what steps should you take to paint front grill.

[Guest]

hey on my 88 Buick LeSabre I want to repaint the front grill. The origional gray color of the grill is getting faded and makes the car look even older than what it allready is. What I want to do is paint it black to make it look more like the T-Type LeSabre. I'm trying to make this LeSabre more sporty while keeping it reliable, and not buying a new car. What other cheap things can I do to make it more sporty/ more like a T-Type?

[Guest]

I believe that the grill is plastic with "chrome" on it. I would try one of these methods. If you have access to a sanblaster I would lightly blast it to create a rough surface for the primer to adhere to. Be very carefull not to hit it to hard with the blaster as it will damage the grill. Just enough to rough up the surface and remove any chrome that might be flaking off. If you don't have access to a sandblaster you could do it the hard way and scuff it up by hand with a 3M sanding pad (availabe at any body shop supply store)or a fine sandpaper. It will be a lot of work but it is very important to scuff it up or the paint won't stick. Before you do either one you need to clean the grill with a wax and grease remover or rubbing alcohol. If you sandblast obviously you will need to remove the grill. If you paint be sure to mask off the radiator so you don't get paint on it. After preparing the surface you will need to put a couple coats of primer on it, wait a while and put 2 or 3 coats of Flat Black paint on it.If you use spray paint in a can buy the good name brand paint not the cheap stuff. Another way you could sport up your Lesabre would be to put some Buick "Road Wheels" on it. They used them on some Buicks in the 80s. You may find some in a salvage yard fairly reasonable. Look for a T-Type in a junk yard in you area and look for the trim and etc. that was used on these cars. Maybe a 80s Lesabre enthusiast on this forum could help you in this regard. Good luck and welcome to the car hobby. I see a long future of enjoyment for you in our hobby.