Andrew's Sterlingsilber 90 325iS -> 318iS

[Andrew325is]

Okay cool!

[Nairb]

Thank you. I try to do my best. The only paint I would personally recommend is a professional automotive paint. Most distributors will sell to the general public and they often are able to mix some into a spray can. Diamantschwarz is color code 181. You could print out the mixing sheet for that color here and bring it with you: https://coloronline.glasurit.com/index.php

There are some fairly decent 2k (2 part) clear coats available in a aerosol such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/U-S-Chemical-.../dp/B0043B7UQY

I haven't used that aerosol clear myself, but I've used Spraymax's 2k epoxy primer and it seems good.

You have gone above and beyond in this post! Thank you!

I'm moving to the Seattle area around the end of the year, I'll have to take a tour down to Portland and buy you a beer!

[Andrew325is]

I painted the rear spoiler today. The clear coat had failed on it and it looked pretty bad. The rest of the paint on the trunk lid looks okay though. I made sure I masked off the rear label.

[Andrew325is]

It sounds like you have experience with this type of stuff, and it shows in the quality of the wheel and iS lip paint.

I think I'm more suited to an aerosol can spray. I don't really have access to those things and was hoping to be more cost-effective in spraying my iS lip. I have a Diamantschwarz 318is.

Considering my last iS lip was absolutely peppered with chips, scrapes and years of general road grime, I'm not exactly looking for an award-winning paint job on it, just something that isn't noticeably trash. Are there any aerosol paints that you could recommend?

I actually just found this spray on Amazon, but I'm not sure if this is reputable.

Thank you. I try to do my best. The only paint I would personally recommend is a professional automotive paint. Most distributors will sell to the general public and they often are able to mix some into a spray can. Diamantschwarz is color code 181. You could print out the mixing sheet for that color here and bring it with you: https://coloronline.glasurit.com/index.php

There are some fairly decent 2k (2 part) clear coats available in a aerosol such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/U-S-Chemical-.../dp/B0043B7UQY

I haven't used that aerosol clear myself, but I've used Spraymax's 2k epoxy primer and it seems good.

You can find a BASF distributor near you here: http://refinish.basf.us/where-to-buy/

If there isn't one, there's probably a AkzoNobel or PPG distributor nearby. LKQ the auto recycler usually sells AkzoNobel (Sikkens, Lesonal) and I know they mix in a can.

Here's the type of respirator you need: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009JNF1I..._8sFxCbKCYJZEQ or https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Mediu...A-NA/207061064

Goggles: https://www.harborfreight.com/splash...gle-97140.html or https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Profe...0025/205137846

Disposable gloves: https://www.harborfreight.com/5-mil-...rge-61360.html or https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-Disp...0-10/203613737

Here's some painting coveralls: https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-XL-H...12HD/203555482

Shop towels: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Scott-Sh...5143/202519693

Scotch-Brite pads. You can wet it first if you don't want to make dust or you can do it dry and wear the respirator. Don't go too aggressively on the edges because you'll burn through the primer. You just want to lightly scuff up the primer so the paint has good adhesion.: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QXKXS6..._VLFxCb27JT5R9

Wipe the part with this before you paint it and follow up with a tack cloth: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PL06OO..._syFxCb3352KE1

Tack cloth. Don't get it wet. Just wipe the part when it's dry to pick up any lint and other debris that may have fallen onto it: https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-18-i...-3PK/300242008

[Nairb]

Thank you. I'm doing my best to make it nice. I painted it myself like the wheels. Yes, it comes primed so it was very easy. I just had to scuff it up with a grey scotch brite pad, then washed it with soap and water, dried it, and then wiped it with prep solvent (do not use lacquer thinner; that's for cleaning the gun and other equipment only). Then I sprayed color on it. 2 coats was enough. And then 2 coats of clear. I used Diamont paint. It's similar to Glasurit 55. It's available from your BASF distributor. Make sure you observe the flash time between coats as stated on the tech sheets. I used a Sagola 4500 spray gun set at about 1.7 bar for color and 1.9 bar for clear. Also, it's probably obvious, but when you paint make sure you use a respirator with fresh organic vapor cartridges and goggles like you use for chemistry class.

It sounds like you have experience with this type of stuff, and it shows in the quality of the wheel and iS lip paint.

I think I'm more suited to an aerosol can spray. I don't really have access to those things and was hoping to be more cost-effective in spraying my iS lip. I have a Diamantschwarz 318is.

Considering my last iS lip was absolutely peppered with chips, scrapes and years of general road grime, I'm not exactly looking for an award-winning paint job on it, just something that isn't noticeably trash. Are there any aerosol paints that you could recommend?

I actually just found this spray on Amazon, but I'm not sure if this is reputable.

[Andrew325is]

If you don’t have a spray gun you could probably have them mix up some paint in aerosol cans. Limco paint is fine if you want to save some money. I used Limco clear because I didn’t want to spend $400 on a gallon of Glasurit for such a small job. That would be enough for a whole car. Maybe 2 cars.

[Andrew325is]

In about a week or 2. I need to wait for the wheel paint to cure pretty well before I have tires mounted on them. I hope they can mount them without screwing up the lips. I'm getting Dunlops at Discount Tire. I read they have a touchless mounting machine, so I'll have to make sure. Also, we're in the middle of a snowy period of weather and they're summer tires so I need to wait for nicer weather.

[2mAn]

whens the update with the wheels and lip installed?

[Andrew325is]

Awesome Sterling. I see so few of these Silver e30's, yours is a real gem.

Question, how did you paint your iS lip? Did you do it yourself or did you have it painted somewhere? I have a brand new one in box, primed, and I want it painted but not sure the best way to go about it.

Thank you. I'm doing my best to make it nice. I painted it myself like the wheels. Yes, it comes primed so it was very easy. I just had to scuff it up with a grey scotch brite pad, then washed it with soap and water, dried it, and then wiped it with prep solvent (do not use lacquer thinner; that's for cleaning the gun and other equipment only). Then I sprayed color on it. 2 coats was enough. And then 2 coats of clear. I used Diamont paint. It's similar to Glasurit 55. It's available from your BASF distributor. Make sure you observe the flash time between coats as stated on the tech sheets. I used a Sagola 4500 spray gun set at about 1.7 bar for color and 1.9 bar for clear. Also, it's probably obvious, but when you paint make sure you use a respirator with fresh organic vapor cartridges and goggles like you use for chemistry class.

[Nairb]

Awesome Sterling. I see so few of these Silver e30's, yours is a real gem.

Question, how did you paint your iS lip? Did you do it yourself or did you have it painted somewhere? I have a brand new one in box, primed, and I want it painted but not sure the best way to go about it.

[Andrew325is]

I painted the new front 'is' air dam. :)

[Stanley Rockafella]

Here's the new Hella Bi-Focus H1 headlights. The sealing caps I took from a pair of E36 fog lights fit onto the high beams perfectly. The caps for the low beams are on their way from a dealer in Denmark.

This is epic.
I was seriously considering this upgrade given the cost of replacement Euro smiley headlamps (and my unwillingness to refurb my current set). But given that they do not come with sealing caps on the back, made me decide against them.

Very interested how they look with the citi light installed!

[Andrew325is]

I refinished the Euroweaves. :) I painted the centers Nogaro Silver and the lips Diamond Silver, which is the correct BBS bright silver color (VW color code L97A). I painted it over a white sealer (Glasurit 285-18). It was a little challenging. It took a lot of hours scuffing them and repairing little nicks/curb rash. First I painted them with the sealer and then bright silver. After that I masked off the lip and painted the centers. Then I unmasked them and shot them with clear.

[Andrew325is]

Here's the new Hella Bi-Focus H1 headlights. The sealing caps I took from a pair of E36 fog lights fit onto the high beams perfectly. The caps for the low beams are on their way from a dealer in Denmark.

[Andrew325is]

You don't see a brand new one of these every day. :) The old one is probably okay, but after cleaning it, it still seemed a little gunked up and I thought after 29 years it wouldn't hurt to replace it. It could have been replaced since then, but I haven't dug through all the service records to tell.