RuffRyder

iTrader: (1)

i just got a 99 spec front body kit. am i supose to get the kit painted first or get it installed then painted?

RuffRyder

iTrader: (1)

BTW..i'm just getting the kit painted not the whoel car because the paint is in perfect condition

fd3s_rx7

iTrader: (13)

Just get the color code from your car and take off your bodykits and take it to a professional auto body shop and let them prep and paint it for you. Thats All.....

BTW the paint will be off a little bit ( miss match ), due to the different time of the time and climate wheather.

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

Be sure to check fitment FIRST and take care of any issues there. But IMO, the cover should be painted off the car.
And check around in your area. Many higher-end shops now have computer controlled tinting and mix machines in-house. With a skilled painter, they can now do a much better job matching the rest of your car than just going off the color code. Good luck.

bee

Make sure it fits first, im sure it wont. Almost all of them have some type of a fitment issue that is better addressed pre filler/paint. Also, when it is painted, make sure they go over the whole kit with filler to smooth it out. Ever seen a body kit that looks wavy, if you havent, go look at an eclipse. Almost all of them are cheaply painted and put on with drywall screws. You can tell when they havent been smoothed out, looks cheap and shitty.

Good luck, im sure it will look great.
Just remember, you get what you pay for.

rex u.k

If the kit is fibreglass resin composition then get it baked in the oven FIRST before you fit it, you'll be surprised at how much some kits that fitted up nicely before they were painted don't after they have and the bodyshop bakes it.
Other alternative is to let it air dry using accelerated activators with the paint.
Either way get it painted off the car, all the edges and nooks and crannies get coated properly this way.
The colour mismatch will be due to the bodyshop not having the exact ingredients that the original paint manufacturer has, this is asides from the weathering issues.
Although as stated above a high quality shop will get it closer to the right colour. Shop around.

rzograbian

jusr repaint the whole car for best results. thats what i did but then again, i didnt pay for it so.....

fd3s93

i do this kinda work all the time,the fitment on these replica body kits are ****** terrible..definitly most are refitted and fiberglassed. yours is a 99 spec..it might fit pretty well..(depends if the body has ever been worked on).then after it should be preped so it wont easly chip do to encounters with flying rocks.lol it should be painted off the car.good luck.

rynberg

I'm not sure what some of you are talking about. He didn't buy some cheap POS replica off of Ebay. He bought Mazda 99+ OEM front end. Fitment should be perfect unless the car has been in an accident. It's also made of polyurethane, not fiberglass.

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

Not necessarily. Although your right in thinking that OEM fit and finish is generally MUCH better than anything aftermarket. But OEM still can (will) require some adjustments. Generally I would test fit these types of pieces on the car and make any adjustments, either to the car or the piece as needed. Then do the refinish prep work and then test fit it again just to make sure. Only then would I paint it.
But a good shop will know all of this.

RuffRyder

iTrader: (1)

Well i went to one of the best painters/installers i knwo out here and his compuetr estimated $1,100 for all the work which is: paint/install bumper, fix a lil dent at the end of the hood, and i have some bubbles on the front left side o the car he said its due to rusting from underneath..so he's gunna solve that and paint that too..i got him down to $700. u think thats good or overpriced?

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

Does this include parts? Have you seen some of his work? How does he intend to refinish the "lil dent at the end of the hood". And the rust? Sounds pretty cheap to me. It's your car, but if someone told you they'd rebuild your motor for that price, including removing it from the car and re-installing it, how good of a job do you think you'd get? If his work satisfy's YOUR standard for "acceptable" then go for it.