Faded black plastic

[shavenyak]

Hi all

Anyone have any tips for getting all the faded black plastic on my hatch looking good? It's gone pretty grey, especially the bumpers and the top of the dash.
I think the usual armorall etc vinyl restoring stuff is not gonna be enough, and I don't really want to paint it.
Was thinking more along the lines of some sort of black dye? Tyre blackening stuff or something? Anyone have any experience using this stuff?

Cheers

[tjb]

Infact yes. In addition to the boy I own a '91 Toyota GTFour which has some faded black plastic pieces. I bought some stuff from supercheap auoto a few months back called 'forever black'. It was about 20 bucks from memory and comes with a bottle of cleaning fluid and an applicator. The applicator is virtually identical to those bottles of shoe polish with the little sponge on the end. Anyhow, it seems to work really well and not wash off in the rain like armourall/kitten etc. Give it a try.

[Brayden]

The bumpers on my MB were up to shit when I first bought it, and I fixed it by regularly (weekly) applying an industrial equivalent of Armour-All. It took about a month to get that jet black look, but it did work.

The only problem with applying anything to the bumpers is that it makes painting them (if you want to do that eventually) a real hassle.

[jono]

Infact yes. In addition to the boy I own a '91 Toyota GTFour which has some faded black plastic pieces. I bought some stuff from supercheap auoto a few months back called 'forever black'. It was about 20 bucks from memory and comes with a bottle of cleaning fluid and an applicator. The applicator is virtually identical to those bottles of shoe polish with the little sponge on the end. Anyhow, it seems to work really well and not wash off in the rain like armourall/kitten etc. Give it a try.

Yeah, I got that on too - worked a treat but was a pain to apply with the bumper still on the car! It was hard to get to the little hard to get places but looks heaps better afterwards.

[shavenyak]

Yeah just looked at some reviews of that - sounds exactly like what I need.
Only thing is neither supercheap or repco stock it over here in NZ.. Might have to get one of you kind hearted aussies to send a pack over!

[tjb]

Infact yes. In addition to the boy I own a '91 Toyota GTFour which has some faded black plastic pieces. I bought some stuff from supercheap auoto a few months back called 'forever black'. It was about 20 bucks from memory and comes with a bottle of cleaning fluid and an applicator. The applicator is virtually identical to those bottles of shoe polish with the little sponge on the end. Anyhow, it seems to work really well and not wash off in the rain like armourall/kitten etc. Give it a try.

Yeah, I got that on too - worked a treat but was a pain to apply with the bumper still on the car! It was hard to get to the little hard to get places but looks heaps better afterwards.

Yeah, my MB bumpers are faded too and it would certainly be a tedious job doing the bumpers will that little applicator. The smash repair guy that i go to once told me about some industrial stuff that you smear/rub all over the surface and actually doesnt wash off. Probably similar to what Brayden is talking about. I am yet to follow through and get some off him though.

[Colin]

i use a heat gun its slow but efective

[shavenyak]

How does that work, Colin?

does heating up the plastic turn it black?

[Colin]

dont know but it works

[kidwithahatch]

what would be better painting the dash or using the stuff to restore its coulour.. what prep work is involved in painting these plastic pieces?

[Brayden]

Painting plastic pieces involves making sure you have removed any traces of things like Armour-All by using plenty of prepsol. Priming with a plastic etch primer is essential, and then you can simply apply your top coats from there.

I painted the dash in my ute metallic black in this way and the finish was excellent - mind you I had to do it twice after it fell off the drying stand.