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Since my truck had to go to the body shop for some cosmetic surgery, I figured it would be a great time to Black Chrome my Rams head badges. 
Here is the stuff used in the process -
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Here are the badges as they came off the truck. The tailgate badge is sitting face down on some foam so I could clean the remaining tape off it. Using a combination of a paint scraper and 3M Adhesive Remover, I was able to clean it up in about 15 minutes. Wasn't sure at first, but can attest that the adhesive remover is completely safe for use on these plastic badges :smileup:
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After cleaning the back of the tailgate badge, I spent about 30 minutes cleaning the face of both badges. As with all painting, prep work is the most important thing. I used Duplicolor Grease & Wax Remover, and meticulously cleaned every little crack using a micro fiber cloth and Q-tips. After a good cleaning, I blew them dry with an air hose, and polished them with a micro fiber cloth. Here they are ready for paint -
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I applied 2 coats of Duplicolor Shadow Base Coat, spraying from 4 angles to ensure uniform coverage. I waited 20 minutes between coats. Here they are after the second coat, waiting for the Clear Coat -
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I let them set for 2 hours (don't need to wait that long, but the lunch bell rang, and I took an extended lunch), then applied the first 2 light clear coats 20 minutes apart. Waited 30 minutes, applied 2 heavier coats 20 minutes apart. After 2 hours of drying, I set them out in the sun to bake for a few hours -
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Interestingly enough, they look like different colors in the pic....might have been the light angle, as they look identical in color/shade in the non-photographic world. :4-dontknow:
All I need now, is a truck to attach them to.
Here is the stuff used in the process -
Here are the badges as they came off the truck. The tailgate badge is sitting face down on some foam so I could clean the remaining tape off it. Using a combination of a paint scraper and 3M Adhesive Remover, I was able to clean it up in about 15 minutes. Wasn't sure at first, but can attest that the adhesive remover is completely safe for use on these plastic badges :smileup:
After cleaning the back of the tailgate badge, I spent about 30 minutes cleaning the face of both badges. As with all painting, prep work is the most important thing. I used Duplicolor Grease & Wax Remover, and meticulously cleaned every little crack using a micro fiber cloth and Q-tips. After a good cleaning, I blew them dry with an air hose, and polished them with a micro fiber cloth. Here they are ready for paint -
I applied 2 coats of Duplicolor Shadow Base Coat, spraying from 4 angles to ensure uniform coverage. I waited 20 minutes between coats. Here they are after the second coat, waiting for the Clear Coat -
I let them set for 2 hours (don't need to wait that long, but the lunch bell rang, and I took an extended lunch), then applied the first 2 light clear coats 20 minutes apart. Waited 30 minutes, applied 2 heavier coats 20 minutes apart. After 2 hours of drying, I set them out in the sun to bake for a few hours -
Interestingly enough, they look like different colors in the pic....might have been the light angle, as they look identical in color/shade in the non-photographic world. :4-dontknow:
All I need now, is a truck to attach them to.
