The plasti-dipped E21 1980 BMW 320i

Dusterbd13 wrote: so are you just using the black plasti-dipo from a rattle can on the rubbers and stuff? im trying tp figure out how to revitalize the rubbers and trim on my neon. was planning on using back to black and a lot of elbow grease, but if this is working well, ill do this. what is the prep for using it on the trim? michael

Yes from the rattle can.

Prep is just clean it very well.

I tried to get them to look good by scrubbing with purple power cleaner when that didn't help I srubbed them with VP&M Naptha and that didn't make a big difference.

I would recommend at least three coats. A light first tack coat. Then a slightly thicker second coat and the third coat would be very heavy just on the verge of running.

I'm not sure how long Back to Black lasts but the plasti-dip would ceratinly be easier. Shouldn't even have to mask anything. Just lay it on heavy at the edge and peel it back off the painted parts and it should seperate right at the line.

Any update on how this is holding up? I'm particularly interested to hear if you've been able to clean it several times without damaging the plasti-dip.

In reply to JohnyHachi6:

Me too me too!

I really want some fresh paint on my track toy. I've painted a complete car myself in the garage before, but the prep and clean up is a big turn off. Seems like Plastidip greatly reduces the need for both, and I'm find with a 10 footer.

Sorry I haven't checked the build forum in a while.

Still holding up great. I've washed every week except for this last week. I've noticed a very tiny pit in the dirvers side quarter panel. I was going to attempt the repair on it but I've decided to let it go for now and see if it progresses.

I wash it with an Absorber drying cloth and regular car wash soap. It sat at work which is a gravel lot for three days while I was out of town and had a lot of dust settled on the roof when I got back. The roof was the worst area for texture. The cloth wasn't getting it off so I resorted to a scrub brush, I scrubbed it really aggresively and it didn't seem to hurt it at all.

Still looks as good as the day I finished it. With the exception of some rust that I must not have taken care of below the passenger rear window. The rain collects at that point and a rusty streak stain has ran down the quarter panel. I haven't been able to get it off but to be honest the only thing I tried was scrubbing it with the brush.

Still very pleased with it. I really haven't found any negatives with living with it day to day.

I would recommend it to anyone considering it.

Nice - sounds like a winner. Thanks for all the updates.

Update time!

Well it's been on over a year now. The last six months the car has basically been sitting, outside in the weather completely unprotected. We have had a very, very wet spring and summer here in east TN. And the neglect has taken it's toll on the plasti dip. After not washing it for a while it has stained. It has thinned and peeled off in several spots. It's to the point I wonder how difficult it's going to be to remove.

Some pics; You can see where I attempted to touch up a peel here. You can see how much the color has been stained by our red dirt here in east TN. The car sits on a gravel/dirt drive at work and at home.

Still not too bad from a couple feet away at 50mph.

It's definitely past it's useful life at a little over a year. Almost all of my play money is going to paying for the bike so it's going to have to be very inexpensive paint but I'm going to use actual paint when I get to it. Currently the leading contender is Rustoleum sprayed on. Unless I can find actual automotive paint for the same price.

How does the finish feel? Is it rubbery/tacky/sticky or does it feel smooth?

In reply to LanEvo:

It's not sticky or tacky, I guess the best way to describe it is being similar to an egg shell if that makes sense.

In other news the car was sold yesterday, yet another project I never saw to completion