Paint and Body How to paint tail light assembly textured plastic

[AnthonyA1234]

I’m changing the lens on my tail lights and I wanted to shoot some fresh paint on the assembly while I’m doing this. The assembly has a rough texture to it. I wanted to use this sem trim black paint I have laying around. How should I prep this to spray some fresh paint on it?

 

[Kid wita 5oh]

That stuff lays down real easy, just scuff with red scotchbrite and wipe down with a prep cleaner or rubbing alcohol

 

[evintho]

Just scuff it up with a 3M Scotch-Brite general purpose scuff pad #07447. It's not really exposed to the elements, it'll be fine. Also, SEM Trim Black is quality paint.

 

[AnthonyA1234]

Will do, thanks guys

 

[Mustang5L5]

While you are at it, paint the inner reflective surfaces with fresh white or chrome paint. You'll be surprised what a difference it makes

 

[AeroCoupe]

I did semi-gloss white on mine when I repainted them and put new lenses on. I really like how they look with the lights on. I think you could do a semi-gloss silver and it may even look better.

 

[limp]

I always like to start with a " grease and wax" remover, if not lacquer thinner or Acetone... I like to make sure I am not scratching any contaminants into the paint, metal or plastic....
Knew a person who's father had a model A sanded down to bare metal and knew he was not going to get to it for at least a year... He sprayed and wiped it down with WD40, to prevent any rusting..... Wiped it down later with every chemical known to man, even finally had the body dipped... The primer/paint would still fish eye on him.. I think they gave up on it and had it crushed......
Just saying....

 

[General karthief]

Sooo many things can cause fisheye in paint, first of all you don't wait a year to cover bare metal, and you don't use petroleum based anything to coat bare metal before primer/paint, more So with WD40, it's formulated to penetrate metal surfaces.
We know better now. Back then mah...