Best paint for trim panels?
 

I want to repaint my rollbar pad, front chin spoiler, mudflaps and the window molding on my miata. What's the best paint for this application? trim paint? bumper paint? plastidip?

Ew to plastidip. Any sharp edge has pealed off the entire coat rather than just the extra like in the commercials. Has NEVER worked well for me.

I've used Rust-oleum's flat black enamel and their gloss white enamel a number of times, been incredibly pleased every time. Something about "enamel" in the title. They have a gloss black as well I believe. I would trust it for the lip and mudflaps, not sure about the roll bar padding and window molding.

Just be smart and paint it in a warm environment, horizontally. The only time I've had an issue with runs is when I'm painting something that's vertical.

For the roll bar padding and window moulding I'd use VHT vinyl dye. I've used it to paint door panels on a 1971 LeMans already and they turned out great.

I've had very good results with the Krylon for plastic paint. Sprayed a Power Wheels toy for my son, and it held up very well.

for plastic paint sounds promising, didn't even think of that.

Honestly, I'm just polishing a turd here. Read into that.

+1 for vinyl dye. We used it to change the color of the bench seat, dash and door panels in my friends 67 Chevy truck and parts of my 66 Mustang back in highschool. His truck still looks good and the Mustang was still fine when I sold it. Use a good surface prep cleaner and follow the instructions. Go heavy and it will drip and look shittay. It will never adhere correctly if the surface is full of armorall, so make sure its good and clean before you start.

so the dye stuff is actually a paint?

You have two different materials in your original post, at least. You will not want to use the same paint for all of them.

This is what you want for everything but the rollbar pad. Or, fuck it, i don't care if you use it on your pad or not.

SEM Products :: Trim Black

The stuff we used was in a spray can. WD40 also comes in a spray can but I wouldn't call it paint. Maybe "adhere" was the wrong word.

So I'd say no, for sufficiently large quantities of yes.

I went over to HD to see about the padding material and saw this:

funny. It actually had the leather wrap on it for at least half its life, and is almost always under the HT, so it doesn't actually get much sun exposure.

I think I used trim paint on it a few years ago, looked brand new, but that eventually faded as the material is a bit porse.

Just re-wrap it with camo duct tape. It's like $2.50 at WalMart.

Actually I wonder if it will sell better/faster if I make it a drift car.

I say yes...kind of. It applies like a paint, but instead of being a coating, it acts like a dye and it stains what you put it on.
I wish I had a photo handy of those door panels I did. They were lime green, I colored them black...you would've thought they were factory.

I'll give it a shot. Just trying to think of the little things I can do in this weather to have the car nicer by spring.

I've used this on my chin spoilers, mud flaps, bumpers (on some cars), etc. for years and been very satisfied with the ease of use, quality of the finish, and the durability.

Plastikote Black Flexible Bumper Coating:

Prep work (as always) is important, and if it is bare plastic I use an adhesion promoter before painting. If it's already been painted before, I don't bother with the adhesion promoter.

That's what I said in March...here we are in November. Now I have a bigger turbo, an water cooled external wastegate, absolutely no emissions, door bars, new 15x8 wheels and 205/50 tires, new shocks. That's about it for now. 3 weeks worth of shit in 8 months...weak sauce.

Valspar... With a small Roller.

Actually, do you have an O'reilleys Auto Parts Nearby? they can custom mix Flexible paints designed for interiors, and plastic parts, absolutely any color you can imagine. I BELIEVE its Dupont brand. No Need for clear either. I did My mini's whole Dash Piece in Honda Astro black, or whatever that crap is called. Its never had an issue, doesnt even get tacky in extreme summer heat with the windows up. Ill have to look at the label they put on the can to see what they called that type of paint

I drove my car once this year to work. I'm getting it fixed up so I can sell it.

Sell it? Why? Are you getting out of the Miata game?