I'll paint my own dam top: MOD vs MIC

[Silver-Bolt]

The heat treat process is apparently very common with plastic. Just about anything plastic - at the factory - is heat treated.

Strange. I work with injection molding companies daily and have never heard of this process.

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[broadicustomworks]

The only real way to get rid of the release agents is to use a solvent prep. Xylene, prep-all, naptha, etc.
Lacquer thinners, MEK, MAK, paint reducers stay away from unless you like melted plastic smears or fisheyes everywhere.
Technically you can paint anything with the right products, prep, and conditions.
Not saying it is either cheap or easy, because it isn't if you do it correctly where it will last.
You have to prep it correctly.
This means getting all of the release agents, solvents, and any dressing (Please do not use Armor-All, ever, if you plan on painting it at any point in the next 100 years) applied.
Then mechanically creating a bond by sanding/scotchbriting (at the very least) every square inch, and doing it well, with purpose.
Wipe it all down again with a final prep solvent.
Spray Adhesion promoter and a good epoxy primer.
Let that sit for a week, in the sun.
Sand that with no coarser than 320 for paint, 120 or even 80 grit for bedliner.
Final prep wipe it again.
paint/line as desired.

I've done several with no failures. (All Jeep tops and no Bronco tops, naturally)
Several of those had damage which required fiberglass repair work needed as well.
I am going to try it at some point, but not on mine, as I am ok with the MIC color with my build for now.
Well, once I get my build, that is.
I've chimed in on most of these MIC top painting posts with the same info.
The pre-production tops are no good for painting due to the grain/texture.
IT is identical to aftermarket speaker enclosures for motorcycles and those are a PITA to paint.
I've also done several of those, and not all of them succeed in keeping paint stuck to them, even after textbook-perfect prep work.
Some do, some don't.
The actual production tops now have a grain very similar to Jeep tops, so no one knows until they try one for sure. But technically there are products out there to achieve it and technically it is possible and probable that it can be done effectively, and for less than $1k easily.
I charge, depending on the size (2 dr-1 pc or 4 dr with panels) between $400-800 to do a top in either satin black or Raptor liner. Special colors more, depending on the actual price of the paint.

 

[ZackDanger]

You should go back through @Ksjrb03 posts from last year and see why he knows how the Broncos top goes together and what its made of. Some people on here have better info than others. Just a thought.

Here, allow me:

Nah.

 

[ZackDanger]

We're planning on painting our MIC top and fenders. The only thing I hate about the appearance of the Bronco is the hodge podge of different colored plastics. […]

I’m waiting to see how things look in the real world before concluding anything. Ford changed the texture which greatly effected the light reflectivity… and I wonder how environmental context will down play any differences in colors that may still appear to exist in photographs:

So many vehicles driving around right now have different colored black plastics, but we don’t even notice it because of context.

 

[L8apex]

I've always preferred a more subtle, inconspicuous look. Prefer to blend in while maintaining the off-road integrity of my rig. I'm thinking of something like below.


@broadicustomworks what do you think it would take to do something like this?

 

[vrtical]

Just plasti dip the whole rig

 

[broadicustomworks]

I've always preferred a more subtle, inconspicuous look. Prefer to blend in while maintaining the off-road integrity of my rig. I'm thinking of something like below.


@broadicustomworks what do you think it would take to do something like this?

Lol, short answer is a LOT!
I’ve tried some of the chrome painting. It is a PITA, requires almost nuclear clean-room level environments.
basically you sand, prime, paint black. Then clear.
let it dry 24 hours.
don’t touch it, don’t even breathe on it and spray the chrome coats.
clear over that.
Anything, and I mean anything such as one speck of dust, one fingerprint, even the wipe marks from a tack cloth will show up. That look is best achieved by a wrap.
I’ve done the chrome painting on bumpers, door handles, under-hood stuff and it hardly ever comes out right the first time.
there is a water-based version I haven’t tried that they use in the UK that looks amazing.

 

[WonkyBronky]

I think the biggest issue here is removing the texture to have a smooth paint finish. The labor alone for that would defeat any savings, and would still be difficult to achieve a straight and smooth surface.

 

[flip]

There are a bevy of plastic adhesion promoters for plastic body parts. 6 months ago we had a customer bring in a body kit for a Mustang he wanted replaced while we did other body work. Parts were prepped, sanded, sealed and painted like we've done every other time and couldn't get the paint to stick. Figured out it was the release agent bleeding out or it had silicone in it.

Only way to know what paint will do on a MIC is to prep and paint. The MIC texture may be an issue, the type of plastic or polymer could cause issues too. I don't see sanding as a great option, again due to the material. If you can get a promoter to stick then you might be able to use a primer that will fill the texture and be flexible, possibly allowing the grain to be buried. I'm game to try if we can get our paws on some panels.

 

[Slyder]

The only real way to get rid of the release agents is to use a solvent prep. Xylene, prep-all, naptha, etc.
Lacquer thinners, MEK, MAK, paint reducers stay away from unless you like melted plastic smears or fisheyes everywhere.
Technically you can paint anything with the right products, prep, and conditions.
Not saying it is either cheap or easy, because it isn't if you do it correctly where it will last.
You have to prep it correctly.
This means getting all of the release agents, solvents, and any dressing (Please do not use Armor-All, ever, if you plan on painting it at any point in the next 100 years) applied.
Then mechanically creating a bond by sanding/scotchbriting (at the very least) every square inch, and doing it well, with purpose.
Wipe it all own again with a final prep solvent.
Spray Adhesion promoter and a good epoxy primer.
Let that sit for a week, in the sun.
Sand that with no coarser than 320 for paint, 120 or even 80 grit for bedliner.
Final prep wipe it again.
paint/line as desired.

I've done several with no failures. (All Jeep tops and no Bronco tops, naturally)
Several of those had damage which required fiberglass repair work needed as well.
I am going to try it at some point, but not on mine, as I am ok with the MIC color with my build for now.
Well, once I get my build, that is.
I've chimed in on most of these MIC top painting posts with the same info.
The pre-production tops are no good for painting due to the grain/texture.
IT is identical to aftermarket speaker enclosures for motorcycles and those are a PITA to paint.
I've also done several of those, and not all of them succeed in keeping paint stuck to them, even after textbook-perfect prep work.
Some do, some don't.
The actual production tops now have a grain very similar to Jeep tops, so no one knows until they try one for sure. But technically there are products out there to achieve it and technically it is possible and probable that it can be done effectively, and for less than $1k easily.
I charge, depending on the size (2 dr-1 pc or 4 dr with panels) between $400-800 to do a top in either satin black or Raptor liner. Special colors more, depending on the actual price of the paint.

I too have chimed in on a lot of the threads about painting/changing the MiC tops color, and agree with everything broadicustomworks has said.

I've mentioned a couple other methods to try for the MiC top, but alas, I'm atleast a '22 M.Y and hesitant to try it on my vehicle without a 'test panel' (i.e. a driver or passenger roof panel that had an unfortunate accident and is damged/broken).

I've used these methods before (I'm a former autobody refinish & repair tech) and they're legit, and much better than krylon, but as with anything, proper and methodical surface prep is key. (these methods have also been used on housing exterior vinyl trim re-color).

If you're dead serious about a color change, look into Color Bond or SEM trim/plastic paints as a 'possible' viable solution. You won't need to remove any texture, but you will need to properly scuff/sand it with a 320 - 400 grit scotchbrite.

This just my 2cents worth and something to consider.

 

[Texas Sunshine]

Can you wrap the top? Will the wrapping material adhere to plastic?

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Can you wrap the top? Will the wrapping material adhere to plastic?

Yes and possibly no. lol. Wraps can have similar issues on plastics as paint. It all comes down to the prep.

 

[gentlemanbronco]

Sanding and wrapping could be an option.

This is what I've been thinking, why not just get a reputable wrap place to handle it.

 

[Jeep4bronco86]

The only real way to get rid of the release agents is to use a solvent prep. Xylene, prep-all, naptha, etc.
Lacquer thinners, MEK, MAK, paint reducers stay away from unless you like melted plastic smears or fisheyes everywhere.
Technically you can paint anything with the right products, prep, and conditions.
Not saying it is either cheap or easy, because it isn't if you do it correctly where it will last.
You have to prep it correctly.
This means getting all of the release agents, solvents, and any dressing (Please do not use Armor-All, ever, if you plan on painting it at any point in the next 100 years) applied.
Then mechanically creating a bond by sanding/scotchbriting (at the very least) every square inch, and doing it well, with purpose.
Wipe it all down again with a final prep solvent.
Spray Adhesion promoter and a good epoxy primer.
Let that sit for a week, in the sun.
Sand that with no coarser than 320 for paint, 120 or even 80 grit for bedliner.
Final prep wipe it again.
paint/line as desired.

I've done several with no failures. (All Jeep tops and no Bronco tops, naturally)
Several of those had damage which required fiberglass repair work needed as well.
I am going to try it at some point, but not on mine, as I am ok with the MIC color with my build for now.
Well, once I get my build, that is.
I've chimed in on most of these MIC top painting posts with the same info.
The pre-production tops are no good for painting due to the grain/texture.
IT is identical to aftermarket speaker enclosures for motorcycles and those are a PITA to paint.
I've also done several of those, and not all of them succeed in keeping paint stuck to them, even after textbook-perfect prep work.
Some do, some don't.
The actual production tops now have a grain very similar to Jeep tops, so no one knows until they try one for sure. But technically there are products out there to achieve it and technically it is possible and probable that it can be done effectively, and for less than $1k easily.
I charge, depending on the size (2 dr-1 pc or 4 dr with panels) between $400-800 to do a top in either satin black or Raptor liner. Special colors more, depending on the actual price of the paint.

All great info. I suspect the bug in the whole process is baking. I know some paint manufacturers recommend baking at 1500F for 30 mins to pull out release agents, prior to adhesion promoter.

I'd pay $2k+ to get my top painted to match the body, without hesitation.

I wonder if both the MIC and MOD are made of SMC. I would assume so - same tried and true method used for Jeep tops.

"Sheet molding compound (SMC) resin is a fiberglass-based compression molding that is used in applications that require high strength. SMC is comprised of several materials including fiberglass, polymer resin, release agents and thickeners.

Composition
SMC fiberglass mixture is sheathed on the bottom and top by polyethylene or nylon plastic to keep the mixture from automatically adhering to a surface. The SMC mixture is first spread evenly on the bottom sheath of polyethylene, at which point small chunks of fiberglass are mixed into the paste. The top layer of polyethylene is then placed on top of the product, which is rolled into various thicknesses."

 

[L8apex]

All great info. I suspect the bug in the whole process is baking. I know some paint manufacturers recommend baking at 1500F for 30 mins to pull out release agents, prior to adhesion promoter.

1500F is a good way to get a puddle of carbon.

Assuming you meant 150F - either way, gonna need a pretty big oven / autoclave.

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