By the late 1970s, black plastic started to replace chrome as the preferred trim finish for many carmakers, especially imports. By the end of the 1980s, black trim was almost universal. It delivered a more modern, technical look to the cars on which it was used, making chrome look outdated. But over time, the black often faded to an ashy gray as UV damage left its mark.
For decades there have been all kinds of products to restore the rich black finish to this type of trim. Ranging from greasy conditioners to dyes and paints, most have proven to be little more than temporary solutions. Eventually, they either need to be reapplied frequently or they fail outright. The challenge was in getting something to permanently bond with the polymers in the plastic parts for a long-lasting finish.
Eastwood’s Plastic Resurfacer was developed with this specific purpose in mind. A polymer-based paint, it bonds with the plastic to create a new topcoat for unmatched durability and colorfastness. Unlike traditional paints, it doesn’t sit on the surface but become part of it, so it won’t flake off later. It also retains the original texture of molded plastic parts, leaving a correct finish when cured.
Our 1993 Range Rover project features plenty of black plastic trim that’s in great shape except for its finish. This includes the grille, rocker sill trims, front spoiler, and bumper end caps. While all of these items are still available as replacement parts, most are aftermarket reproductions. Ideally, we’d like to keep the vehicle as original as possible. So even though we’re a long way from refinishing the rest of the bodywork, we chose to test the Plastic Resurfacer to ensure it would deliver a factory-like finish before deciding whether to budget for new parts.
We used the grille as our test piece. It was fully intact but had faded irregularly from years of sitting outside under trees and exposed to the sun. Previous attempts to restore it resulted in a cleaner, more consistent appearance that nevertheless still looked faded. No amount of conditioner was going to make this trim look permanently new, so Plastic Resurfacer was our best hope. Here’s the process we followed:
Cleaning
With the grille removed, we used a mild car wash solution and a couple of nylon brushed to remove loose dirt and debris. An upholstery brush with still bristles helped cleaned the pebbled surface, while a long soft-bristle brush reached into corners. We then rinsed and dried the part using compressed air.
Surface Prep
After cleaning the grille, we used Pre Painting Prep Solvent to remove any remaining oils, waxes, or other contaminants from the plastic. We used a scuff pad on some of the smooth surfaces to ensure positive bonding.
Masking
Because the lower section of this part is painted body color, we masked the original paint to form a sharp break. Simple painter’s tape works best to ensure a crisp edge where the black plastic meets paint.
Application
We started by spraying a light coat of Plastic Resurafcer on every surface of the grille. Hitting it from both the front and the back, we made sure we had even, complete coverage on the first coat.
The initial application can look a little blotchy compared to traditional paints. It’s best to wait 15 to 20 minutes before assessing the finish before applying a second coat. Check for any thin areas or spots you may have missed. Spray the second coat evenly and resist the urge to go too heavy. You don’t want to create runs.
Dry and Unmask
Allow the Surface Reconditioner to dry completely for at least 30 minutes. Make sure the surface is not tacky to the touch before removing any masking.
Results
The Plastic Resurfacer worked exactly as we’d hoped for the grille. Once dried, it looked like a brand-new part with the correct factory finish. To confirm its durability, we also masked and sprayed a section of the rocker trims. Repeated passes with a bare fingernail proved the bind was permanent, with no peeling, flaking, or scratches.
@Bill Johnson, yes if they’re low-gloss black.
Will this restorer work on interior plastic trim panels that are scratched .
@mark p This product actually reflows the plastic surface while adding black color back to the material. I’ve done the heat gun method on a couple of my vehicles and found that it can be inconsistent and temporary as well.
From the product page:
– Passed 2500 hours of ASTM D4587 QUV testing
– 7+ years of UV resistance
– Gets deep within the plastic to re-flow the plastic and restore that factory finish look
u must remelt the plastic surface to bring the original luster. I think the solvent in creating the plastic will be the key to restoring surface. Often times a heat gun will bring color back doing this in leiu of chemicals
Good insight, Dan. But as someone who grew up with European cars, black trim (whether plastic or metal) did become an aesthetic choice. Performance cars tended to have black window trim and wiper arms for instance, in part to reduce reflections during racing. Chrome became associated with luxury and black with performance. But without a doubt, the carmakers incorporated molded plastic over stamped metal wherever they could to save not only money, but also weight as fuel economy became a priority.
I’ve been around long enough to try most of panaceas for faded black trim paint. Honestly, what I’ve had the most luck with is simple Kiwi parade gloss shoe polish. No prep work, apply and buff. I remember when vinyl tops were popular, Blue Coral (remember them?) or another popular tin in the Seventies so you could apply a similar topping to the vinyl.
Thanks for the info, but the the car buying public didnt make black trim popular… the car builders did ! They wanted to eliminate chrome, partly because of expensive environmental restrictions but also plastic was a lot cheaper to produce than stainless or chromed steel. The gullible public was led to think black plastic was “modern” or “high tech”. But really, it was done to increase the profit per car.
Sorry all, NOTHING from a spray can or even a gun is permanent. Well maybe kinda if in a climate controlled vault with no uv exposure. Even if the coating is “permanent” and the prep is par excellence, the base plastic / rubber will continue to age / degrade / off-gas and breakdown causing the “coating” to let go, lift, craze, bubble, peel. Honestly, dye based (black or gray) and ceramic coatings reapplied every 2-3 years are less time and labor. Cerakote has a good one but there are many now.
Unfortunately, I have to disagree with this plastic restorer being permanent. I followed the directions to redo the plastic trim on my 94 Dodge Ram bumpers and while it looked amazing at first, it started to peel about 2 years later. I will admit it lasted longer than any other plastic paint/coating I have tried in the past but 2 years was still disappointing after reading about how this is supposed to be permanent – especially since it peeled and supposedly bonds to the surface. I sprayed and wiped it several times with Eastwoods prepaint prep before coating it exactly as you described and the fact that it lasted 2 years isn’t likely to mean improper prep is to blame either.