Grill, Emblem, and Badge Modification Pictures

[bradze]

bumping an old thread. there is a mesh grill available, i wanna get but it still needs paint APG® - Chrome Small Mesh Grille - 2011 Subaru Outback APG Mesh Grille

also i debadged my car yesterday, minus my angry rally pig overlay.

[ChrisJ]

Going to plastidip my lower grille today, will post pics after

[tool46n2]

I decided to pull off my front and rear badges of my '11 Outback Limited and paint them red. Spent numerous hours researching the best way to remove the blue color from the back and decided to keep the chrome stars in the badge and just change the background color. I went with the sanding method and it couldn't have been easier. I didn't want to try goof-off or other chemical products as they can discolor plastic badly and it can be a crap-shoot on the results.

1. Removed front and rear badges. Used a heat gun to warm up the badge and slid an auto-body trim tool underneath (at the bottom of the badge) and slowly pried it up. There is only adhesive under there. This took about 10 min as I wanted to be careful.

2. Removed the two sided tape by pulling it off then used goo-gone (the citrus one) to clean up the residual junk. This took 5 min. Here they are cleaned and ready for sanding.


3. Started with 320 grit sandpaper to take off the blue backing of the badge as well as the outer edge as it's painted too. This only took about 5 min to get all of the blue off. Repeated the process with 600 grit, 1200 grit and 2000 grit. For the 1200 and 2000 I wet-sanded standing over the sink. For all 4 passes on both badges it only took about 45 min. This pic is after all sanding was done. Still a little hazy.


4. Used some PlastX clear plastic cleaner to buff out the remaining haze. I did about 3 applications on both sides. I also used the 2000 grit on the front of my badges before the PalstX to take out minor surface damage (have about 36k miles on the car). This took less than 10 min. Pics of badges ready to paint.


So it took about an hour to get them all cleaned up and ready for paint once the were off the car. And total spend has been about $25. Unfortunately I live in Chicago which prohibits the sale of spray paint, so I have to drive 20 miles to buy a can of stupid red paint. I will post some final pics once they are sprayed and installed.

[OBnube]

Nice post. Mongo like pictures.

[AltaBrig]

Originally Posted by tool46n2

I decided to pull off my front and rear badges of my '11 Outback Limited and paint them red. Spent numerous hours researching the best way to remove the blue color from the back and decided to keep the chrome stars in the badge and just change the background color. I went with the sanding method and it couldn't have been easier. I didn't want to try goof-off or other chemical products as they can discolor plastic badly and it can be a crap-shoot on the results.

1. Removed front and rear badges. Used a heat gun to warm up the badge and slid an auto-body trim tool underneath (at the bottom of the badge) and slowly pried it up. There is only adhesive under there. This took about 10 min as I wanted to be careful.

2. Removed the two sided tape by pulling it off then used goo-gone (the citrus one) to clean up the residual junk. This took 5 min. Here they are cleaned and ready for sanding.
Attachment 25383Attachment 25384

3. Started with 320 grit sandpaper to take off the blue backing of the badge as well as the outer edge as it's painted too. This only took about 5 min to get all of the blue off. Repeated the process with 600 grit, 1200 grit and 2000 grit. For the 1200 and 2000 I wet-sanded standing over the sink. For all 4 passes on both badges it only took about 45 min. This pic is after all sanding was done. Still a little hazy.
Attachment 25386

4. Used some PlastX clear plastic cleaner to buff out the remaining haze. I did about 3 applications on both sides. I also used the 2000 grit on the front of my badges before the PalstX to take out minor surface damage (have about 36k miles on the car). This took less than 10 min. Pics of badges ready to paint.
Attachment 25387Attachment 25388

So it took about an hour to get them all cleaned up and ready for paint once the were off the car. And total spend has been about $25. Unfortunately I live in Chicago which prohibits the sale of spray paint, so I have to drive 20 miles to buy a can of stupid red paint. I will post some final pics once they are sprayed and installed.

Cool. (not the 20 mile drive, but if it keeps tagging down great). Mine is at 35K. At some point the linex or plasti-dip will come out.

[bradze]

^whoa! a 19 inch sway-bar! did you get off that crawler thing that used to move the space shuttle?

[AltaBrig]

^The metric system doesn't exist. I weigh 15 stone.

[AltaBrig]

Added these uglies. Fiance will be doing the driving of this rig on a daily basis and I felt the ugliness was a small insurance premium for a bit of parking lot protection. I cut the rear corner bumper moldings as one member suggested and photoshopped.

[10xB]

anyone know if the legacy grill will fit the OB? I have the 2013 and I want to change it up.

[bradze]

it wont