD]

If you're talking about the bumperettes on the 97, both the front and rear end original bumper ends are plastic on my two 97s. Both incurred parking lot damage over the years and one set were repainted professionally and on the other I went to the paint store for the correct paint, primer, cleaner, adhesion promoter, etc. It wasn't cheap, on the order of $300+ just for the materials as I recall, but they matched well in the end after being prepped, primed and painted. I'm sure someone who knew what they were doing could have done it or procured the materials for a good deal less, but I was trying to learn so I had the materials and knowledge to keep them looking good. Then of course I replaced all the bumpers and scrapped the OEM parts, but I have the experience.... Good luck.

 

[JCruse]

If you're talking about the bumperettes on the 97, both the front and rear end original bumper ends are plastic on my two 97s. Both incurred parking lot damage over the years and one set were repainted professionally and on the other I went to the paint store for the correct paint, primer, cleaner, adhesion promoter, etc. It wasn't cheap, on the order of $300+ just for the materials as I recall, but they matched well in the end after being prepped, primed and painted. I'm sure someone who knew what they were doing could have done it or procured the materials for a good deal less, but I was trying to learn so I had the materials and knowledge to keep them looking good. Then of course I replaced all the bumpers and scrapped the OEM parts, but I have the experience.... Good luck.

A "paint store"? The only ones I'm familiar with are home paint stores. (never painted anything else) Where did you go?









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[Splangy]

A "paint store"? The only ones I'm familiar with are home paint stores. (never painted anything else) Where did you go?

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Contact your local auto parts stores. The old-school parts stores, not Autozone, Advance Auto parts type chain stores.

Or, just do a webserach for things like "automotive paint" or "autobody" in your area. Got a phonebook?

 

[PFDD]

I searched Mud last year when I was looking for the same thing since I had zero experience with autobody or painting and found that UCAA3 for duPont Chromabase was recommended as a color match for a 96 model year bumperettes and found it to be a match on my 97(s) too.

I just looked up Dupont Chromabase on Google, sorted distributors by zipcode and found multiple matches within reasonable driving distance. I'm reasonably sure though you could find a cheaper match from other paint providers such as Eastwood, etc. who are available on-line. I have my invoice at home in the garage so I don't remember the exact supplier, but you should be able to find a local distributor or use one of the on-line sources that will create a paint match based on a factory paint code. I can repost when I have the invoice, but the chain I used are East coast centric I believe. I'm in VA.

 

[JCruse]

I searched Mud last year when I was looking for the same thing since I had zero experience with autobody or painting and found that UCAA3 for duPont Chromabase was recommended as a color match for a 96 model year bumperettes and found it to be a match on my 97(s) too.

I just looked up Dupont Chromabase on Google, sorted distributors by zipcode and found multiple matches within reasonable driving distance. I'm reasonably sure though you could find a cheaper match from other paint providers such as Eastwood, etc. who are available on-line. I have my invoice at home in the garage so I don't remember the exact supplier, but you should be able to find a local distributor or use one of the on-line sources that will create a paint match based on a factory paint code. I can repost when I have the invoice, but the chain I used are East coast centric I believe. I'm in VA.

Well that's the problem, I don't have a paint code for the bumper!

As for the UCAA3, what color was/is your bumper? What's the body color? Do all body colors have the same color bumpers?

Spangly: I found some online paint suppliers already that sell real auto body paint in a spray can but I'm still reduced to picking from numerous greys on a computer screen and hoping it's the right one.


The Trim And Bumper paint in charcoal grey is a very close match in color but is of course a flat paint for spraying rubberized bumpers, where LC's were a really nice semi-gloss pearl or metallic. And I'd just love to put her back just the way she was. On the 40'th it also matches the side molding - and of course the grey in the wheels.








UCAA3 comes up as either grey metallic or green-grey metallic. So I found a sample called just "UCAA3 grey metallic" and I came up with this:

My bumpers are pretty faded and worn but I don't think they ever looked like that.














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[JCruse]

I took off the ducts in the front bumper cutouts and underneath the edges was some nice clean original paint. It's actually a very nice medium/dark grey with a lot of metal flake in it. Perhaps I can get an auto body shop to scan it with their color match gear and get the exact formula to take to an auto-body paint supplier. That's a real PITA though compared to just ordering a couple cans online and shooting it.

 

[PFDD]

Sorry,

Haven't been active on the forum in a while. My rigs are Emerald Green but I didn't think that the bumper paint was even close to that color green. I recall they had a grey green cast to them but thought the green cast came from proximity to the rest of the rig. Perhaps not.

I'd have to go with your color match idea unless you get a better paint code.

Good luck.

 

[40thAnniversary]

JCruise, or anyone who had the same problem: have you managed to figure out / locate the color code for the bumpers for '97 FZJ80 - 40th Anniversary Emerald Green?

My dad is restoring one at the moment and is facing the same problem. He wants to keep it as close to original as possible, hence a color code would be perfect.

I know that for the dominant color Toyota provides a sticker in the car. Not sure about the bumpers though.

 

[waller24]

Since its 2016 and there's tons of new paints at the auto store it's almost impossible to find these paint on this 10 year old thread. Anyone have a good matching paint that's available/common at autozone, o Reilly's or advanced to paint these caps?
Thanks

 

[pmcbrier]

Major thread revival batman.
I am getting ready to paint bumpers on a 95 emerald green 80, and I called the toyota dealer, they gave me the following paint code, UCA31. Interestingly enough, it is the same color code for the bumper of my 02 lexus lx470 trim. I have a black one with gray trim, and paint code from lexus dealer was also uca31. I will post up when I finish, (so don't hold your breath).

 

[1997 FZJ80 40th]

Major thread revival batman.
I am getting ready to paint bumpers on a 95 emerald green 80, and I called the toyota dealer, they gave me the following paint code, UCA31. Interestingly enough, it is the same color code for the bumper of my 02 lexus lx470 trim. I have a black one with gray trim, and paint code from lexus dealer was also uca31. I will post up when I finish, (so don't hold your breath).

Pmcbrier - how did this turn out for you? Did you buy paint using the UCA31 code and if so from where. Hoping this worked out for you and you have details and pictures. I want to repaint my rear bumperettes and/or install a rear bumper with swingout and paint to match.

 

[pmcbrier]

Yeah it turned out all right. My painting skills leave a bit to be desired, but I am relatively pleased. The color was right. I bought the paint at a local automotive paint store.