View Full Version : color calipers?


CriticalMass
01-03-2004, 01:18 AM
RED calipers with SILVER rx-8?

Black Calipers with SILVER rx-8 logo (silver rx-8)

Black with RED logo?


what do you guys think?

CM

starnes
01-03-2004, 08:16 AM
I was thinking red with my silver RX-8 and maybe a silver logo, but my question is how do you paint them so the paint doesn't flake off soon after and they look worse than unpainted?

Sputnik
01-03-2004, 12:54 PM
To get a good job, first you need to get the right paint. There are many colors and producers of "caliper paint" available that will work very well. Since most of these are spray paints, make very sure that you mask off everything that shouldn't be painted. Especially items such as the bleeder valves and brake line connections.

But the most important thing is to very thoroughly clean the calipers. Be anal. Use brake cleaner, back that up with simple dish soap, and degreaser. That will give your paint the best opportunity to bond, and will avoid peeling, chipping, and other nasty results.

As far as color on a silver car, I personally think bright red calipers are gaudy, out of place, and the result is the same as if someone put some of those red plastic double windshield wiper kits from the early '90s on a silver car. If there were other tasteful, non-overpowering, red accents on the silver car, then red calipers wouldn't be out of place. And on a light silver car (as opposed to Titanium), darker red would look better than light or medium red, IMO. So, if you changed the emblems to a dark red, and added one or two other small dark red accents on the car (and to the wheels), then dark red calipers with silver lettering would blend in very nicely.

But with the silver RX8 as it is, I think keeping it black, and adding silver lettering to match the body color, would blend in much better with the car. But that's my opinion. It's your car.

---jps

i3man
01-03-2004, 05:50 PM
I'm thinking black with my Ti-grey or maybe even silver.

WHealy
01-03-2004, 06:36 PM
Just FYI, but the G2 caliper paint that Tire Rack sells is a brush on. So masking efforts are limited.


I think all the color combos you listed would look good. I personally like the red look best. Especially if you have the red interior.

Good Luck.

pghRX8
01-12-2004, 08:47 PM
I can't decide which color calipers for my titanium gray. I dont like the silver paint on the calipers. I was thinking Red, Blue, or even green. any feedback??

Redshift
01-13-2004, 06:28 AM
People.... for the sake of good taste, if you are going to paint your calipers, just paint them black.

If you must.. maybe silver.

If you paint your calipers red/yellow/other then you will be classed in with the "rice boys." It's simply cheesy. Trust me on this. The coloured caliper craze swept through most other car communities years ago and is now widely derided.

The only reason to have red calipers on a car is if they have BREMBO stamped in the side.

XeRo
01-13-2004, 03:47 PM
......anyway....

CM...i have a silver 8 with blue calipers....

haven't decided if I like it though....may change to black...i wanted a deeper metallic blue so I may go with having them anodized or powder coated a deep metallic blue....

oh yeh...i used G2...got it from LeatherZ.com for $37 inc ship...ebay is a good way to go as well...

I think a few folks here also have used VHT..i believe that's what Mikeb used....

oh and of course i stenciled RX-8 in silver...

mikeb
01-13-2004, 07:28 PM
I did use VHT
it's the only one I could find after going to like 3 pepboys
It's held up just fine

D MENAC 7
01-14-2004, 06:03 PM
I have a red RX-8 and am planning on going with Red no matter how "cheesy" of a "nice boy" I'll look. I like the black with silver RX-8 idea from Sputnik on a Silver RX-8 theme.

Irish_in_a_RX8
01-14-2004, 08:33 PM
Check out the avator - I have more pics on my own site. Black is clean/sharp - red is good, but you just need to be careful what image you want to give off.

310Guy
01-29-2004, 04:45 PM
Originally posted by Irish_in_a_RX8
Check out the avator - I have more pics on my own site. Black is clean/sharp - red is good, but you just need to be careful what image you want to give off.

Hey, that RX8 looks really good on the calipers. What can you tell us about it? How did you do it?

I wouldn't mind painting my calipers and adding something like "RX8" or "Mazda" to them.

Irish_in_a_RX8
01-29-2004, 08:19 PM
Originally posted by 310Guy
Hey, that RX8 looks really good on the calipers. What can you tell us about it? How did you do it?

I wouldn't mind painting my calipers and adding something like "RX8" or "Mazda" to them.

Working on a package/templates as we speak. Keep in touch. There are others that use stickers, but they eventually fade or melt.

310Guy
01-29-2004, 08:25 PM
Cool. Thanks.

Kel Rx8
01-29-2004, 10:48 PM
almost every car ive owned and friends cars i have painted there calipers for.believe it or not cleaning is important but i dont think you have to be anal about it.
autozone has vht i believe which is great what i alway use and they carry is a paint (im sorry fogot the name) but it has a big block engine on the front and is intended for painting motors.i think heat is up to 500 degrees.
silver car = fire engine red calipers like the gt2 porshe:eek:
i should have some pics of how some of the cars came out
so let me know.
:D

Rx8Freehk
01-31-2004, 01:31 PM
Well, I painted my calipers this weekend with G2 Caliper Paint.... And if i do say so myself.... THEY LOOK AWSOME I love the way they turned out, that is after I had to clean-up after myself (I suck at masking off stuff

Enjoy :)

http://members.cox.net/rx8freehk/before%201.jpg

http://members.cox.net/rx8freehk/After2.jpg

http://members.cox.net/rx8freehk/After3.jpg

flyboyindy
01-31-2004, 01:53 PM
Rx8Freehk,
Damn that looks SWEET!!! I think that color matching the car is the best combination. My 8 is Velocity Red, and I think im going to do what you did and match the color of the car... You convinced me!

310Guy
01-31-2004, 02:27 PM
Yeah man, nice job on the yellow.

On one of my previous cars I had done the same...

http://www.acurainspired.com/gallery/data/2f55707d4193dc27118a0f19a1985716/740_p21778.jpg

:cool:

Rx8Freehk
01-31-2004, 02:33 PM
wow looks really nice on black!

XcelR8
02-01-2004, 11:14 AM
Look at "Irish_in_a_RX8"s web sit www.time4design.net he has several photos of painted calibers none on photoshop or something. They all look good, but I've decided to go with bright red calipers with silver RX-8 on them (made my own stencile). I think they will look good.

I am concidering having the stock wheels powdercoated black. Any feedback?

boothguy
02-04-2004, 11:27 AM
Coupla notes: Sputnik is right about making sure your calipers are clean before you paint them. Actually, the spray-on brake cleaning products are plenty sufficient on their own. Use a brush to get all the crevices clean.

And spend the money for Folia-Tec or the other special caliper paints if you want, but good old Testor's plastic model paint does a fantastic job. Painted the calipers on my 3rd gen 40,000 miles ago and they still look great. Buy the little bottles (about 1.5 per wheel) and brush it on - no masking req'd.

I'd have painted the calipers on my 8 if they weren't the floating caliper type, which I think sort of defeats the purpose of calling attention to them in the first place. Just my two cents...

SHOWOFF
02-04-2004, 08:04 PM
Originally posted by 310Guy
Hey, that RX8 looks really good on the calipers. What can you tell us about it? How did you do it?

I wouldn't mind painting my calipers and adding something like "RX8" or "Mazda" to them.

Click here, I have the solution... CHEAP!!!

Caliper Stickers... (http://64.4.14.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=d1e815d7b6f6ce7485b2b957e4809b84&lat=1075946343&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2erx8club%2ecom%2fsho wthread%2ephp%3fthreadid%3d18820%26goto%3dnewpost)

310Guy
02-05-2004, 07:25 PM
That link didn't work for me...

This is what I got:

"Your email message has been idle and this link has become inactive. To access the link, close this window and return to your MSN Hotmail Message. Then click the browser's Refresh button or close your message and reopen it."

Huh?

Irish_in_a_RX8
02-07-2004, 07:07 PM
There is no material that will withstand a caliper temperature, so I dont see how these 'stickers' will work, not to bash your product. The best material for heat will withstand 200F, your calipers go beyong 500 plus. I dont see how these would work for anyone. Painting and a steady hand is best!