- Oct 01, 2008 12:25:22 am
This is a do it yourself thread on how to shave your tc's rear garnish. The Tc garnish used for the making of this thread is the one an only Orin. lol.
Warning!!! I take no blame for any mess ups or injuries caused to you or your part while attempting this DIY.
~Parts list~
Heat Gun or Hair Dryer
Fishing Line
Super Glue(any kind)
Tape(any kind)
Phillips Head Screw Driver
Needle Nose Pillars
Bondo & Hardner(any kind)
Bondo Spreader
Wax Paper or Paper Pad made for Bondo use
Spray Paint or Spray Gun Paint(your color choice)
Primer(any kind)
Clear Coat(any kind)
Flat Sanding Block
Sand Paper Grits(180,320,800,1000,3000)
Buffer
Buffing Compound(use lightest scratch kind)
Bucket & Water
This is the rear garnish removed from the car. Also the trunk handle button removed with the use of the phillips head screw driver and needle nose pillars. You can take off the 4 stud post if you would like to but it is not needed. It does make painting easier later.
I used a hair dryer to heat up the emblem which has some adhesive on the back. While the area is warm. Use the fishing line in a sawing motion to slice through the adhesive. Becareful of the 2 posts on the back of the emblem so not to break them.
Just a close up view of the area where the emblem use to be.
I used 180grit sand paper to sand down some of the outer oval edge to make it flatter or angled. You do not want the outer oval edge to be completely flat or else the bondo wont have anything to hold on to. Also sand the middle of the oval with 180grit paper a little so the surface is rough for the bondo to stick to.
Flip over the garnish and cover over the 2 holes to prevent the bondo from going through.
Pour some of the bondo onto the wax paper or special pad for bondo. Then need the hardner in the tube for 1min. Depending on the amount of bondo poured, depends on the amount of hardner needed. I like to make a smiley face with the hardner ontop of the bondo. That amount usually does the trick. Apply the mixed up bondo within the oval and let dry for 10mins.
Apply another layer of bondo ontop so that it fills the oval area up and goes pass the oval edge line some.
Use the flat sanding block with 180grit paper. Make sure to keep the sanding block flat and do a full back and forth sweeping motion. Do this until the edges of the bondo are basically even with the garnish.
Apply another layer of bondo and this time start further out from the edge of the last bondo put down.
Continue to use the flat sanding block with 180grit paper.
Now start using 320grit paper with the flat sanding block. This will get the bondo much smoother and to feather out the edges of the bondo so its more even with the garnish.
I put some more bondo over it cause there were still some low areas, but if you think the bondo is smooth to the touch. Like if you cant feel the edge of the line between the bondo and the garnish. You are done sanding. If not, keep sanding with the 320grit paper and flat sanding block.
Just about there.
If you think your just about got it to the point of super smooth. Apply a very very thin layer of bondo and be sure to over lap the other layer.
Turn the garnish back over to remove the tape you put on earlier. Now where the holes are. Put some super glue in them and a little bit around the hole. This will keep the bondo from going through the holes while you are driving down the street. Keep the garnish turned over for like 2hrs or until its completely dry.
Now its time to spray on the primer. Remember to spray on light even coats so the primer can dry faster. It also makes your job easier to wet sand later cause you dont have runs in the primer.
Here is the garnish with 3 coats of primer on it and right before the wet sanding.
Get a bucket and fill it up some with water cause now its time to do some wet sanding. You dont need to use the flat sanding block any more. Use the 800grit sand paper for the wet sanding. You want to make sure you keep the garnish wet to minimize scratches. Its okay if you sand some of the primer off. Wet sand until the primer is one light color shade and has no bumps on it.
After you are done wet sanding the primer. Dry it off and let dry before you start to paint the garnish. Now again, spray your color of choice on the garnish lightly to prevent runs and to allow the paint to dry quicker. If you do get pieces of trash in the paint. Let it dry and wet sand it with 1000grit paper until the trash is gone. Dry off the garnish and continue to paint. Do not wet sand your finally coat of paint cause it will look very dull when you clear coat it. Lighter colors take more coats than darker colors, so it took me about 5 coats of white to cover the garnish. Let the paint dry for at least 1hr before clear coating.
Once the paint has dried. It is time to move on to spraying clear coat on the garnish. Remember to spray light coats so you dont get runs in the clear coat. I like to do 5 to 6 coats of clear. It gives you a nice finish and enough clear coat to buff on. Let the clear coat dry for 24hrs before you buff on it.
Once the clear coat is dry. Get your bucket with water in it and use the 3000grit paper. Wet sand the garnish until the clear coat is evenly dull looking and remember to keep the garnish wet while sanding. Now get your buffer and very light buffing compound. If your buffer has a speed setting. Set the speed to 1200rpm. I laid the buffer on its back and locked the trigger down so it would stay on. Spread some of the buffing compound on the garnish. Now slowly move the piece back and fourth. Make sure to hold the garnish firmly when doing this. I buffed the garnish several times or until the piece looks good to you. Wipe the garnish off with a clean mirco fiber towel and your finish. Here is the finished garnish on Orin's car after buffing.
Warning!!! I take no blame for any mess ups or injuries caused to you or your part while attempting this DIY.
~Parts list~
Heat Gun or Hair Dryer
Fishing Line
Super Glue(any kind)
Tape(any kind)
Phillips Head Screw Driver
Needle Nose Pillars
Bondo & Hardner(any kind)
Bondo Spreader
Wax Paper or Paper Pad made for Bondo use
Spray Paint or Spray Gun Paint(your color choice)
Primer(any kind)
Clear Coat(any kind)
Flat Sanding Block
Sand Paper Grits(180,320,800,1000,3000)
Buffer
Buffing Compound(use lightest scratch kind)
Bucket & Water
This is the rear garnish removed from the car. Also the trunk handle button removed with the use of the phillips head screw driver and needle nose pillars. You can take off the 4 stud post if you would like to but it is not needed. It does make painting easier later.
I used a hair dryer to heat up the emblem which has some adhesive on the back. While the area is warm. Use the fishing line in a sawing motion to slice through the adhesive. Becareful of the 2 posts on the back of the emblem so not to break them.
Just a close up view of the area where the emblem use to be.
I used 180grit sand paper to sand down some of the outer oval edge to make it flatter or angled. You do not want the outer oval edge to be completely flat or else the bondo wont have anything to hold on to. Also sand the middle of the oval with 180grit paper a little so the surface is rough for the bondo to stick to.
Flip over the garnish and cover over the 2 holes to prevent the bondo from going through.
Pour some of the bondo onto the wax paper or special pad for bondo. Then need the hardner in the tube for 1min. Depending on the amount of bondo poured, depends on the amount of hardner needed. I like to make a smiley face with the hardner ontop of the bondo. That amount usually does the trick. Apply the mixed up bondo within the oval and let dry for 10mins.
Apply another layer of bondo ontop so that it fills the oval area up and goes pass the oval edge line some.
Use the flat sanding block with 180grit paper. Make sure to keep the sanding block flat and do a full back and forth sweeping motion. Do this until the edges of the bondo are basically even with the garnish.
Apply another layer of bondo and this time start further out from the edge of the last bondo put down.
Continue to use the flat sanding block with 180grit paper.
Now start using 320grit paper with the flat sanding block. This will get the bondo much smoother and to feather out the edges of the bondo so its more even with the garnish.
I put some more bondo over it cause there were still some low areas, but if you think the bondo is smooth to the touch. Like if you cant feel the edge of the line between the bondo and the garnish. You are done sanding. If not, keep sanding with the 320grit paper and flat sanding block.
Just about there.
If you think your just about got it to the point of super smooth. Apply a very very thin layer of bondo and be sure to over lap the other layer.
Turn the garnish back over to remove the tape you put on earlier. Now where the holes are. Put some super glue in them and a little bit around the hole. This will keep the bondo from going through the holes while you are driving down the street. Keep the garnish turned over for like 2hrs or until its completely dry.
Now its time to spray on the primer. Remember to spray on light even coats so the primer can dry faster. It also makes your job easier to wet sand later cause you dont have runs in the primer.
Here is the garnish with 3 coats of primer on it and right before the wet sanding.
Get a bucket and fill it up some with water cause now its time to do some wet sanding. You dont need to use the flat sanding block any more. Use the 800grit sand paper for the wet sanding. You want to make sure you keep the garnish wet to minimize scratches. Its okay if you sand some of the primer off. Wet sand until the primer is one light color shade and has no bumps on it.
After you are done wet sanding the primer. Dry it off and let dry before you start to paint the garnish. Now again, spray your color of choice on the garnish lightly to prevent runs and to allow the paint to dry quicker. If you do get pieces of trash in the paint. Let it dry and wet sand it with 1000grit paper until the trash is gone. Dry off the garnish and continue to paint. Do not wet sand your finally coat of paint cause it will look very dull when you clear coat it. Lighter colors take more coats than darker colors, so it took me about 5 coats of white to cover the garnish. Let the paint dry for at least 1hr before clear coating.
Once the paint has dried. It is time to move on to spraying clear coat on the garnish. Remember to spray light coats so you dont get runs in the clear coat. I like to do 5 to 6 coats of clear. It gives you a nice finish and enough clear coat to buff on. Let the clear coat dry for 24hrs before you buff on it.
Once the clear coat is dry. Get your bucket with water in it and use the 3000grit paper. Wet sand the garnish until the clear coat is evenly dull looking and remember to keep the garnish wet while sanding. Now get your buffer and very light buffing compound. If your buffer has a speed setting. Set the speed to 1200rpm. I laid the buffer on its back and locked the trigger down so it would stay on. Spread some of the buffing compound on the garnish. Now slowly move the piece back and fourth. Make sure to hold the garnish firmly when doing this. I buffed the garnish several times or until the piece looks good to you. Wipe the garnish off with a clean mirco fiber towel and your finish. Here is the finished garnish on Orin's car after buffing.
and i just ordered those motor mounts from dezod.com .. i cant stop spending money lmao.. 
