Black Fangs - Not Photoshop
 

Well, I got bored yesterday and decided to paint my fangs flat black :tup:
I was quoted $200 - $250 at the bodyshops, and thought that I'd try it myself and if it didn't turn out ok, then I'll just take it in, but if it did, then I just saved myself $250 :tup:

I sanded it litely with a 120 grit sanding sponge, then finished off with a 320 grit. I used this Krylon camo flat black paint that is suppose to adhere to plastics, etc. without any sanding or primer. I didn't use primer, because there was already a pretty good base for it to stick too. I applied 3 coats, waiting 15 minutes in between. I think it looks great!, hopefully it will hold up to road debris. Masking, sanding, & painting took about 2.5 hours.

Update 3/30/09: Added 2 coats of Rustoleum Matte Clear coating. (pictures below are before the Matt Clear Coating) It's added a bit of sheen, kind of a satin finish or 10% gloss, I think it actually looks better :-) I'll take some more pics and post when I get a chance.

looks good except based on the first pic your blacks dont match up colorwise maybe its just the angle but the black frame where the license plate would mount looks darker is all.

I think it looks fantastic and that you did a really nice job. Very original and tasteful. I might have to borrow your idea! lol

Very nice, I like it! :tup: Can we expect a DIY on this in our DIY section?

actually looks good, IMO the wheels are now asking to be modded/painted

That looks NICE :cool:

Gives the car a more aggressive look.

Looking good!

Looks good!!

Yeah, I think it's just the angle, in person it matches perfectly :tup:

Yes, but I want to wait a few weeks to see if it (the paint) is going to hold up against the usual damage. :tup:

I just realized what this little black plastic piece was for. It was in a plastic bag included with my owners manual. It is a cap cover to go over the area where the tow hook is :icon17:

They didn't install the spoiler or wheel wind deflectors, so all that stuff was in a plastic bag. I installed the chin spoiler and wind deflectors myself, but could never figure out what the other plastic insert was for, now I know.

if you decide to paint the head light housings flat black, it would so be a nice touch !!!!

I like it. Nice job.

WOW you sir have balls.

Looks very good, congrats!!!

Dude, good job, and look at the money you kept in your wallet!

Yeah, I'm probably going to do the headlight mod like Lou did over at Amplified. Just not sure about the LED's yet. I'm thinking of doing the mirrors too, then when I get the wheels powder coated it will all come together nicely.

that right there is MC approved. :D matches the under spoiler very well. gives it an aggressive look. i would do this to my 370 if i had one. i cant get over how much better that looks just by breaking up the front section colorwise. it looks like its supposed to be like that from the start.

id like to see this on the lighter silver with matching flat black sports package wheels!!!


but no way i would try it myself. ive F'ed up so many things trying to wet sand even little scratches out of my cars. but on my old nismo S-tune car i did sand and paint the center part of the grill where to tow hook goes flat black and it came out ok but the lines wernt 100% straight. so yours looks damn good for a DIY

we would definitely need a DIY for that, like what oven temps and what casserole dishes we should use...lol... it's really not that easy as it sounds... :icon14:

Looks great! Makes the front end look even more aggressive.

Great work MC1! Also, can you fill us in on the license plate holder bumper plugs as Bumper Plugs were too small to fit (unless the dealer had drilled smaller holes and did not use the supplied anchors to place your holder?). Thanks.

Great work, not 100% I would do this, but it does add an aggressive look to the car. Wonder how other color cars will look with this done, red/white/blue/etc.

You could get something like Venture Shield applied to protect the paint.

Nice job.

ya good thinking i bet it is gonna be prone to chip without a clear coat. but once you put that venture sheild on that spray paint. its gonna pull it off if he ever takes it off.

Yeah thats the big thing too. Rocks are going to demolish that part of the bumper :(

Wow that looks awesome, and I agree with the black headlights housing, that'd pull the front together nicely.

So-Cal,

I used Body-Tite #45890 (Pep Boys) plugs. At first,they don't seam like they will fit, but you just have to muscle them in with your thumb, and it's no problem.

Yes, I agree. I found some Rustoleum Matt Clear Coating, I'm going to try it on a separate piece of plastic, and if it works, I'll put it on the fangs next weekend :tup:

Agreed along with the headlights. Those painted door handles on some Red Z look good too.

I'd probably do this to any other colors except Pearl White and Black of course. Hopefully Nissan will offer a White without Pearl in it.

Nice job man, you got some skillz...

looks sick!!

Will you be doing the rear of the car? - the area around the tailpipes and foglight blank - that would finish it off nicely on a silver car, imho.

I might, depending on how well the front holds up. I really would like to get the fog light working, otherwise I read somewhere that there might be a carbon overlay that would glue on over the tail pipes and fog light.

This looks great! I'll be ordering a Z with the same color combo as yours very soon and this mod idea is surely one I will borrow... how does the paint hold up so far?

Paint is holding up great, I've got about 1000 miles on it so far, and a good bit on the hwy. :tup:
Here is a recent pic, although not a good one, of the front end after I installed the 15mm front spacers on the wheels.
You can see that the Matt coating it really more of a Satin finish.

Looks very good. I wonder how it'd look on my pearl white.. Someone care to chop it for me plz?

Looks great!! I think it'll look sweet with pearl white as well!

If I go with platinum graphite, i'm definitely doing this!

Thanks for the feedback MC1. Good to know it's holding up. Looks like you made some more modifications to the front, headlights and blacked out Nissan logo? Did you get the wheels powder coated yet? That Z is going to look mean!

Here you go :tup:

Actually the lights and emblem are PShop, but I do plan on doing it at some point.
Haven't done the wheels yet either, still contemplating buying new ones, I really want to run a 305/30/19 rear and although it will fit on the 10' rim, it would be much better on an 11' ;)

I like the direction your going with the Z, I think "mean" is not the right word, sinister sounds more fitting... It's going to look very, very cool!