Painting Door Handles

[KARMANN 0]

Hi iv colour coded my side strips,now for the handles. When doing side strips i just rubbed down and cleaned then sprayed they came up really well.then i laquired then.

 

Im just looking for tips for doing the handles-like;

 

1. remove them from the car?

2. paint the bit that is shown when the handle is pulled?

3. best way to protect the actual lock where the key goes without the finish being naff?

4. how long should i expect the full job to take?

 

any other info would be grately appreciated

 

il def use undercoat for the handles though.

 

 

Cheers Fraser

[dazzyvr6 0]

you should use plastic primer,and it would need to be free of all waxes,or black to black otherwise the paint will react/seperate because of the silcone in some car cleaning products,think the hardest part is removing the handles from the door

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yep handles need to come off the car. I sprayed under the handles too so it's not black when you open them. Just prop the handle open with a screw whilst you paint them.

 

Sand the handles down to remove moulding marks, rub down with solvent and then apply two coats of Halfords plastic primer, grey, yellow or white, depending on base colour of your car. Don't let it dry for a day as directed, just give it an hour or so as you want the primer to remain absorbent to give a better bond to the base coat.

 

Apply two coats of base colour. Allow to dry, then rub down gently with some kitchen towel to remove airborne spray particles and dust. Apply three coars of laquer. Halfords stuff is excellent. Goes on well and has a high sheen.

 

You will want to remove the lock barrel first and the rubber seal, otherwise you'll get paint on them.

 

K

[dubbprince 0]

how good is the finish of halfords paints?? isn't it much better to give the handles to a bodyshop..but they'd be about £50 for them to do it.

 

Which if you add up cost of paints from halfords...£20 or so...then time and then finish. might as well pay the extra £30 and get a few more things done, like washer jets...grill maybe?

Just my 2p..sorry. :roll:

[dazzyvr6 0]

if you take your time and prep it good then it will be just as good a job as any bodyshop would do,plus you get the satisfaction of doing something yourself :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I don't think a body shop would make up a few ounces of base coat? They mix it by the litre I'm afraid.

 

By all means do that if you want the side mouldings and number plate surround done aswell.

 

Halfords primers are excellent. They go on nicely, dry quickly and flatten off beuatifully with some 1200 grit W & D.

 

The base coat I source from my local body shop which is superb quality and Halfords clear laquer is again, top notch.

 

Sure you won't get professional air-gun results but the results are still good and as Dazzy quite rightly said, preperation is 9 tenths of the result.

 

K

[dubbprince 0]

excellent...will give it a try then once my new grill arrives.

Thanks. 8)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah do so, you can get some good results. Painted my number plate surround at the weekend and I'm surprised VW didn't do that at the factory!

 

The only black plastic I've got on the car now is the grill, chin spoiler and roof trims!

 

K

[dan 0]

Do you need to remove the interior door cards to get the handles off?

 

As Fraser said... what's the best way to mask off the little round key bit?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yes you do in order to disconnect the central locking wiring loom.

 

If you remove the lock barrels, there is no need to mask the handles at all. It's a good idea to remove the barrels anyway so that you can put loads of grease in the barrel hole to help prevent them freezing up in the winter.....and to lube them!