Not really a DIY, but not sure where else to post it.

I've been thinking for awhile now about covering all the chrome and shiny metal pieces on my VR R3. There really aren't very many but I'd rather they were blacked out or something. The side marker lights really stand out so...

I had a couple pieces of that carbon fiber effects wrap in the garage from a project last year and thought I'd give it a try. The toughest part is prying those lights out of the chrome surround. Cut a piece for each side with a slit in the center to go around the light. Heated, pressed, heated, pressed... trimmed. Took about 15 minutes a side. What do you think?

 

Looks pretty good, although black would have been better.

My wife was laid up with a sprained ankle and bored, I asked her if she wanted to do the Plasti Dip spray on the chrome parts and she went wild.

I just clay barred and sealed all the paint on the 8 and was impressed how good the Plasti Dip looked.




I started to break out some vinyl like you, but the plasti dip looks so good, I am leaving it for now

She did the front emblem and fog light too:

 

Thanks - and your Plasti Dip stuff looks great! I have 2 cans of the black stuff myself... I'll give the wrap a bit to "cook" in my brain to see if I really dig it. If not, I'll be going the route you did!

 

Looks good as an accent. Not sure it would be a good idea to use it anywhere else, though. Stuff like carbon fiber, unless it's being used for structural purposes or in large visible pieces like the center console on the new 3, starts to look chintzy real quick if it shows up in too many places.

 

Oh I definitely agree there. In fact, it's already cooked long enough in my brain. I think I'm gonna rip it off later today and just paint 'em black.

 

Jims5543 - Can you or (your wife) post up how to best do this? Do you have take parts off the car? Do you just mask the rest up and spray this on? Any prep required?

I would like to do all the emblems, the chrome on side and front bumper of my R3 as well. The chrome is so gaudy and out of place. So random of mazda...

 

how do you remove that whole assembly? i searched and am having trouble finding the correct thread.

 

I too have been wantingto paint my sidemarker. How'd you remove it?

 

Looks good, id go with the vinyl just because you can always take it off but the black plastic dip does look good! Black vinyl maybe?

 

How exactly did you remove the side markers? I tried to do it the way the owners manual suggests but when I push it back it just springs back forward.

 

you can take the markers off by taking the bottom 3 pressure pin things out on your wheel well cover then reaching through to the back of the side marker. theres little tabs on the back of the light assembly that you have to push to get it out. you dont have to remover the lights to use the plasti dip though and if you dont like it you can still remove it like a vynal. if i uploaded right my pictures will kinda show how i did mine. you paint over everything and just peel off what you dont want covered. i only removed my lights to 3m tint the light