2000 stock front end renew

I'm undecided if I want to color-match the chrome inserts on the OEM bumper or go with black and paint the bumper to match. If I paint them black, I want them to match the bumper so I would need to treat the inserts and bumper the same way. If I color-match the inserts it leaves me with other options on how to treat the bumper(bedliner, dye, paint, etc).

Here's the truck after it was cleaned up with a fresh coat of Back to Black on the bumper. Bumper is in great shape but just fades within a month or so.


I have already painted the grill surround to color-match the truck. Here is my OEM style that I just finished painting:


Stock bumper is in nice shape except that its prone to fading and I have to use Back to Black on it once a month to keep it looking nice. I'd like something a little bit less maintenance. I've removed the chrome inserts and lightly glass beaded them. I will sand them and prime them with etching primer before paint.

Here is the bumper cleaned up and ready for.... something.


I could really use some help deciding and why. Trouble free and longevity are both important to me. Here are my options:

1. bedliner the bumper and inserts black
2. paint the bumper and inserts black
3. color-match the inserts and dye the bumper
4. color-match the inserts and paint the bumperkl

Also, I really like hoe Noah's front end looks here:
https://twstatic.net/attachments/img_7973-jpg.2328445/

 

I used duplicolor vinyl and fabric dye for the bumper, it has held up pretty good. I would go black for the bumper inserts.

 

I appreciate the response. Do you know what paint would match pretty good with the dye? I guess I could dye the bumper and then decide. I like the idea of the dye soaking into the plastic.

 

Paint the inserts and rustoleum truck bed the plastic

more pictures in my build thread

 

That looks great. I like the color and sheen that the bedliner has on your bumper. Has it held up well? I'll check out the prep you did in your build thread. Since the bumper is already textured, it seems like all I need to do is whip it down with alcohol, then maybe some sort of primer and then bedliner right?

 

I scuffed the plastic with a red scotch brite pad, mostly to make sure that there wasn't anything else stuck to it. Then wiped down with alcohol.

 

Duplicolor Vinyl Dye on the valence and Rustoleum Flat Black on the chrome inserts are a perfect match:

 

Awesome. Thanks for the response. I'll post what I end up with. I'm leaning toward the dye on the bumper but torn between color-matched or black inserts.

 

If you want my unsolicited advice, go with black. Inevitably you are going to have to do touch up.

Getting 3K4 in a rattle can is very expensive. Then to do it ideally you would also need to get an automotive clear coat.

It'd be a PITA to touch up color matched.

But that's just me.

 

Yea I used a 2k clearcoat that was about $20 for the can. I think the 3k4 was $12-15 a can.

 

Bumper rubbed down with scotch-brite and alcohol. Chrome inserts were lightly glass beaded and sanded.

 

That looks great. Is that "Duplicolor Vinyl and Fabric Coating"?

Yep, I already have the 3K4 paint and clear.... both Duplicolor. Paint was $24.99 at local Orielly(they had to mix it).

 

Yes

 

I've been concerned about the bedliner being too rough but after looking at these pics of Noah's front end, I can see that the Rustolem bedliner looks pretty close to stock. I think this is what I'm going for. I sprayed etching primer on inserts last night.

Here are the photos that inspired my decision:
https://twstatic.net/attachments/img_7922-jpg.2311784/
https://twstatic.net/attachments/img_7924-jpg.2311785/

Thank you for the response.

 

Yea the rustoleum "truck bed" is a pretty fine texture. I use it on a lot of things. The duplicolor version is a lot chunkier.

 

Bedliner bumper is painted after a few coats of adhesion promotor. I really like the look but it really is a lot rougher to the touch than I was looking for. I'm concerned about how hard it will be to keep clean bug guts off. I thought about spraying clear on it. Also thinking about sanding it down and spraying bumper paint. I wish I would have done bumper paint or the vinyl and fabric coating now.

I wet sanded, compounded and polished the SFR i sprayed on the grill. Came out quite nice. However, I've since learned that I should have used adhesive promotor on the plastic. Will see how long it lasts.


I also painted and cleared the bumper inserts. I'll wet sand, compound and polish them on Monday and get this put back together.

 

I have sanded the bedliner bumper with 400 grit and it has left it feeling much smoother(very OEM like). I whipped some silicone spray on it and it looks great. I'll post a pic when I get it all back together. I've had some paint issues with the inserts and wishing I had just gone bedliner with them at this point, LOL. It's been stupid cold here(mid 20's) and I'm not sure I'll be motivated to put it all back together tomorrow.

 

I decided to plastidip the emblem instead of leaving it with the brushed look. First time using this stuff. I like it and will probably do the other badges when it warms up. It's 15 degrees outside today so I won't be going back together with the front end today. I've
been painting in our single car garage and had had a space heater going which has kept it at 60 degrees.

 

All back together. Bumper came out exactly how I wanted and should be easy to clean after I sanded it. If the grill and metal inserts don't hold up, I may do the same bedliner treatment on them. But for now I like a little color on the front end. I'm also not sure if I like the colored inserts better then if they were black like the bumper. I do like the red on the grill surround though. Toyota emblem is Plasidip.