Volvo 850 Made from 1993 to 1997, this Volvo line was available in both a wagon and a sedan, both with were graced with several trim levels.

Black painted grille?

Old Oct 5, 2010 | 06:24 PM
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Default Black painted grille?

Hey Everyone,
I've noticed many 850 owners have painted their front grilles black. I think it looks really good and am considering doing it as well. How would I do this? Meaning, do I use spray paint..? Some kind of outdoor black spray paint? Thanks
 
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Old Oct 5, 2010 | 06:43 PM
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Just let it get really dirty. Seriously, it's easy. Sand your grille with some light snadpaper, spray on a black paint suitable for plastic and the outdoors, and then a few coats of clear finish. There's tabs behind the grille to remove it. It's easy and it really looks sharp. Good luck!
 
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Old Oct 5, 2010 | 07:37 PM
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took me about an hour to prep, paint, clear, and reinstall mine. Nothing to it.
 
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Old Oct 6, 2010 | 08:48 AM
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I removed my sons, lightly sanded, taped off the emblem and the slash (and the edge cause we only wanted to paint the vertical parts) and then sprayed it with Krylon Fusion, which is made for plastic. Easy re install. His car is black so it really looks good.
 
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Old Oct 6, 2010 | 11:53 AM
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I did the same. A few things to keep in mind;

Don't over spray the thing - go with at least 5 or 6 light coats. I got over anxious with painting every nook & cranny and wound up getting drip lines here and there – too heavy a spray and not enough time between sprays. Not too noticeable, but I know they're there (grr!). Take your time spraying it - it’ll take a day or two, so don’t plan to drive around without it.

The other is that it'll be pelted with pebbles and rocks as you drive, so you'll want a paint that'll take a beating. Some have suggested the use of a rubberized paint or PlastiDip, but IMO the finish would be too matted with the rubber spray and the PlastiDip would be too thick and too expensive.

Remove the badge instead of taping it. It’s easy to remove, saves a lot of time from taping it and will give you a better result. Just be careful with the little round clamp thingys holding it in place and you'll be fine.

I taped up the rubber seal around the grill. I didn’t want any spray paint on it that would rub on the hood and cause damage to the cars paint.
 
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Old Oct 6, 2010 | 07:04 PM
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awesome thanks guys! I plan on doing it! I'm going to use that outdoor spray paint and tape over the badges etc.. and I think it will look good, mine's the bright ( not so much currently, needs a wash) red.
 
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 02:57 PM
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I sanded/prepped mine but after a year it is showing signs of chipping. I bought the cheap bead blaster from Harbor freight and am going to give the grill a taste of glass then try again.

Krylon Satin Black
 
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 04:32 PM
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You think the grill will hold up to the bead blaster? Seems risky to me
 
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 05:28 PM
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Ya, it will. It should nicely take off the existing paint job and pit the chrome enough for the paint to stick well. I have used the blaster on several items, it works well.
 
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Old Oct 8, 2010 | 02:26 PM
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sounds great
 
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