So I just got my 09 Lancer GTS a couple of weeks ago and I've been reading about how to paint the front bumper part. I was trying to decide between Vinyl or just paint and I just decided to go with paint.

First of all, this is my first time ever painting a car or using a spray can(I know it's pathetic) and I decided that if by any chance I would screw up, I would just take it to a paint body shop and have them fix my mess. I got to say I'm pretty proud of the final result I got.

First off, I wanted to do the cover for the engine, the other thing in the back(I have very little knowledge about car parts lol) and the fuse box cover:

After painting(I used a blue with a metal look Dupli-color spray can, hence the sparkly look to it):


(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/01-1.jpg)

The result:
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/02-1.jpg)

(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/03-1.jpg)


Then off to the front bumper part:

This image really made me want to cry; the sanding:
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/04-1.jpg)



Preparation
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/06.jpg)

I tried to get every little detail I could:
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/05-1.jpg)

After the first layer:
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/07.jpg)

Slowly removing the paper:
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/08.jpg)

The chrome part:
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/09.jpg)

And the after
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/10.jpg)


In the end this was my result:
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/11.jpg)

(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/12.jpg)

(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/13.jpg)

From this:
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/IMG_1120.jpg)

To this:
(IMG:http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u56/Drazelru/14.jpg)


Not too bad(I hope), being my first time doing something like this.

You should be proud because that it looks absolutely PHENOMENAL! The blue looks great, even the fuse box... and I hate painted fuse boxes! The "other thing in the back" is the spark plug cover... just FYI.

But what really appeals to me is the front bumper. I noticed you painted the bottom lip as well. How did you go about measuring out how wide it should be? I know the front bumper has indentations allowing you to perfectly measure out how much you should paint, but the bottom lip is one solid line.

Either way, it looks freaking sick!

Nice,like your black painted front :)

Great job!!! :beer:

You should paint the Mitsu emblem at the wheel cap to finish it off. I painted mine with a $1 can of red spray paint and it looked sweet (shield it with tape of course)
Tricky at the inside corner, but just lightly cut it out with a sharp blade.

Mine is a black GTS so there no sense in painting the front black, but I would have done the same as you if I have any other color. :thumbsup:

That looks absolutely amazing. I think this is how the car should come for the colors like blue, red, white, etc.

For first time doing this, you did an amazing job and i like the DIY with pics.Because i love pics.

+1 and im jealous of your blue lancer.

Wow, great job man, really.

How do you take out that chrome middle grill to paint it? On the 4B11 forums someone said you couldn't.

take off the long black plastic piece right in front of you when you pop the hood (the clips can be tricky) after that get a small phillips screwdriver and there should be one screw on each corner then one in the bottom center. when pulling it out try not to break the clips (like i did :(). reall isnt very hard but try not to drop the screws or youll spend some time fishing them out :)

thanks a bunch, going to get to work on my grill as soon as possible.

Pretty freaking hot man!

Dude that engine cover is sick! My car is the same color as yours. What color paint did you use exactly?

Thanks, and at least now I know where the spark plug cover is :grin:

It may sound weird but I used a thread to measured from the bottom end of the bumper,( or under the bottom lip, however it may be called) up to where I wanted to paint, then I just used the same length for the other side.

Noooo :P

Now you're making me very very jealous of your lancer and making me regret not buying that blue lancer they had on the lot T.T

By the way, did you strip off the chrome from the grill or did you just paint over it?

I used the Dupli-Color Metal Specs - MS400 Ocean Blue:

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/metalspecks.html

That car looks hot.

Now I really cant wait to get mine. Gonna do the same thing with the engine. I dunno about the front bumper. But definitely like the look.

+1 for looks :clap:
+1 for the balls to go all out like that for the first time. :gunsmilie:

Looks pretty sweet.
But you might run into pain chipping issues, especially on the chromed grille.
I guess it really depends where you live and how your roads are.
I know here it would get chipped up pretty fast.

Either way looks very nice and clean. Props :beer:

Great effort man. Kudos to you, that looks great. Wish I had the expertise and patience to do it too :)

It looks great, excellent job mate !



How can you prevent it from chipping ?

Nice! I'd give you + rep if i could.

Looks very nice, well done,

2 issues with the spray paint;

1-Paint chipping, 2- I heard you need to use heat resistant paint for the engine cover??.. I got quoted 900.00$ to get the engine cover and the fuse box cover painted red...

I was shocked... But body shop guy told me its cuzz he has to use to heat resistant paint, which is very expensive...