Bad fit front type R lip replica

[silverc1v1c]

how much does it usually cost to get a lip painted in a shop?

 

[loccusst]

You need to primer the lip first. If you sand it and clean it then primer it you could actually get it done cheaper at a body shop cause you just did all the prep work.

 

[jeffk182]

I bought a CTR grill replica from islandmotorsports for mu 98 civic and I had to cut a few parts off the grill and use silicone in order for it to fit properly. Hopefully the lip won't be as bad...

 

[96greencivic]

Also... I bought some paint matched spray paint at Kragen. The guy had no idea what primer would be need for ABS plastic (he'd never heard of it), as primer is mostly for metal. He said to paint directly on the plastic.

Should I use a primer first? If so, what kind?

Go to Strauss auto and by some adhesion promotor. You spray it on just like primer. It's kinda like a clear primer. Good luck. Def try to paint small things. You'll get better at it.

 

[lj17]

don't get that pissed that it didn't fit perfect, because NOTHING fits like oem. you usually have to do at least a little modification to get things to fit. as for making it fit, you could try heating it. my local bodyshop has done a few bodykits, both urethane and fiberglass. for the plastic stuff, sometimes you can achieve the bend/shape you want by heating it slightly with a heat gun, and then bending it to the desired form and holding it until it cools off. don't heat it too much though, just enough to where it is pliable, because it is plastic, so it can melt. and of course, if you do this, do it before any paint/prep work.

 

[96greencivic]

don't get that pissed that it didn't fit perfect, because NOTHING fits like oem. you usually have to do at least a little modification to get things to fit. as for making it fit, you could try heating it. my local bodyshop has done a few bodykits, both urethane and fiberglass. for the plastic stuff, sometimes you can achieve the bend/shape you want by heating it slightly with a heat gun, and then bending it to the desired form and holding it until it cools off. don't heat it too much though, just enough to where it is pliable, because it is plastic, so it can melt. and of course, if you do this, do it before any paint/prep work.

Question, If the lip is just a bit off and easily bent, do i still need to do your heat gun trick? Or can the primer or paint take the little bit of flex?

 

[lj17]

honestly, i haven't really seen the fitment of any lips. i was talking about plastic parts in general. i know some people used heat to "warp" bumpers so they fit better, because they seldom match up with the car perfectly. as far as the flexing goes, i'm sure the paint can take some flexing, but just how much is hard to say. on oem bumpers, they can flex around quite a bit, like when taking them on and off, and i have never seen the paint crack or chip. however, on a wings west avenger front bumper, i have seen one hit a curb and the paint cracked at several places (at different "edges" on the bumper). but the wings west was a lot thicker plastic too. for a lip, it might not flex around that much, since it is a small "strip" of plastic, not a large piece like a bumper, if that makes sense. if it does bend around significantly though, the paint might be tempted to crack/chip. bottom line: i would try to get the lip to fit as good as you can first, either by heating it, or re-enforcing it or whatever, then paint it. that way you have less to worry about. if you fit it as good as possible, then there really isn't much else you can do, besides dodging curbs