Advice on painting hood insert

[Phantom]

Hey guys, I was going to paint my wiper blades this weekend, and figured what the hey, lets do my faded out chipped hood insert while I am at it!

I searched all the threads i could find on here about painting the right way (wet sand, primer, rustoleum flat black, clear coat) and plan on going that way on the wiper blades. My question is if i do the same on the insert will it look right with the clear coat, or should i stay with just primer and flat black?

I really would like to match up with the rest of the truck (shiny black) but I don't know if the clear coat will make the insert glare in bright sunlight. I would also like to make this as resistant to chipping and flaking as possible, so if the clear coat helps that let me know!

[Ascinder]

Bedliner looks great on the hood insert, is extremely resistant to everything and is very anti glare. A good, fairly flat black alternative is the extremely high temp ceramic header type paint made by duplicolor I believe. It has a fantastic look as well and goes on smoother than any other paint I have ever used. The finish is exceptionally smooth and even. Both of them are self sealing and don't really require a clear coat as far as I know.

[Lizardmen3477]

check out my pics in gallery i used triple coat of dupli color black with some adhesion spray to make sure it sticks it looks great

[VXD959]

Great job! Did you paint the cladding too?
Did you put the adhesive first and then paint?

[VehiGAZ]

Oooh... I like this idea! A DIY hood insert refinishing!

Mine looks like crapola. I want to repaint the hood & fenders this year - they are heavily pock-marked from road debris.

What is adhesion spray? What's the difference between that and primer? Which is best to use on plastic?

[WormGod]

Wow, I was lying in bed last night with insomnia thinking this exact thing over. I have the C/F scooped insert and never cared for the C/F ricer look so I always considered painting it a dark charcoal. But, I dont want it to have a gloss finish.

Needless to say, I must have fallen asleep before I concluded my inner thoughts, so I will now have to think this over in my more conscious state now. :p

[VehiGAZ]

Ahahahha!!! A buddy in college used to use the phrase "conclude my inner thoughts" to mean something else!!

[TEN36VX]

I painted my hood insert (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/insertpaint.jpg) with the same stuff/process as Mark Miller's (http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=9401&page=4&pp=15) bumper paint. Still looks awsome. Clean and flat.

[IndianaVX]

wondering, after painting, are you just using wax to maintain? or just using the natural finish of the paint. flat paint wouldnt take wax, im thinking......hmmm is there FLAT clearcoat available..???? i dont want shiney either, got a small crack on my insert to fix at somepoint, so im watching this......

[Ldub]

Oooh...What is adhesion spray? What's the difference between that and primer? Which is best to use on plastic?

Bulldog adhesion promoter is used in place of regular primer on surfaces like plastic & fiberglass (think cladding & insert) to make the paint stick & stay.

It's available in the automotive section of your local Wal-Mart.

[VehiGAZ]

Thank you for the info Ldub!

Is the insert removable and replaceable? I don't want to spray it while it's on the hood.

And yes, they make different finishes of clear-coat.. glossy, matte, etc.

[Ldub]

Is the insert removable and replaceable? I don't want to spray it while it's on the hood.

Yes, carefully remove the insulation blanket from the underside of the hood. It's held on by barbed "christmas tree" fasteners...a removal tool helps (harbor frieght), but any prying type thing with a rag or something to protect the paint will work.

You'll be able to see the nuts that hold the insert from underneath...I believe there are twelve. Be careful not to over tighten when re-installing...I replaced the stock nuts with stainless washers & nylock nuts so I only have to make em' snug & not think about them getting loose.