hey guys i have this rear bumper from a 1984 trans am.

its covered in spider cracks.

i was originally just going to sand it down to scuff it up, make sure its smooth and clean and just paint over it.


but i fear the spider cracks will re-surface from where they are now.

do i strip it completely? and how so without warping or damaging the plastic itself.

because normal paint stripper will normally eat/damage the plastic i think.

also if i just scruff it up and clean it what can i use to strip off just the decals that go all along the bottom? just use a sander til they are gone?

 

i sanded my down to the plastic and when i repainted it i used a flex agent in the paint it worked great until someone backed into it with a truck. l o l now i have to do it again!!!! mine didnt warp at all when i sanded it

 

ok thanks, wat grit did your use just before primer? 600?

 

220 before primer and 600 after. many people do in difrent i would rather the primer stick to the part good and then smooth out the primer. i go no more then 600 other wise the paint may not stick . at least not as long as it should. if you dont mind sanding you could go 180 before primer..either way you can sand out the primer easier then the plastic , and you want it to stick. you just gotta be carefull not to cut into the plastic

 

cause you dont want to distort the original shape block sandin would be best , but plastic is a pain to work with either way good luck

 

ok thank you for your input. i was hoping to use the old paint since it has a good bite on the plastic for the past 20yrs but o well.

thank u

 

you can probebly leave the old paint as long as you sand down the webbed parts...if the pain is peeling or any of that take that layer off only and you should be alright