tailgate handle-probably a stupid question

[SVTL Joe Joe]

how do you get yours painted? i see it all the time and the black sticks out like a sore thumb. id assume its just a little glass' and sanding but ive been wrong before. i dunno if anyone knows a different route let me know because if this si my only choice im gonna pick up a spare to work on.

thanks!

-joe

 

[Scuba-Matt]

I took mine off the tail gate cleaned it with soap and water, sanded it with 300 grit then used a couple of coats of bulldog paint adhesion promoter, 8 coats of filler primer, then sand smooth followed by another coat of primer, sand and couple of coats of finish and clear coat.

 

[RIDE THE]

Thats just about what I did. I just used finer (600) sandpaper and sanded down the plastic until it was glass for the final prep.

I also found that if you open the handle and run a screw in the plastic it will force it to stay open for painting. It helps get the paint down into the cracks that you can see when the handle is opened.

 

[SVTL Joe Joe]

thanks for the tips! looks like i got something to do this weekend

 

[RipitRon]

Do not use soap and water, you have to remove the mold release agent from the plastic. Used Iso Alcohol, and a used scotchbrite pad. Clean it twice real well, and then run it under water, if it sheets off you are good, if it beads clean it again. What happens is if you sand it with the mold release agent on you sand it right into the plastic, and long term you will loose adheasion!!! I have learned this the hard way!!!

 

[Harley#356]

don't stop with just the handle!

handle, antenna base, side steps, end caps, bumper pad, rear window surround, cowl!

 

[Kryo-Genik]

don't stop with just the handle!

handle, antenna base, side steps, end caps, bumper pad, rear window surround, cowl!

oh man that looks good. you actually sanded the "bars" off the bumper and side steps....
how long did that take you to do? Im seriously gonna have to follow suit thats gotta look damned good installed

 

[SVTL Joe Joe]

yeah man they look sweet....got a quick how to for us?

 

[DSG04Lightning]

this could be a good project

 

[Harley#356]

RobG did all the pieces for me a number of years back....still looking like brand new though! He used all brand new pieces so didn't have to worry as much about years of trim dressing, etc. coming out of the plastics trying to make the crappy black plastic look nice lol

To remove the ribs though, the pieces are too thin to just sand them down. They need to be reinforced. Some guys have done it with fiberglass, i think Rob used some sort of body filler sort of stuff. Whatever it was it turned out great and has held up awesome. And its not just cheap thin pieces like the SS ones that just go on with double sided tape lol, although for the work required, the SS ones aren't a bad alternative. Mine were done before they existed though

Don't forget the hitch plug too!!!

 

[SVTL Joe Joe]

looks damn good....but ill probably go with the ss for the sides sounds like alot of work lol

off subject but are you factory supercharged? i couldnt find a extended cab s/c harley at all when i was looking almost to the point i thought they didnt exist

 

[Kryo-Genik]

RobG did all the pieces for me a number of years back....still looking like brand new though! He used all brand new pieces so didn't have to worry as much about years of trim dressing, etc. coming out of the plastics trying to make the crappy black plastic look nice lol

To remove the ribs though, the pieces are too thin to just sand them down. They need to be reinforced. Some guys have done it with fiberglass, i think Rob used some sort of body filler sort of stuff. Whatever it was it turned out great and has held up awesome. And its not just cheap thin pieces like the SS ones that just go on with double sided tape lol, although for the work required, the SS ones aren't a bad alternative. Mine were done before they existed though

Don't forget the hitch plug too!!!

looks good. Ill end up with the cervinis side steps since they dont use double sided tape at all.
but the rear quarter steps and bumper are gorgeous and would be willing to pay for em. Sadly I dont think I can trust most places out here to do it for me properly and id end up with shitty looking results.
I know of a Rob here on the boards but I dont think we are talking the same person. Possible to Pm his contact info over?

 

[RipitRon]

RobG did all the pieces for me a number of years back....still looking like brand new though! He used all brand new pieces so didn't have to worry as much about years of trim dressing, etc. coming out of the plastics trying to make the crappy black plastic look nice lol

To remove the ribs though, the pieces are too thin to just sand them down. They need to be reinforced. Some guys have done it with fiberglass, i think Rob used some sort of body filler sort of stuff. Whatever it was it turned out great and has held up awesome. And its not just cheap thin pieces like the SS ones that just go on with double sided tape lol, although for the work required, the SS ones aren't a bad alternative. Mine were done before they existed though

Don't forget the hitch plug too!!!

Looks good brother, mine has been done like that for a few years now. All you need to do is work on sucking that rear bumper in. Its a pain in the A$$ but it make a big difference, kind of like the front bumper gap between the fender and the cover!

 

[Harley#356]

looks damn good....but ill probably go with the ss for the sides sounds like alot of work lol

off subject but are you factory supercharged? i couldnt find a extended cab s/c harley at all when i was looking almost to the point i thought they didnt exist

Nope, 00's were the first year HD, only year for extended cab flareside bed, and were all N/A. All 01's were N/A as well. Only the 02-03's are supercharged (and the 07-08 saleen ship-thru's).

I did the full L drivetrain converison on mine back in 2005. Swapped the 4R70W for a 4R100 and again for a built 4R100. Swapped the N/A 5.4 for a stock S/C 5.4 with forged rods and ARP bolts and again for a full built 5.4 with heads/cams, and swapped the N/A setup for a ported eaton and again for a 2.6 KB

looks good. Ill end up with the cervinis side steps since they dont use double sided tape at all.
but the rear quarter steps and bumper are gorgeous and would be willing to pay for em. Sadly I dont think I can trust most places out here to do it for me properly and id end up with shitty looking results.
I know of a Rob here on the boards but I dont think we are talking the same person. Possible to Pm his contact info over?

Ah I forgot cervinis made side steps too. RobG is on NLOC. He used to be a regular poster but now he's just on once in a while. He owned the infamous hOOtersmobile!

Looks good brother, mine has been done like that for a few years now. All you need to do is work on sucking that rear bumper in. Its a pain in the A$$ but it make a big difference, kind of like the front bumper gap between the fender and the cover!

I actually don't mind the gaps. I like to be able to fit back there to Zaino it lol If the gap were any tighter I couldn't fit my fingers and a MF in there lol

 

[Kryo-Genik]

Ah I forgot cervinis made side steps too. RobG is on NLOC. He used to be a regular poster but now he's just on once in a while. He owned the infamous hOOtersmobile!

the cervinis units actually bolt in as opposed to tape on. so ill end up with a set of their steps.
ill give him a shout, thank you.

 

[SVTL Joe Joe]

Nope, 00's were the first year HD, only year for extended cab flareside bed, and were all N/A. All 01's were N/A as well. Only the 02-03's are supercharged (and the 07-08 saleen ship-thru's).

I did the full L drivetrain converison on mine back in 2005. Swapped the 4R70W for a 4R100 and again for a built 4R100. Swapped the N/A 5.4 for a stock S/C 5.4 with forged rods and ARP bolts and again for a full built 5.4 with heads/cams, and swapped the N/A setup for a ported eaton and again for a 2.6 KB

explains why i couldnt find one lol....nice truck man love the ride even more now that i know its special. and your under hood shots are awesome i love the polished KB

 

[Harley#356]

Thanks! I ain't nowhere near done with it yet either

that motor will probably find its way into my 85 down the road, and I'll go aluminum stroker motor or something in there lol