Thread: Nexon...need some advice, PIC included.

You can also ask Cabe Sipes' opinion. He's got his own forum in the Fabrication section called "Ask Cabe Sipes".

Hey There,


You have many questions that are quite understandable. The plastic panels are going to need to be sanded down. I would start to sand them down with something like 180 to knock down that texture. I suggest picking up one of the best filler primers out of a can which is made by SEM. It is called SEM High Build Primer. It is great stuff and will help to fill in sanding scratches and then any texture. Before you sand down your panels, make sure to wash them with comet or dish soap to get any contaminants off of them.

During sanding, work your phases back and forth until you can visually see no imperfection in your primer. Keep in mind it may take 5-6 session of primer and sanding. once you see that the primer is filling in your trim parts, start to move from 220 to 320 sandpapers.

Before paint your going to want to wetsand the primer to make it perfectly clean. Again go back with comet or dish soap and wet sand it. This will remove any contaminations before paint. Wetsanding is basically just taking soapy water and sanding. Wetsanding helps to keep the sand paper clean. When you wet sand the primer, use 600 grit. From there your ready for base coat and then clear coat. You will just need to get a tack cloth and tack off your panel (lightly) before paint.

As for paint, that is a whole new ball game. I have been working with paint for just about 2 and half years now and still am learning a lot. it is just not worth it for you to buy a compressor, paint gun, paint and clear coat just for these little projects. For the amount you would spend in getting all that, you could have just paid a body shop, however there is something about doing it yourself which is very satisfying.

In your case, your in luck because white is the easiest color to paint. The situation is different for paint because you will be using cans. In my situation, I take the paint code to the store and get it matched up. Sometimes there is different variants in the paint since different cars from the same make and model were painted in different facilities, so shades will very. At any rate, duplicolor makes a wide range of colors and I am sure they will have yours. Pull the color code off your door and find the corresponding rattle can, keep in mind it most likely will not be available in the store but rather online. I would order 2 or 3 cans. The actual color code from the car is on the can.

Now, for the BEST option for your car. I recommend checking out http://paintworldinc.com/ . There you will find a company who actually mixes your paint according to your vin number. The paint is a little bit more expensive, but it is well worth it because the colors match. The paint is mixed and put into a spray can with a nice tip. These cans are the regular size, not the little duplicolor ones which tend to have less aerosol pressure. I would recommend picking up the color and a clear coat. As you may know, the color is the basecoat and then the clearcoat goes on for added protection and of course to make the gloss, which will match the rest of the car. Your looking at around $50 shipped for one basecoat can and one clearcoat can.

I would definitely recommend you get the paint from them as you do not want to cheap out on your car

I hope this helps! Please feel free ask any questions when needed.

what he said

As Nexson said, sand the texture down, and use a high-build primer. If you're doing something like your lower valance, you may want to add a bit of plasticiser (sp?) due to it being about the only thing that may have to flex.

Also, a nice way to get the best match is to take off your gas cap door and have the local auto paint store match it. If you're going to rattle-bomb it, then you can have the paint store put it in a non-aerosol spray can as well.

For your door handles, the easiest option by-far will be to look into either Esky (Escalade) or Tahoe/Suburban handles. The Esky's are a color-matched bucket with billet handle and the 'Hoe handles are colormatched buckets & handles. Kinda the same with the fender flares... Either OEM Silverado/Sierra (the smooth ones) or even Suburban flares will work. If you can find a donor 'Burban at the local junk yard, you're in like Flint!

One day, I will convince the company I work for to start selling the OEM plastic paint in reasonable batches... (if you're willing to buy 100+ gallons you can buy it now!)