Those painted bumpers always had a flaking paint issue. The front one on my Rabbit Pickup (Caddy) looks as good as it did when I powder painted it over 10 years ago. I understand there is powder paintable fillers now too, if you needed to. In fact, if your bumper is not too screwed up, you can hammer out the dents and paint it. The steel bumpers cost much less to replace than the cheesy "fiberglass" (plastic fiber and resin) ones. I am leaning towards either black or body color steel bumpers. I would simply paint them with Wallymart bumper black as has been suggested by others in the past. I debate weather I should paint them at all, because those plastic bumpers are even less useful than the steel ones. One is the silver-gray and the simulated impact strip is black. I have a set of those later model plastic (cheesy) bumpers on my Westy. I have been putting some thought into this as well and I belive that I am going to go with the black bummper look on my van. As mentiones above, it is much more modern looking.īlack and rusty!! but that's just me :roll: :lol: Take a look at the vans here to give you an idea of what I'm talking about. I too don't like shiny things (unless it's a Harley or a Hot Rod). I personally want to powder coat my bumpers a satin black and have the lower panels of the van sprayed in black Rhino Liner. 8) I've wanted to do that to my Jeep Cherokee for a while, but I've begun to grow fonder of the deep Manzanita scratches down the sides.Īs for the bumpers, I'd say keep them chrome for now. :shock:Īctually, that sounds pretty cool. I am thinking of painting my Van flat forest service green. Jgobel wrote: I don't like shiney things. Otherwise, I will be painting my chrome ones. So if there is anyone interested in trading pm me. However, I would like to replace them with black hole-less bumers. I have two perfectly good chrome bumpers on my 87 with the holes for the rubber strips. I have used PPG and Glasuritz (sp?) with success. The key is an epoxy primer, the epoxy will stick to any clean surface like. These scratches are what the primer will adhere to.Then prime with epoxy primer, sand the primer with 600 (wet sand with a flexible block for super finish), then shoot with your color coat system. Yellow gold metalic around the middle.Īctually paint will stick just fine to a chromed surface, I have painted a bunch of chrome, scuff sand the chrome with 400 grit completely, the object is to see tiny scratches everywhere on the chromed surface,and in all directions. When I paint my 'keeper' 85 Weekender, I am gong to paint the bumpers the bronze metalic of the body, and leave the bumper ends black, I may paint them too, with flex additative. the color suits it.īumpers that are painted body color looks modern, drive down the road and look at all the new cars, they are all body color or a body color variation bumpers. body color would look okay too, it looks good on loogy's ride. I like the idea of having a black rear bumper. My front bumper doesn't look any worse than the rest of the front sheetmetal as far as chips are concerned.
I happen to like body colored steel bumpers so I say paint them body color. The chrome looks nice, especially on a van in good shape like yours. Personally, id hold out for a chrome one, not paint the new one you found. Im always on the lookout for a decent one, or decent enough anyway, and I think yours would qualify. mine is so warped in the back I can't even consider getting the end caps on it. If you are going to paint, then powder coat. Looking for opinions and maybe some pics. Or what do you think about a satin black or maybe the same color as the wheels? Should I just wait and find a chrome one? The front bumper is in good shape but if I paint the rear the front one needs to get apinted as well. I was thinking about getting it and have it painted the same color as the body. I found a new bumper online primed with no holes for bumper trim. It is time to replace my banged up rear bumper. View original topic: To Paint or not to Paint Bumper? :: View topic - To Paint or not to Paint Bumper? Forumsįorum Index -> Vanagon -> To Paint or not to Paint Bumper?