Project Facelift

[Jand3rson]

I am glad to see my mirror are actually going to be put to good use.

Werd, thanks again for those, Daniel. One of these days before the weather goes to shit, I'm going to have to come out and get some more stuff off of that car, I want the calipers for sure. Going to have them powdercoated over the winter along with my wheels.

Wycoco, I'm ordering all the new hardware tomorrow to get everything mounted. We annihilated all the little plastic expanding rivets that hold the bumper skin to the rebar, and just about all the rest of the hardware was rusted to the point of being unusable. Besides, new hardware is so nice, and it's cheap. I hope to have everything mounted next weekend. I'm also getting a standard i lip, just until I get my Rieger Inifinity lip later on. I'm also buying new fogs, but that won't be for a while, probably over the winter while the car's hibernating. Lots of work to do this winter.

[wycoco]

That's awesome. Almost finishhhh. Weee.

[DanielHStout]

I am glad to see my mirror are actually going to be put to good use.
Its looking really good man.. I can't wait to see it finished in person.

[AndrewBird]

Did you use a spray gun? Or just the can?

Spray gun. Good old Craftsman syphon gun. Sprayed everything at 40 PSI. THe gun is similar to this:

[wycoco]

Did you use a spray gun? Or just the can?

[Jand3rson]

I was going to ask you why you didn't just remove the glass. I figured it was difficult. Masking them worked. :)

Yep, worked just fine. BTW, this is the man who did the paint on the bumpers and the valence. Incredible job, I can't thank you enough, Andy.

[wycoco]

I'm still going to like your rear end better than mine.

[AndrewBird]

I was going to ask you why you didn't just remove the glass. I figured it was difficult. Masking them worked. :)

[Jand3rson]

by the way, the glass in the side mirrors pops out really easily.

Eh, taping it took all of 1 minute.

[KenC]

Word! Lookin' good!


by the way, the glass in the side mirrors pops out really easily.

[Jand3rson]

Part VIII: Paint.

And the day finally came. Today we painted EVERYTHING. Front valence, bumpers, trim, my new euro grilles, and my new mirrors. If you read my last post with the pics, I was nervous as hell about painting today. I'd completely convinced myself (for one reason or another) that it wasn't going to come out good, that something was going to wrong, or we'd just plain fuck it up. Couldn't be further from the truth, everything came out great. Some areas are going to need wetsanding, but I knew that already, anyway. Andrew did the painting of the valence and the bumpers, I didn't trust myself to do it, especially since he's painted before and I haven't. My hat's off to Andrew, he did a magnificent job, and I owe him big time. These pics don't do the painted parts justice, but I'll get some better ones tomorrow. :up:

Full bumper trim, front valence grille, and my new euro grilles, fresh after about 5-6 coats of SEM:



Front valence, shortly before paint. Garage turned paint booth FTW:



Complete with full booth exhaust fan!



Front valence, about 3 coats of paint applied:





New mirrors (these things have PERFECT glass), sanded and masked:



Mirrors/brake duct inlets, about 3 coats applied:





Front valence resting comfortably after I think 4 coats:



Front and rear bumpers, just before paint:



Front bumper, about 2nd or 3rd coat in:



Front and rear bumpers:



Rear bumper, 2nd or 3rd coat in:

[TerribleONE]

i wish when i painted my m-tech II it came out better, but it doesnt really matter i guess because a few weeks after i put it on the car infront of me kicked up a McDonalds tray and it flew straight into it...

[golde30]

looks clean. thats some solid work. i wish at least 1 of my painting projects came out like that...:drink:

[RobertK]

Lookin' Good!

Work faster = more pics!!

[MR 325]

Nope, I've got the standard 325i vented one.

Buy the 318 one! :)