Paint Help

Ok I think I'm going to try to paint my chrome bumpers to color match...but I need some advice.

I know what to do to prep the chrome but when it actually comes to painting and clearing, I'm not really sure what to do. My biggest concern is to get an exact color match. I can get my paint color (true blue) in rattle cans but I haven't really had good luck getting a good match. The other route is to go to an automotive paint shop and get a quart of my color and then spray myself. I have a simple little air compressor with a paint gun attachment that I was thinking I could use. Any advice on how many coats of primer and what type, how many coats of paint, and what type and how many coats of clear? also, when and how much to sand?


my other option is to pay someone to do it for $450.


Advice....thoughts?

I have a paintable 05 550 bumper setting at austin monks house in denton if you wana do some trading...... Can't help you with the back bumper though, i would def say get rid of all that chrome for sure though, so lots of sanding bro.... you got my number.... let me know if you want that other bumper

A quart of color, a quart of primer, and a quart of clear with the reducers and hardeners will probably cost you $200-250. Then you are doing all the work too. I would pay the $450 and let a pro do it.

I rebuilt an Explorer about a year ago that was a stolen recovery. It needed to be painted when I was done, so I thought 'I can do this.' :doh: Bad thought. It cost me $700 for the materials. Maaco could have sprayed it for $600 and I wouldn't have had to do any work. And it probably would have looked better.

fordfreak4life said:

I have a paintable 05 550 bumper setting at austin monks house in denton if you wana do some trading...... Can't help you with the back bumper though, i would def say get rid of all that chrome for sure though, so lots of sanding bro.... you got my number.... let me know if you want that other bumper

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yeah man i'm interested. what's the difference b/t the 550 and 250/350 bumper?

You have to weld the little holes shut where the fender flares mount on the front bumper of the 550, paint it and bolt it on on bro.... pretty straight forward.... id trade you straight across for yours....... then i would just have to figure out shipping to get it here

Pay the 450 you will be glad u did in the end, Like said before the right materials are expensive and if u have no experience you will regret trying your self.imo

I can tell you one thing, that it is going to be hard to match. Did mine twice and it still isn't exact. You should match what is on the truck not the paint code, since all the sunbathing.

also if you do go out and tackle this yourself. before you pay for the paint. ask your paint supplier for color matching chips to your paint code. their should be a minimum of 4 different variances for the color do to sun bathin, previous paint repairs and etc. that way you can match your paint alot easier with the paint chips then just trying to guess "does that match"