My Version of Painted Cladding and Stuff.

[ZEUS]

Instead of mucking up Mark Miller's awesome painted cladding thread I decided to start my own thread. I followed his steps and fed off his ideas; however, I just wanted a more textured look to my cladding.

I am thinking I need one more coat on the bumper - or I will see if I can even out the texture in some other way. I mostly got the texture and color I was after but I would like to make it more consistent before I move on to the rest of the cladding. So far though, I am pleased with how it's going! Let me know what you guys think.

Here it is at sundown with two coats on the bumper for comparison:





Don't make fun of the rock chips on the hood - I am taking care of it!

[IndianaVX]

Zeus,
Looking good! this painted cladding thing is looking like a very good solution to the fade issue.
good work buddy
like the wheels too
cant wait to see the whole thing completed

david

[ZEUS]

Me too, man, me too! Thanks for the compliments! I just hope to get it done by Friday, before my road trip.

[CrnCnn]

I like it, I have been on the fence about paint or more of a liner look. I will be interested to see the finished product.

[nfpgasmask]

Don't be ashamed of your chips. EVERY time I wash my VX, I find 3 or 4 new rock chips. I have been touching them up, but man, driving in Reno is like chronically driving in an asteroid belt.

Bart

[Ascinder]

but man, driving in Reno is like chronically driving in an asteroid belt.

I'll second that...BTW looks great so far ZEUS, how are you liking the darker black look?

[ZEUS]

I think the cladding looks much better dark! This coating gives it a kind of metal flake look that you can't see in the pics but that might diminish some. In some places, it is a bit like sand paper because I held the can too far from the surface - those are the areas I hope to improve tonight.


As far as rock chips go, my cladding has suffered from some of that too - but it is looking much better now. In SLC, they lay down road salt or sand during snow storms so that is where most of my pitting comes from. I hope the coating holds up better than the bare plastic.

[JHarris1385]

Looks great. Awaiting the finished product. Looks like something I need to plan to do to my IronMan. Keep up the good work.

[Ldub]

I think the cladding looks much better dark! This coating gives it a kind of metal flake look that you can't see in the pics but that might diminish some. In some places, it is a bit like sand paper because I held the can too far from the surface - those are the areas I hope to improve tonight.

Lookin' goo dude...I know what you mean about the "sandpaper" effect...I used the same stuff to spray a "bra" on my hood & fenders & it's plenty rough, but I like it like that.
I found a brush with semi soft bristles for washing it, as it would destroy a sponge or anything else...unless I could find a kryptonite sponge, but those are WAY rare.
The guy in the next bay over at work looked at it today (from a few yards away) & couldn't believe it was sprayed on until he got closer.

[ZEUS]

Well, I got the rest of the prep work done today. I took off my sliders, lower door seal, rear side markers, fuel door, and rear bumper. I masked off the door jamb and everything else and put plastic bags around my exposed light bulbs. I then scuffed up the whole thing with a Brillo pad thingamabob and rubbed it down with the Prep-All. So what does a VX look like without bumpers? I am glad you asked!

VX stripped to a thong:





This last one is going to be used as "The Before Shot":

[tbigity]

looking great zeus, the perfect blend of rough and paint.

[Dino]

Lookin good! I'm thinking of painting mine with black PPG automotive paint (DCC formula) with flexing addative and a flattening agent added.

[CrnCnn]

so are there any completed pics? Did i miss them or are they on another thread?

[ZEUS]

Sorry to leave ya hangin'! I have just been busy. I want to take some good pics at sundown but I was in Moab and then back to working overtime when I returned home. In Moab though, I got nothing but compliments on how the cladding looks! The day I really got to paint, God turned against me and made the cottonwood trees shed while making the wind blow. There is some spray streaking and inconsistency; but it isn't bad or all that noticable. If I had more time, I would have sprayed a third coat; that should even it out nicely, I think. I'll post "after pics" when I wash it!

[ZEUS]

Well, I didn't get to wash it but here are some pics anyway. Now it really looks streaked in these photos - but I swear it does not look that bad, plus it's dirty although it looks clean in the pics.

Before:


After: