"COBRA" rear bumper question

[I_like_turtlez]

Did the letter indentations come painted from the factory?

I genuinely am unaware as I've seen them match the rest of the body color & then mine has them red despite the rest of the car being all black inside & out..

Highly considering buying some silver vinyl inserts but am afraid the red will still show once they're laid on so maybe I should scuff the red paint & then paint them black first?

(Happen to have a 4oz bottle of color-coded black paint)

 

[LS WUT]

The entire rear bumper was painted the color of the car. Someone painted the indentations red. If it were me I’d just respray the rear bumper.

 

[I_like_turtlez]

The entire rear bumper was painted the color of the car. Someone painted the indentations red. If it were me I’d just respray the rear bumper.

Son of a biscuit muncher..


Straight up 1980's cheesy in the worst way..

 

[98 svt]

You sure they aren't vinyl stickers already?

 

[PC03GT]

Son of a biscuit muncher..


Straight up 1980's cheesy in the worst way..

That looks painted

 

[I_like_turtlez]

Yeah it is painted; to be fair they did a good job with that & I guess the red matches the light lenses

In 2023 I can just see someone wanting to charge $500 labor to spray over those lettering's.. (I don't have that equipment)

I might just take some fine brushes with aforementioned touch-up paint and color in the edges where the vinyl stickers might show some of the red.. it's ghetto but it should work no? The bumper cover can always be repainted someday

 

[LS WUT]

Yeah it is painted; to be fair they did a good job with that & I guess the red matches the light lenses

In 2023 I can just see someone wanting to charge $500 labor to spray over those lettering's.. (I don't have that equipment)

I might just take some fine brushes with aforementioned touch-up paint and color in the edges where the vinyl stickers might show some of the red.. it's ghetto but it should work no? The bumper cover can always be repainted someday

Time is money my friend. I support the hustle for you wanting to save a couple bucks. What about selling your bumper and buying someone’s all black bumper?

 

[Bullitt1448]

Time is money my friend. I support the hustle for you wanting to save a couple bucks. What about selling your bumper and buying someone’s all black bumper?

shipping would be a killer

 

[98 svt]

I dunno man, I think it would look perfectly fine. Should only take a few minutes to paint the very edges of the letters.

Then buy a pair of aluminum inserts and paint them black. Don't use decals in your case, they may show the brush strokes from your touch up. The aluminum inserts are higher quality and will work perfect for your application. I think they even sell them in black actually.

 

[Captain Fluffy Nuggies]

I did the stainless steel inserts on mine. Looks amazing IMO

 

[I_like_turtlez]

I dunno man, I think it would look perfectly fine. Should only take a few minutes to paint the very edges of the letters.

Then buy a pair of aluminum inserts and paint them black. Don't use decals in your case, they may show the brush strokes from your touch up. The aluminum inserts are higher quality and will work perfect for your application. I think they even sell them in black actually.

Hmm good points, I already purchased some chrome vinyls. I'll try to go very thin with the touch up paint on the edges, might even wet sand the new paint if it dries bumpy.

I thought about the stainless polished inserts but I don't like the idea that they're permanent(until heat & goo-gone scrubbing) plus once they're stuck on you can't adjust them, SCARY :'D

 

[98 svt]

Hmm good points, I already purchased some chrome vinyls. I'll try to go very thin with the touch up paint on the edges, might even wet sand the new paint if it dries bumpy.

I thought about the stainless polished inserts but I don't like the idea that they're permanent(until heat & goo-gone scrubbing) plus once they're stuck on you can't adjust them, SCARY :'D

I have the polished inserts on my Laser Red and they look great imo. Don't sweat over installing them it's super easy and as long as you don't push on them firmly, you can peel it back to readjust if you need to. You won't need to though.
Also, the stainless letters look 10x better than the vinyl as far as quality goes.

 

[Cobra Jet]

If you call around to some local body shops and ask what it would cost to color match the black - and tell them you'll bring just the bumper cover to them... I can't see the cost being $500+... Maybe $300 max?

I mean they could just scuff the affected area and most likely blend for less money, but to just scuff and paint the entire bumper cover black? Can't be more than $300... We're not talking oddball 3-stage paints - it's black with clear, no metallic either...

 

[I_like_turtlez]

So I decided what the heck and slapped on some chrome vinyls to see how it would look without messing with paint & I think it looks awesome(?), now the red paint accentuates the tail light lenses smoothly

Going to let it dry for probably 36 hours given the cooler temps, what do you guys think?

 

[98 svt]

Looks good, but I'd go with actual polished inserts over the stickers.

 

[I_like_turtlez]

Looks good, but I'd go with actual polished inserts over the stickers.

So I uh.. clean the car twice per week with detail spray even though I only drive it like 20 miles per week usually..(it's a black car, every speck of dust shows)

If I rip a vinyl sticker or mess them up with my ferocious cleaning habits; I'll most likely upgrade to the polished stainless inserts for sure


Are the fleabay stainless inserts the ones you went with?



Edit: By the way the car is a 98 and came from Massachusetts! (Somehow it doesn't even have surface rust, must've spent it's life sitting in a garage)

 

[Cobra Jet]

View attachment 1817046

So I decided what the heck and slapped on some chrome vinyls to see how it would look without messing with paint & I think it looks awesome(?), now the red paint accentuates the tail light lenses smoothly

Going to let it dry for probably 36 hours given the cooler temps, what do you guys think?

Looks good - def better than the red paint for sure.

If the car is garaged most of the time and isn't a daily (while most 90's Cobras aren't anymore), then the chrome vinyl should last a long time since it's not exposed to the daily 24/7/365 weather elements.

Good luck with the ride and when you get more time post some pics of it!

 

[97CasperCobra]

Looks good with the chrome vinyl, you could also put black vinyl over the red so it's only red outline at the letters....just an opinion.