Project : Painted Brake Calipers

[Presea]

I was toying with the idea ever since I started my previous project on my rear brake drums.

I decided against bright colours (red, blue...) as I really do not have performance brakes, and making others think so would not serve to do my "sleeper-mode" car any good.

 

I just didn't like how my "corroded" and ugly brake calipers were looking.

 

This was how it looked:

[Presea]

As I went through my stuff, I saw a bottle of Testors Steel coloured paint for model kits.

 

I realised that it was probably as real looking as I could get it to look.

[Presea]

Then I decided to prep the calipers like I did the brake drum covers.

I used the base coat, and it worked marvelously.

 

With model kit paints, the surface has to be very smooth, yet able to take on the paints without streaking and blotching. The Steel paint went on smoothly, and I was amazed at how much I could spread a little bit of paint.

 

The base coat looked like this:

Edited October 17, 2002 by Presea

[Gadgeter]

Hurry up ... I want to see your "new" calipers.....

[Presea]

people want to tell story....you so impatient....

 

anyway....after painting, the calipers look like this:

note the close up of the surface. what do you think about it...good or not?

[Presea]

Then I realised (after putting the wheel onto the hub) that the hub was rusty...and so ugly.

So I painted THAT in Hi-Temp Silver (because I had a can of it )

 

And the final product looked like this:

Edited October 17, 2002 by Presea

[Presea]

After driving it yesterday, having painted only 1 side first, I went to touch the surface of the caliper. It was STICKY!

 

So I used a can of Top Coat that was also meant for model kits, and as of today, after several higher speed braking test runs, the calipers are no longer sticky!

 

cheers....and thanks for reading.

 

here's the STEEL in my CALIPER!

Edited October 17, 2002 by Presea

[Gadgeter]

DL,

 

You have been certified as the Official Brake Restaller for MCF.

 

I pass my car to you tomorrow.... Please proceed to re-stall my paint work...

 

Nice paint work... Well done..

 

 

Rating:

[Presea]

Please sign the invoice when you receive my fax:

 

What's your fax number?

 

How many calipers you need to repaint/restore?

 

Each caliper will cost $50 labour charge, plus materials.

 

[Presea]

I think my next project is restoring my scratched rims

 

I found a few websites showing how it's done. There's a guy who scratched his Porsche's rim on a kerb, and he managed to get it looking like mint condition.

 

But mine is 100 times worst....will be major project for me

[Gadgeter]

People said MCF got discount one...... So is your pice before or after discount..

 

I need to force some spare time this week to do it...

[Presea]

For you...ok 50% discount, because I've known you since before MCF.

 

But for other MCF brudders and sistas ....only 25% discount.

....and until end of the year only

 

......aiyah...painting only....so easy.....anyone can do it

[Presea]

I forgot to mention.

 

Had to wash and scrub the calipers clean....dry them, sand them to smoothen the surface. A little autosol to make sure that most of the rust has been removed. Wipe away the autosol, and then I start painting.

 

Each side takes about 1 hour to do, from removal of wheel to tightening the last wheel lug!

[Zen]

presea, good job there.

 

 

as for your rim repairing ... the trick is to use filler and very thin grit sandpaper to smoothen down the scratch surface. Believe me the effect will be satisifying and your heart will be less painful after that.

[Presea]

Yeah...that's what I read. Regarding filler and sandpaper

 

And I was at the model kit shop at Bugis 2 days ago, buying spray paint, and I noticed that they have very very fine sandpaper.

The finest I have is grade 1000. They have 800, 1000, 1200, 1500 and 2000!!!

 

And there's even a cloth rated 10,000!

 

I guess I'll be getting a couple of those for my repairing job.

But my rims are SEVERELY scratched....so it's going to be fairly tedious.

 

And matching the rim colour is going to be tough too....

[Presea]

After a few days, it seems that the colour is starting to change.

 

Maybe model kit paints are not a good idea after all.

 

Maybe I'll just cover them all up in Hi-Temp Silver!

[Lufu]

I was toying with the idea ever since I started my previous project on my rear brake drums.

I decided against bright colours (red, blue...) as I really do not have performance brakes, and making others think so would not serve to do my "sleeper-mode" car any good.

 

I just didn't like how my "corroded" and ugly brake calipers were looking.

 

This was how it looked:

 

Presea, you painted your rear drum brake as well ? Any pictures?

[Presea]

Hi Lufu,

 

yeah I did paint my rear drums.....

look for my other project in the folder "Project : Painted Brake Drums "... should be quite some time back.

 

 

TO ALL:

 

a note to all.... DO NOT USE MODEL KIT PAINTS for painting ...

now my right front caliper is sticking....bloody irritating sounds coming from it when I brake lightly...and it continues even after I stop braking....sometimes after having come to a complete stop, when I more off...

 

Looks good, becuase the colour is more realistic, but the problems that come with it seems to be unnecessary....and embarrassing as well

 

....sigh