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Cladding Paint Fusion vs. Dupli.color bumper coating

karr68

Full Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2009
Messages
35
Location
Omaha
Cladding Paint Fusion vs. Dupli.color bumper coating

I have been seeing alot of post on here about using fusion, or gator paint now I added Dupli color bumper coading to the mix.

First I cleaned each bed panel with alochol.



Dupli Color is an acutal bumper coating with a flex aditive in it. Its soul propose is to coat bumper and renew thier color.  I used FB105 Flex Blk Bumer color. it is 7.95 a can at your local Auto store.

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Fusion FOR PLASTIC paint 4.50 at Wally world. This is for plastic of any kind and you do not have to sand or prime the surface you are painting.  I noticed when painting extra spots of paint drip out. So before each coat I shook the can and wiped off the tip.

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I applied 3 coats of each paint

The first one to the left is the  Dupli Color 
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The middle one is the Fusion
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and the Right one is original color.
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I dont know if you can see it but the Dupli color ends up being a flat black which reminds me of the same black the AVs with black cladding have.

The fusion has more of a gloss look just like your dash would look after you cleaned it with Armor All.

None of them filled in the scraps very well just blended them in. 




 
Just wanted to add that I left the AV outside and it rained this morning the Fusion has tons of beads of water. So it sealed really well.
The Dupli Color did the same
 
Sweet post! Thanks for the info! I wanted to know what my options were when the cladding started to fade to bad, now I definatly know which way to go! A++ post, thanks!  (y)
 
I used the Satin Black and it works out very well.  I just finished the whole truck and will post some photos of it later on.

If you are worried that the Fusion will fade I noticed K-mart has a UV protector in the Fusion product line I think it it was like 6 bucks a can.

karr68
 
Yea, Posts some pics. I have used the satin black on a bunch of interior stuff on my 70 Chevelle, Holding up really well so far. (been 2 years)

LK
 
All right here we go with some before photos. Notice I have already painted the Front bumper.

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Here are some after.  I did use Fusion on the whole truck in these photos it is a little dirty, sorry.

I liked Fusion a little more because it had that Sheen which shows off the texture of the cladding a lot. 

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I have had 3 complements today already because of the "NEW" cladding.


Let me know what you guys think.

 
karr68 how did u paint your cladding on you av did u take it off or tape off your truck? i will be be getting the upper portion painted red as my av but i want the lower portion black. thanks
 
How many cans did you need for the whole job  ???
 
It took me about 11 cans.  I did 3 coats on everything but the bed covers. They took a little more because they were faded bad.

I used alto of tape and paper to cover my Av's paint and used alcohol  to clean the cladding. 

After you finish the cadding paint take a new white rag with alcohol and clean you body paint.  There will be over spray no matter what!!

Wally World had Fusion paint around 4.30 the cheapest I have found so far. There is also a UN Protected that you can use as a clear coat if you are worried about fading.
 
Whelp, looks like i have another project to do.  I thought about using that krylon stuff last year, but was too afraid. Im officially sold.
 
Thanks.... Glad I can Help out fellow lanche owners. 

Right now the Fusion is holding up great. I live in Nebraska which means they put a ton of salt on the road so I am waiting to see how everything looks in the spring. 

Another note as always watch out when you wax your vehicle not to get any wax on your cladding. I tried almost everything to get the wax out of the texture with no luck.

I have not used the UV protector and I have seen no fading whats so ever. If you check out the photo of my front bumper I did not paint the two humps because I wanted to shoot them with the hammer gray color. Well I have not gotten to that part yet. But I am really surprised not to see any flaking or pealing on the tape line. Fusion really holds up. 

 
I've been torn between this or doing the Gatorback on just the bed covers. I have already painted all the cladding in matching professional enamel, but the bed covers are bare. I'm leaning toward the Gatorback because of the abuse the covers go thru. I do take them off often to haul stuff, and I think the paint won't hold up based on the Fusion that is on my rear bumper now. My local auto paint store had a can of Gatorback out last moth for about $80.00. Just seems it would hold up a lot better than paint,  and I have the tools to apply it.
 
That looks great!!! I want to do this, but I paint like cr@p  :E:  Do you have to sand or do anything between coats? 
 
thomsen05 said:
That looks great!!! I want to do this, but I paint like cr@p  :E:  Do you have to sand or do anything between coats? 

Nope nothing between coats. I just sprayed one side first and then taped of the other side and went back. A good 3 coats should work depending how faded your cladding is.

After your finished and you take the paper off clean the paint surface of with some alcohol or a spray on wax but do not get it on you newly painted cladding.

karr68
 
Hey Karr68 that looks awesome! How did it hold up through the winter? I have an avy exactly like yours and I was thinking about starting the painting project this weekend. How warm was it when you painted? Its is supposed to be in the 70s here in Boise this weekend.
 
Held up Great!!!!!!!

It was in the 90s when I painted the cladding but a day in the 70s should be just fine.  Painting the cladding on my AV looked different at first bc of the contrast between the two colors but I have say it looks alot better you will not be disapointed one bit. 

Make sure you dont have any other vehicles down wind of your painting area. They will get splattered.

karr68
 
loos fantastic! I want to do this to my '02 because it has the lighter grey plastic...... is it sticky to the touch? Like now that it is dried and everything if yo urub your hand on it is it sticky or wet or will it come off on your hands?
 
when it is drying and just sprayed on it is sticky.
:eek:
But after a couple of hours in the sun it is baked in. I did it last August and I can sit there and rub the cladding and nothing will come off. My nieghbors  look at me funny when I do this.  :love:

I still would not wash the cadding for a couple of days thought after painting
 
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