Vinyl bumper overlays

2679 Views 20 Replies 10 Participants Last post by VSB V-Max, Sep 30, 2009

FastWS6TA

Discussion Starter · Sep 20, 2009

So I am thinking that I like the painted blank front and rear bumpers look. However, before I get into the whole painting thing I was wondering if anyone made some colored vinyl overlays/covers for the chrome part of the bumpers. I have a black truck so i was just wondering if it was out there. Has anyone seen any? Thanks.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

speedaholic

· #2 · Sep 20, 2009

Ive never seen any, but any sticker shop can cut one out. Shouldnt be too expensive :imo

VSB V-Max

· #3 · Sep 20, 2009

I'll be doing the same thing in a week or two along with an overlay for my grill bow tie. My paint skillz are FTL and I'll never be able to justify 200 plus to paint two peices of chrome that may look like ass if they get chipped. I'm going to remove the plastic bumper trim before having the vinyl applied to make sure it looks seamless. Any idea how to remove that plastic trim quick and dirty??

FastWS6TA

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 26, 2009

Does anyone know where to purchase vinyl precut for my bumpers online? I might as well be living in east bum fuck no where, as there is no one in the area that does vinyl. What do you think the cost will be? Thanks

VSB V-Max

· #5 · Sep 26, 2009

FastWS6TA said:
Does anyone know where to purchase vinyl precut for my bumpers online? I might as well be living in east bum fuck no where, as there is no one in the area that does vinyl. What do you think the cost will be? Thanks

Not yet, but I'll try and convince the shop that will be doing mine to make some overlays. The alternative is order some vinyl off ebay or something, take off your bumper trim, install the vinyl, and clean it up a little then put the bumper trim back and it would look seamless..

FastWS6TA

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 26, 2009

you think the vinyl would stretch over no problem and look just as good as paint if u pulled the bumper trim pieces off? how do u think the vinyl would last in comparison to paint?

VSB V-Max

· #7 · Sep 26, 2009

FastWS6TA said:
you think the vinyl would stretch over no problem and look just as good as paint if u pulled the bumper trim pieces off? how do u think the vinyl would last in comparison to paint?

If you get a decent 7 year rated vinyl it would probably hold up the same as paint. My last vehicle had 7 year black vinyl on the side panels and held up very well from 2003-2007 when I had it. Of course it was waxed and polished along with the rest of the car which helps it last as well.

As for stretching the vinyl I was just thinking of installing it with the bumper plastic completely off instead of just cutting the vinyl right up next to the plastic and hoping the chrome wont' peek through.

FastWS6TA

Discussion Starter · #8 · Sep 27, 2009

ya that is a good idea. i am unfamiliar with vinyl and the different grades of quality. is this something that could be purchased on ebay? i wonder how hard that plastic trim comes off the bumper. if the black matches the onyx black of the truck then i am all over that shit. in my opinion, why paint and have to worry about chips. although if it chips at least you could touch it up. the vinyl would hold up good to road debris. I live in upstate ny and the highway department gets off on seeing how much shit they can dump on the road. paved roads look like dirt roads in the spring, so i would be getting pelted quite a bit with sand and salt. thanks for the help on this one.

FastWS6TA

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 27, 2009

ok so i just went on ebay and looked at some stuff. this guy looks like he has a bunch to choose from. what do you think of this stuff here. It has a mirror black appearance. Would you go with just plain black or the mirror black in order to get it to look like paint?

VSB V-Max

· #10 · Sep 27, 2009

FastWS6TA said:
ok so i just went on ebay and looked at some stuff. this guy looks like he has a bunch to choose from. what do you think of this stuff here. It has a mirror black appearance. Would you go with just plain black or the mirror black in order to get it to look like paint?

The mirror black seems pretty cool.. I'd just wonder how Mirror-ish it looks in person and if it will fade in the sun if it's super shiny or reflective.

DFWSierra

· #11 · Sep 27, 2009

That sounds like a good idea. The only thing I would worry about is trying to match the truck color with the vinyl. If it works for you I might end up trying to match my white truck with white vinyl. I am like you I hate chrome. I don't want to paint over it because of the bad results I have heard of though.

vatahoe

· #12 · Sep 27, 2009

the ad says you can order some samples of it.

1500 ways to die

· #13 · Sep 29, 2009

Post pics up if you do this. This would be a great alternative to painting over chrome for sure!

ILuvJDM

· #14 · Sep 29, 2009

yes please post up if you do this. and show how the color matches

FastWS6TA

Discussion Starter · #15 · Sep 30, 2009

i will hopefully order some up in the next few weeks. keep ya posted.

appstategrl

· #16 · Sep 30, 2009

If that black chrome is anything like regular chrome vinyl, which i am pretty sure it is, it fades horribly, won't contour worth a flip, and it cracks easily too. Just do regular black vinyl. And the white probably wont match well either... I tried to do my door handles on my TB and they looked amazing but the color was way off...

FastWS6TA

Discussion Starter · #17 · Sep 30, 2009

ya i was wondering if the mirror finish would be not so flexible. thanks for the heads up. i will go ahead and get the black instead. just wondering how the vinyl will hold up where it will wrap around into the wheel well area. i think that by pulling the plastic off the bumper and tucking the vinyl in behind it that will keep it from peeling back. however in by the wheel well the is nothing to "hold" it from peeling with all the abuse it will be getting from off the wheels. i am still going to try it though and see how it works.

appstategrl

· #18 · Sep 30, 2009

I have done people's rockers in a different color because they didnt want to get it painted... it chips easily... had to fix it a bunch... but i can be stretched over just about anything... just take your time and work it around the curves well. Use a heat gun but keep it moving and work it around the sharper turns slowly and in pieces

SoKalSoldier

· #19 · Sep 30, 2009

4

appstategrl said:
I have done people's rockers in a different color because they didnt want to get it painted... it chips easily... had to fix it a bunch... but i can be stretched over just about anything... just take your time and work it around the curves well. Use a heat gun but keep it moving and work it around the sharper turns slowly and in pieces

i highly agree with the use of the heat gun. i personally recommend doing this application in an environment that is warm as possible. like instead the house rather than 50* driveway. itll save you a headache or two..
on the flipside, i painted my chrome bumper myself using 3 coats primer, 3 coats paint, and 4 coats clear. i then drove the following day from my duty station in kansas out to socal (1500 miles) without any chipping. after two weeks in cali i drove back to kansas, and still no chipping or pitting. if youre wanting to spend the exra time and effort to paint the bumper black, id be more than willing to help ya out. the cost for a quart of primer, paint, clear, and sanding material ran me $150 at O'Reiley's autoparts and they can color match the GM color so you know its right on. the hardest part is knowing somebody with a paint gun and booth. if so youre all set and the finished product looks great..
before:

and just after installed on truck:

and 1500 miles later in cali:

i was gonna try the vinyl route myself, but the local shop in kansas qouted me $20 per foot to install and said it wouldnt hold up to the Kansas weather (wind/humidity)
so to the paint booth i went...

Josh :guns:

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BLK OH7

· #20 · Sep 30, 2009

I had mine painted too and haven't had any problems yet, and I drive my truck everyday.

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