3 Mods for under $20

This is the place for all those mods

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Cajun
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3 Mods for under $20

Post by Cajun »

1. Custom Painted Bow Tie.

Open your hood, pop off your front grille and turn light assem., remove the two nuts from the back side securing the bow tie. Lightly wet sand the plastic bow esp. the edges, 6 to 8 light coats of Rust-Oleum "Paint for Plastic" direct to plastic paint followed by 6 to 8 light coats of Rust-Oleum clear coat. I allowed the paint to dry in my warm, dry house for 72 hours before reinstallation. I painted mine gloss black, but color matching your truck or a contrasting trim color like the red "Z" on a ZR5 are possibilities.
Cost - Two cans of spray paint @ $4.50 each 400 grit sandpaper from the shop, free = Total $9.00
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2. Custom Color Recovery Hooks

Gm must use water color to paint these. Mine began to rust within two years. Unbolt the hooks from the bottom, wash them down with soap and steel wool, prime with Rust-Oleum automotive primer, 6 to 8 light coats of Rust-Oleum or Color Match gloss enamel followed by 6 to 8 light coats of the clear that you bought for the bow tie project, allowed the paint to dry in warm, dry place for 72 hours before reinstallation. I painted mine yellow to match my truck's body color. They really look sharp in contrast to the black bumper. Cost - Two cans of spray paint @ $4.50 each, Clear coat that you now have from the Bow Tie project, free and soap and steel wool from the shop, free again = $9.00
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3. 12 Volt Power Outlet in the Bed Liner

My Subaru Outback has a constant power 12 volt outlet in the cargo area that I use lots esp. when camping. I found this one at WalMart and found enough space behind the bed liner on the driver's side rear near the tie down. Just below and slightly closer to the tail gate is a stock weep hole in the bottom of the bed. Place a rubber wire grommet in the weep hole to protect your wires from short. The ground wire can be attached to the stock ground stud on the frame near back on the driver's side and the red wire to a constant 12 volt power source. In my case I ran the red wire to a aux.. fuse block that I installed under the passenger side dash, if you are not set-up for this a 15 amp inline fuse under the hood will work. Cost - 12 volt power outlet $12.00, additional wiring and connections $5.00 = $17.00
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I not promoting Rust-Oleum paint. It is good stuff and markets a paint specifically for applying directly to plastic. There is a lot that you can do with a can of paint and your cleverness!

Good Luck!
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BobbleSmitty
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Post by BobbleSmitty »

I love the mods! Especially the bowtie... I was thinking of either doing what you did or making the bowtie red like the 'Z' and making the silver bar all black. Do you think it would be the same process for painting the bar??? Thanks

-Bob
[size=75]2004 S-10 Crew Cab ZR5 -*SOLD*-2" PA Body Lift - Air Shocks - 30x9.5" Cooper Discoverer S/T tires - 1.25" Rear Spacers - Clear Bumper Lights - Westin Safari - Light Bar w/ 100watt 6" Lights - Custom Stainless Steel V-force Dual Exhaust w/ 3" Black Chrome Slash Cut Tips - CB radio w/ 100watt PA speaker - Alpine MP3/CD Player - 10" JL Sub w/ 300watt amp - Low Profile - 'TonneauMasters' Tonneau Cover - In-channel Vent Visors - Airbox mod - Custom Front Tow Hooks - Debadged [/size]
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Post by BADs Crew »

Great Ideas. I might install that 12 volt outlet when I run the wire for my cap alarm. I was thinking of running some speaker wire back there also for tail gating Nascar and football games.
[size=75]2001 S-10 Crew , A.R.E Cap, Limo tint windows, Halogen Back up lights. Bilstein Shocks, 1.5 Rear Spacers, Summit Rear Diff Cover Clear Bumper Lights, Carbon Altezza Tail Lights, Billet Grill. SS Step Bars. GM full front bra. ,,, GM Quote concerning the gurgling heater core " They all sound like that"[/size]
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Post by F9K9 »

Someone sent me a black vinyl one that must have been traced from the bowtie and cut it out. It's the same as graphics vinyl and has held up well.

Costs.........................$0

Time for installation.....2 minutes

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[size=75][b]"For those who have fought for it, [i][color=red]FR[/color][color=white]EE[/color][color=blue]DOM[/color][/i] has a taste that the protected will never know."
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Post by Walt »

Forget just the bowtie, I want to black out the whole chrome bar! :lol: Actually I'd prefer it to be body colored....but I doubt it'll be changed to either color anytime soon :lol:
--Walt
2001 S-10 CrewCab - Retired...
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Pauleo
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Post by Pauleo »

f9k9 wrote:Someone sent me a black vinyl one that must have been traced from the bowtie and cut it out. It's the same as graphics vinyl and has held up well.

Costs.........................$0

Time for installation.....2 minutes

Image
I did the same thing. I went to a local shop and asked to buy a 6" (or something like that) square of red vinyl. The shop owner gave me a scrap from their trash can. Cost = $0! I just laid the vinyl over the emblem and trimmed the excess. I'd post a picture but.... um ........ er ...... I don't have the S-10 anymore. :(

Haven't done anything to my Silverado crew.


YET! :wink:
[size=75]"As I said before, I never repeat myself!"[/size]
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jeff024
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Post by jeff024 »

or go Billet
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[size=75]2004 S-10 CREW CAB {TRADED IN}
........ 2006 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeff024/]PICS OF THE CREW CAB[/url][/size]
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Post by F9K9 »

wamason wrote:Forget just the bowtie, I want to black out the whole chrome bar! :lol: Actually I'd prefer it to be body colored....but I doubt it'll be changed to either color anytime soon :lol:
Yhat's on my list too, Walt :lol:

I am seriously backed up on finishing what I have already bit off :crazy:

E-brake
E-fan
Completing the sliders install
Skidz flares

But, I do like the 12v outlet and I want run my wiring for the e-fan soon and hopefully I can combine those two mods. I already have a good 12v source that I ran from the power outlet in the engine bay for my aux backup lights so, maybe I am a step ahead.
[size=75][b]"For those who have fought for it, [i][color=red]FR[/color][color=white]EE[/color][color=blue]DOM[/color][/i] has a taste that the protected will never know."
[url=http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=73349]GUIDE TO SEARCHING. [i] (Some of the forum software is different but, it has helped me a lot.)[/i][/url][/b]
[b]"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it." Edmund Burke[/b][/size]
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Cajun
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Post by Cajun »

Bob,

I don't see why the "Paint for Plastic" would not hold up well as long as it was prepped right. My bow tie has been painted for about six months now and has endured may pressure washings, splattered bugs, road salt, etc. The clear coat must help. I thought of blacking out the chrome bar as well, but wanted to see how well the paint would hold up before getting too carried away with the experiment, i.e. I could replace the bow tie cheaper and easier if things did not work out.

Craig
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jeff024
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Post by jeff024 »

this is a pic of Gocntrys truck he has painted his grille black not sure how its holding up he hasnt posted in over 2 months
Image
[size=75]2004 S-10 CREW CAB {TRADED IN}
........ 2006 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeff024/]PICS OF THE CREW CAB[/url][/size]