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-   -   R50/53 Here's what $3.87 and a trip to Wal-Mart can do for your min (https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/r50-r53-hatch-talk-2002-2006/12876-heres-what-3-87-and-a-trip-to-wal-mart-can-do-for-your-min.html)

hafid Jul 20, 2003 03:48 PM

Decided to have a little fun with a can of duplicolor wheel paint from wal-mart to spray all my black grills to silver. the bottom grill was done before I bought the car but here are the before and after pix:

Thanks to minicoop78 for helping me with the installing (and really doing most of the work) for getting the front grill piece on. Next time we'll tackle the hard middle piece!)

Before:

:smile:

_________________
http://www.seriousjazz.com/images/aw/minisig.jpg

X2Board Jul 20, 2003 03:51 PM

That goes really well with the EB paint. Nice job.

X2

Red Jul 20, 2003 04:40 PM

Looks great! Nice going.

Regards,
Red

Calvin77 Jul 20, 2003 05:02 PM

Wow, that actually looks pretty sweet!
At first while I was reading your post I thought it was gonna look really cheesy but I must say that I was mistaken..
Good job!

Deli Jul 20, 2003 05:07 PM

Looks good...but I've never stepped foot in a WalMart and I'm not about to start doing so now.

miniblues Jul 20, 2003 05:15 PM

Walmart is awesome...especially for low priced DVD's.....beats the heck out of Best Buy, etc on many DVD's.......

wjklos Jul 20, 2003 05:19 PM

>>Walmart is awesome...especially for low priced DVD's.....beats the heck out of
>>Best Buy, etc on many DVD's.......

unless they're censored....

miniblues Jul 20, 2003 05:28 PM

unless they're censored....

of course, they are all going to be eventually censored...lol

I wouldn't want my talents & property stolen either, but as long as everyone rationalizes the theft guess it's ok, laugh !

miniblues Jul 20, 2003 05:31 PM

just kidding...I haven't bought anything at Walmart that was censored, but I have never bought a CD there, just DVDs...nothing censored yet, but who knows....Walmart is located in Bensonville, Arkansas and the religious right is still pretty big there...lol !

6f7 Jul 20, 2003 05:33 PM


FYI, there are places that can chrome plastic parts. Just check your local yellow pages or ask around the Harley shops.


hafid Jul 20, 2003 08:00 PM

Okay, guys, enough thread hijacking!! :smile:

SkAlex Jul 20, 2003 08:43 PM

Yay!!! I posted last weak about painting my aero grille white, and was having doubts because I had never seen it before. It looks increadible! :grin: :grin: I have an EB/W also - I think I'm gonna bring the 2-tone one step further and paint my hood scoop white as well. Also, your white tail lights look great without the reflectors! My tail lights shall remain red for now...

hafid Jul 20, 2003 11:18 PM

>>Yay!!! I posted last weak about painting my aero grille white, and was having doubts because I had never seen it before. It looks increadible! :grin: :grin: I have an EB/W also - I think I'm gonna bring the 2-tone one step further and paint my hood scoop white as well. Also, your white tail lights look great without the reflectors! My tail lights shall remain red for now...


Very cool! Thanks for the comments! Yes, get rid of those reflectors, get the white tails, and debadge!

Also, on the front, notice my turn signals have no color. They still flash amber though. Get some bulbs like that. It's cleans the front look of the car IMO. I'm slowly removing all color. Side markers in the black trim are next!

minihune Jul 20, 2003 11:32 PM

Got a question- how hard was it to remove the upper air vent grills? and how hard was it to remove the rear bumper grilles? Did you have to remove the rear bumper to get at the grille?

Here is my concern with your silver paint job. I have painted my stock hubcaps on my van a similar silver from Walmart but I sanded down the plastic, grey primed it, painted on six coats of metallic silver and 4 coats of clear
for a high gloss finish that was durable for 20,000 miles before I sold the car. looked great.

I am wondering how durable your paint job will be in standing up to sunlight and many small flying debris what will hit the front grille area. Already I have a huge set of knicks in my black aero grille from a large flying rock kicked up by cars on the freeway in front of me.

I suppose if it gets really bad that you can repaint or touch up. Did you want to do a clear coat- doesn't appear to be that shiny.

Otherwise the silver matches your EB and chrome mirror caps. Now the hard part, getting the lower grille on the front bumper without scratching your silver paint job. Took professional installers over 4 hours to install mine with instructions I got from over the internet. Again repaint or touch up any flaws from the installation.
Good luck. :smile:

Calvin77 Jul 21, 2003 12:09 AM


>>I'm slowly removing all color. Side markers in the black trim are next!

You mean like this?:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co.../cji.sized.jpg


VerucaSalt Jul 21, 2003 06:22 AM

Very nice! :grin:

ejkd Jul 21, 2003 08:27 AM

>>Okay, guys, enough thread hijacking!! :smile:

No it's not "scary">

To be honest, that is my fear when I received a job offer in Bentonville,AR. First thing is because I am Asian ,no friends & relatives over there. But to my suprise
people are friendly to us and even help us "adjust" to a new enviroment & society.

I am just 'defending" those kind folks over there who "help" us.

hafid Jul 21, 2003 08:28 AM

Calvin:

That's an interesting setup! However, I think I want to do want Ryan (redmini03 or something like that) has done with clear lights on the bumpers. Hopefully we'll see his writeup soon on how to do that! :smile:


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