Restoring bumpers to black

Re: Bumper discoloration - solution

I had a dilemma painting the wagon: New paint + old trim/bumpers = bummer. This was the result of what a body guy told me to do.

Materials:

Scotch Bright 7448 ultra find hand pad

1000 grit sand paper

OR..0000 steel wool

Bull dog adhesion promoter: qtp0312 bond-fled tiecoat 3 in 1 (local car paint supply will know as bulldog)

A can of SEM trim black 39143

If there isn't a lot of oxidation, wet sand with 1000 or with 0000 steel wool. Sanding wet, the sandpaper won't clog. If lots of oxidation, the Scotchbrite can work well to get rid of a thicker oxidation layer, but you'll need to follow up with the finer grit or the steel wool or you'll have a nice black bumper with fine scratch streaks. When the oxidation is off and bumper is clean, bulldog adhesion promoter was sprayed on. It allows paint to stick much better. Then SEM trim black 39143 was painted on (spraycan). Just a light coat dusted on or two coats gets it very black. Any more and you start filling in the texture. If you paint without sanding/prepping in combination with the bulldog, your paint may peel or flake off then you'll have to work 4x longer....or blow $250 on a new skin from the dealer.

This is the same bumper above next to a brand new from the dealer rear bumper. Blacks are the same.

There are more photos of the restored look in this overhaulin' album