Rear bumper paint quality in 04/05.

[wearymicrobe]

Kind of a strange question. Looking at getting a 04/05 Thunderbird to use as a DD and keep the miles off my 55 and 57 TBirds. Plus AC and airbags would be nice.

Is the rear bumper painted with a differnt quality paint or in a different way from the rest of the cars. I have look at three car now and all three have serious fish-eyes and orange peel in the rear bumper but the rest of the car is not that bad for modern water based paints.

Did Ford use a flex additive or something or have I just run across three cars with painted rear bumpers.

Also if anyone knows of a Jinx/007 that is for sale within say 500-700 miles of San Diego I would be very interested in that as well. I was planning on dipping the car anyway in a pearlecent coral color but that is the one that I like the best followed by the Coastal edition.

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[tony millholen]

Kind of a strange question. Looking at getting a 04/05 Thunderbird to use as a DD and keep the miles off my 55 and 57 TBirds. Plus AC and airbags would be nice.

Is the rear bumper painted with a differnt quality paint or in a different way from the rest of the cars. I have look at three car now and all three have serious fish-eyes and orange peel in the rear bumper but the rest of the car is not that bad for modern water based paints.

Did Ford use a flex additive or something or have I just run across three cars with painted rear bumpers.

Also if anyone knows of a Jinx/007 that is for sale within say 500-700 miles of San Diego I would be very interested in that as well. I was planning on dipping the car anyway in a pearlecent coral color but that is the one that I like the best followed by the Coastal edition.

 

[tony millholen]

Hi The 04 and 05 's were painted with a solvent based paint. I had a very small dent on one of the doors of my "05" but being as picky as I am I want it fixed . Now I am sorry about it the body shop said they could not use the stock paint because of California's laws. So the used the water base after back and forth 9 times they got it as close as they could they say but the little dent ended up having the door part of the finder and trunk lid painted and it is still not right. This is now going on for a year and I am waiting for a opening to take it back again. The repair work is guaranteed for Life . But as far as the bumper they are painted with the same paint as body from Ford I have the tri color Cashmir Limited 50th Anniversary edition . I hope this answers some of your question. Happy safe driving ......

 

[05Dave]

My wifes 05 does not have that problem. Possibly those you looked at have had the bumper cover(s) repainted. Many shops have a tough time with water based paint.
Dave

 

[wearymicrobe]

Thanks tony.

I have a feeling this is just repair paint-jobs form California then. The bumpers are always the first to get painted and the front which should have the same additives looks the same as the rest of the car.

FYI I end up sending a lot of my classics out of state and sometimes the country (Mexico) to get the correct paint and chrome done for vintage showing. The stuff out here in California is terrible to have to sand and cut. Can add 60-80 hours of cut and polish sometimes and still does not look right.

 

[tony millholen]

Thanks tony.

I have a feeling this is just repair paint-jobs form California then. The bumpers are always the first to get painted and the front which should have the same additives looks the same as the rest of the car.

FYI I end up sending a lot of my classics out of state and sometimes the country (Mexico) to get the correct paint and chrome done for vintage showing. The stuff out here in California is terrible to have to sand and cut. Can add 60-80 hours of cut and polish sometimes and still does not look right.

You are 100 % correct....I need to send out some chrome on my 60 tbird, I have had it since I was 15 now I'm 62 do you know of anyone good that won't break my almost broke account ? SSI doesn't go far in Calif.

 

[wearymicrobe]

Not really my guys are properly expensive. The bill for my last 57 Cadillac Biarritz just for the bumpers and some interior work was 20K. The cheaper stuff I do I send to Mexico with a group of guys who gets parts together with the HAMB. Don't have the platers info though, will see if I can dig it up.

Finding a good bird has been hard, but locally there is a 04 all option car with the hardtop and about 65K miles for 10K. Needs the rear bumper painted correctly though and I need to send it out for maybe 400$ in PDI to make it perfect, got a few small key marks on the trunk as well that would need to be blended out. Its silver though and I would love to get my hands on something a little brighter and vintage in color to match my old ones.

 

[wearymicrobe]

Think I have looked at every PP Thunderbird in 50 miles. All have issues. Last one was advertised as perfect and had torn seats, duck-tape holding on the roof and three panels that needed repaint.

Think I am just going to keep an eye on the classified here so at least I am buying from somebody who knows and appreciates the car.