Strider93

My 91 300E is Artic White, with the grey plastic side panels. In the future, I plan on adding an AMG front spoiler, which I also understand is plastic. Right now I'm debating how or if I want to paint.

While I appreciate the work that some of you guys have done to your cars, dechroming, debadging, monocolor, etc, that really isn't for me.

I want to leave the stock chrome on the car, the stock badges, etc. What color does the unpainted AMG come in?

I don't mind the grey sidepanels and 2-tone scheme of my car, I think that with the white it looks good. Also, those plastic panels can absorb a lot of punishment and not get scratched, dented, or chiped. They also don't get as dirty as the white paint would from the tire spray and brake dust. It might sound strange, but I think that I want to paint the AMG kit that grey color to match it, rather than painting the side panels and having all white. Sounds strange?

On the other hand, how hard for a card carying DIYer like me to remove all the bumpers, side panels, prep and paint and reinstall chrome and new AMG kit? I have an excellent garage, with air tools and spray gun and most all the other tools I'd need.

What I'm concerned with is this: Prepping the plastic to accept the factory paint....having a mix that matches the factory paint (white can be hard to match).... and not having the paint chip off and show grey plastic underneith.

Further thoughts: ZORRO--I like your car with just the AMG front spoiler. I also don't really like the side skirts, finding them too 'linear' Stock has some nice curves on the sides and rear. Adding the rear apron without the side skirts would look kind of silly too I think. Plus, its important for me to be able to access the factory jack points.

Also, I'm not a fan of the AMG 'ducktail'. I much prefer the looks of the Lorinsor type rear wing with integrated L.E.D. center brakelight. Small wing, not ricey at all. Actually, I have already installed one, at my wife's request. (Its really her car....she saw one and loved it, wanted to make the car look a bit different...love that woman). It looks really nice on the car, but the only problem with it is the guy I bought it from really didn't match the white paint very well. During a stereo upgrade project I removed the center brake light in the rear window, and have tricked the bulb out warning by adding a series of resistors to the brake light bulb circuit, tucked neatly away in the trunk and designed to dissipate all the heat. The LED brake light hardly draws any current at all. When I do the rest of the body work, I plan on repainting this wing.

I plan on doing this project next summer. When I'm done its going to be a real mixed bag: 16 x 7.5 inch wheels (already on car) with either sport-line suspension or Eibach Pro / Bilstein HD and 500E swaybars (want a conservative improvement, without lowering much and maintianing ride comfort), the Lorinsor rear wing, AMG front spoiler, and probably the factory 2-tone color scheme. Not conventional, but I think it will turn out nicely, halfway between stock and a lowered performance look.


Thanks for any and all input.

ksing44

I can’t give you any technical advice, but I can certainly chime in on the cosmetic issues. I have seen some very odd two-tone color schemes, but I think the white and gray two-tone looks great. In fact, I think I like the white two-tone better than an all white car. The black and gray is also very nice. In addition to looking good, like you said, it has to be easier to keep the gray looking clean on the lower portion of the car.

Color-matching only the new spoiler should not be too difficult and since the piece is somewhat isolated from the other painted surfaces, it might be OK if it didn’t match exactly.

It sounds like you are on a good path. I think modest changes are very appropriate for a car that is already so wonderful.

My car is monotone, but that is how it came from the factory.

ZorroAMG

I agree with Ksing44, white looks good in the two tone, any other color and it should be monotone IMO. I am 99% sure that the unpainted AMG bumper will not match the plastic lower cladding of your car and will need to be color matched to it. A word of caution, the hot looking AMG front looks odd in a two tone as it usually makes the W124 look more modern and aggressive. Two tone would be taking a step back and the bumper would be really "in-your-face" in a bad way...my opinion of course...

and another two tone


versus monotone


and mine in monotone

Strider93

Thanks, I appreciate the input and the pictures to prove your point. I still kind of like the 2-tone though, and I'm not sure it will be as obvious with the white/grey.

With your monotone, have you had any scratches? How does that paint hold up?

Thanks again

CDP

ZorroAMG, wow...I still can't believe how beautiful your 300E is.

13benz

Hi, i also think white & grey look good. i have painted a few bumpers so here's my 2 cents worth. hit the part you want to paint with 320 grit, then make sure everything is super clean, wipe everything off with a paint prep and a tack rag after everything is good and dry. when you go get your paint, whatever brand you use, there will also be a seperate additive available called flex agent, that lets the paint be a little elastic. if it is not super clean to start with and no flex additive is mixed in, it almost always lifts off and starts cracking off of flexible plastics. tell your paint jobber at your local parts house what you are wanting to do when you go to get your paint. he should be able to tell you how much additive to mix in, have good advice, and should also be able to match your color, see if he recomends an adhesion promoter too, different brands and systems of auto paint use different formulas so pick one and stick with it. wet sand between coats to make things nice and flat, and get a mask if you don't have one, you don't want to breathe this stuff, hope this helps.

CDP

ZorroAMG, another thing I noticed about your car. haha I have a good eye. How did you get the orange illuminating guage cluster to blue?

ZorroAMG

And the surprise answer is......

Pull out the guage cluster and change the old dingy bulb to blue ones...they don't stay blue very long though....my cluster lighting is now green lol woops.

CDP

haha was it hard to take off the cluster? haha I'm scared to attempt it when I am even having trouble trying to take off the grill on my car so I can paint it.

Benzari

On the white 124's I would stay with light grey panels.

Strider93

[QUOTE=Benzari]On the white 124's I would stay with light grey panels.

QUOTE]

Uggh, You're absolutely right. I'm not digging that monotone white at all. Thanks!

13benz: I really appreciate the advice. I attempted to paint some plastic pieces on an old motorcyle once, and after all the prep I did it still didn't adheare to the plastic very well. It didn't chip off, it peeled. Another guy I knew told me that I sanded the plastic too fine and smooth, and so the paint didn't have any 'teeth'. He also had a very specific recommendation for a special brand name and type of primer specifically for using on plastic.

Well, when I get around to this project next summer I'll start doing some serious research. And yeah, a serious gas mask with charcoal filters and eye protection are on my must have protective equipment list for this job.

Thanks again guys, keep the comments coming if you have one.

13benz

i had the same problem on the first two that i painted, spiderweb and peeling off. adhesion promoter and/or flex additive is needed on some panels. depends on what kind of plastic it is and what kind of paint is being used. if the part is un-primed from the factory, you will need to clean it extra good to get rid of the mold agents that were left over from the production of the part. be carefull that the solvents don't attack the plastic, had that happen on the urethane nose of my z-28 this link may help on your project. good luck with your benz.
http://www.abrn.com/abrn/article/art...l.jsp?id=36273