Vinyl Roof Trim Paint Advice Needed

[SeanP]

Hi folks!

The hard plastic trim around my vinyl roof is in awesome shape. Looks good, no paint fade, etc.

Except on the bottom piece along the driver's side!

Is there a paint or process I can use to clean this up? It's faded with white patches showing through well the rest is a nice dark blue. I'll post pictures soon so you know what I'm talking about if anyone is having a hard time envisioning what I'm describing.

If any of the other pieces were faded, I'd probably leave it alone or look for a new set of trim, but it's just the one piece! Frustrating!!!

Cheers!

[sly]

touch up paint pretty much. If the whole thing is bad, I can be removed (carefully) and sprayed with the correct color or just tape up and mask off the area real good and spray it.

[sxcpotatoes]

I think it's aluminum, especially on the '91 I have, had it painted a complimentary dark graphite colour to match my pinstripes. https://www.flickr.com/photos/sexcpotatoes/9172434811/

[SeanP]

I think it's aluminum, especially on the '91 I have, had it painted a complimentary dark graphite colour to match my pinstripes. https://www.flickr.com/photos/sexcpotatoes/9172434811/

Hey! Looks sweet, but it's not the part I'm talking about (unless I missed something). I didn't get a chance to take a pic yet, but I will tomorrow. I don't think I'm explaining it right

[johnunit]

I hit it with a not-quite-perfect match spraypaint from the auto parts store 3-4 years ago and it still looks mint. Being up against the vinyl section and a unique texture (ie. no other textured parts like it on the car) means pretty much any complimentary or similar colour to the body or vinyl will work. I think my prep was basically just to scrub it with a brush while wet then rinse it with a hose and let it dry. The only real trick is taking it off.

[sxcpotatoes]

Oh, I know what you mean now, sorry, I thought you meant the trim around the rear window, but it's the same pebbled-texture aluminum material I think. There's a straight line with a kink up around the body line to the back of the car along the bottom edge of the vinyl top, which was removed on mine and the holes filled when I got my slicktop done, sorry for any confusion!

[SeanP]

For those of you needing a visual (I know I usually do!), here's the trim piece I'm talking about.




As you can see I have two shots of the offending piece and a shot that shows what the rest of it looks like (frustratingly perfect! If it was all faded I could live without it!).



Cheers!

[SeanP]

I hit it with a not-quite-perfect match spraypaint from the auto parts store 3-4 years ago and it still looks mint. Being up against the vinyl section and a unique texture (ie. no other textured parts like it on the car) means pretty much any complimentary or similar colour to the body or vinyl will work. I think my prep was basically just to scrub it with a brush while wet then rinse it with a hose and let it dry. The only real trick is taking it off.

I was thinking I would have to spray bomb it with something... my only concern is matching it to the existing trim! I don't want to push my luck and paint every piece on there. But if it's something I have to do, then it's something I have to do!

[miamibob]

Matching the color, especially since it is not new, is going to be difficult, at best. May have to paint them all for color consistency!

[87gtVIC]

Paint them all. It is only three pieces. The piece above the trunk gets removed for paint and you only have to mask two really well.

[SeanP]

Paint them all. It is only three pieces. The piece above the trunk gets removed for paint and you only have to mask two really well.

Yeah, then everything is the same colour. I'll probably end up doing that.

Any advice on what kind of paint to use and prep to do? I've never painted plastic trim before!