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Old 2010-06-25, 03:42 PM   #1
100_Percent_Juice
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Default Couple of questions about bumper sag and clean looking exterior hardware.

My bumper has been sagging down and I am wondering if its just a matter of replacing some plastic clips?

Most of the paint has chipped off of my radiator and I want to repaint it. Is there a special kind of paint to use on the radiator?

The front lip has been held on my bumper by 6 sheet metal screws and it has looked really tacky and has also been the cause of at least 2 self inflicted flat tires. I would like to take my bumper off and use nut/bolt fasteners to replace the screws. Does anyone know if Summit racing or Kragen for that matter, has decent looking exterior fasteners that I could use?

Over the years my front lip has changed shape slightly and doesn't mate up to the bumper cleanly anymore. I seem to recall that OEM lip kits seem to have a little black rubber strip between the bumper and lip. Does anyone know where I would find one of these or if its something I could make from Home Depot?
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Last edited by 100_Percent_Juice; 2010-06-25 at 03:45 PM.
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Old 2010-06-25, 10:33 PM   #2
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For hardware, I would go to an Ace hardware store. They have the best selection that I have seen in town. I would get some stainless nuts and bolts to replace the screws.

For the radiator, there's no special paint that I know of. I would probably use a flat back high heat paint, either header paint or maybe the stuff they use to paint BBQs.
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Old 2010-06-26, 08:41 AM   #3
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For the radiator, there's no special paint that I know of. I would probably use a flat back high heat paint, either header paint or maybe the stuff they use to paint BBQs.
Only use radiator paint to paint a radiator. Regular paint has excessive insulating properties and will hinder cooling. Header paint would be even worse, since it is usually silicone and/or ceramic based. Eastwood sells radiator paint, and I have a can or two you can use.

http://www.eastwood.com/paints/detai...ack-paint.html

Same thing when painting an intercooler. Black anodizing an intercooler is much better as it actually helps heat transfer.
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Old 2010-06-26, 09:11 AM   #4
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Thanks for the info Matt. I have been debating whether to paint the radiator back to go back to the stock look or to just hit the radiator with paint stripper and remove the rest of the paint. The radiator is about 50/50 right now so I could go either way. Any opinions on that idea?
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Old 2010-06-26, 09:21 AM   #5
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Thanks for the info Matt. I have been debating whether to paint the radiator back to go back to the stock look or to just hit the radiator with paint stripper and remove the rest of the paint. The radiator is about 50/50 right now so I could go either way. Any opinions on that idea?
Are you talking about the radiator or the A/C condensor? You can't really see the radiator fins if you have A/C.
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Old 2010-06-26, 11:14 AM   #6
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Whatever is in the front that would be getting chipped from rocks. I do have A/C but, I guess I didn't realize what I was looking at.
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Old 2010-06-26, 11:17 AM   #7
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Whatever is in the front that would be getting chipped from rocks. I do have A/C but, I guess I didn't realize what I was looking at.
That's the A/C Condenser. I would touch up the black paint. Maybe straighten some fins too.
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Old 2010-06-26, 11:22 AM   #8
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With the same radiator paint? I do have a fin straightening tool from HF so I will finally get to use it I guess!
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Old 2010-06-26, 04:32 PM   #9
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Good to know about the radiator paint. I'm amazed that after working in auto parts for so long that I've never seen it before.
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Old 2010-06-26, 04:46 PM   #10
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Good to know about the radiator paint. I'm amazed that after working in auto parts for so long that I've never seen it before.
I don't think any auto parts stores sell it. I checked summit racing's website and they don't sell it either. I think only a few places actually make/sell it.
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