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Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

51K views 104 replies 69 participants last post by  goldarmytibby  
#1 · (Edited)
This is a exterior visual upgrade that will significantly improve the way your Tib looks and best of all...save you around $70 bucks. This DIY can also be used to remove/install a fuel door and trim...you pick. Takes around 20 minutes of actual work to do it, so what's stopping you?

Here we go fellas....

Remove The Fuel Door & Trim

Tools Needed: Metric Allen Wrenches (Forgot what size), Phillips Screwdriver

Step 1 -Open the fuel door and take out the four screws on the inside around the gas cap with your phillips screwdriver.
Step 2 -Use your allen wrench to remove the screws that are on your fuel door ring. Be careful on this step, I believe 3 or 4 of these screws have nuts on the back side, so pull up gently to lift up the rubber underside and pull the nuts through the rubber.

You have successfully removed the fuel door assembly. Pat yourself on the back.
Installation is the reverse of removal...for all you smarties out there.

Paint Your Fuel Door and Ring

Tools/Parts Needed: Silver Metallic Automotive Paint, Paint Basecoat or Promoter, Clear Coat, P400 Sandpaper, Superfine Sandpaper, Microfiber cloth (optional)

Note: Paint can be found at Wal-Mart, AutoZone, O'Reilly's...anywhere. Just grab the baby can of it and it'll be plenty. You don't have to use silver metallic. If you want a different look, try Gunmetal.

Step 1 -Take your P400 sandpaper and lightly sand the topcoat off the ring and door...preferrably, wet sand it. Smooth it out with your superfine grit sandpaper. Don't sand too much or you'll end up with a dip. You'll be able to see the basecoat...go no further.
Step 2 -Clean it up and get your painting setup ready...I used a bit of fishing line and a hook, hanging off a long nail in the wall as a setup...hangin the stuff up instead of painting off the floor/bench gives you a more even and accurate spray...just FYI.
Step 3 -Microfiber your part to remove dust and apply the promoter or primer. Use a light coat, wait around 10-15 minutes for the second coat...again for the third.
Step 4 -After it dries, apply your silver metallic paint using the same process.
Step 5 -After the paint dries, check your part for imperfections that may have arisen. This is your last chance to touch up if you need to. Feel free to lightly sand again to smooth out any grit then add another coat or two using the same process.
Step 6 -Seal it up with your clear coat. I used three coats, but two will do.
Step 7 -Give it overnight to completely dry and reinstall. That's it.

Pics up shortly....here they are...ignore the dates, they're way off.

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#2 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

I did this recently too, because I'm too cheap to buy a $70 fuel door :3_devil: I did mine in a metallic looking blue paint though. All I did was buy this spray on plastic adhesion stuff so that I didn't have to buff the plastic or anything and then put the paint on and used an engine grade enamel clear coat. It turned out better than the paint job already on my car lol

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#9 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

That paint looks like the Duplicolor Metal Speck, if I were to venture a guess? That color matches Tidal Wave extremely well when painted over white primer. Can post (or PM) some pics of my engine cover to show you, if anyone's interested.

(I was repainting my gas door too, since it was fading badly -- like everyone's -- and was experimenting with different blue paints, and discovered the Duplicolor Metal Speck over white was a great match. After putting the white primer on the gas door, though, I decided to leave it white -- so I put a better white on the primer and then some clear -- since it matched my stripes, calipers, & wheelwells.)
 
#3 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

Whatever floats your boat...this DIY is just to spark everyone's inner "I didn't think of that" thought. Everyone knows you can paint anything.
 
#5 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

i did this mod like ... a while back and it still hasnt rubbed off or scratched off ...... if i can still remember ... i think i did one coat of the "chrome" and then put a clear coat on and then the chrome and another clear coat and let that dry and then did it a third time and put it back on my car , looked good and still does !
 
#6 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

tibbygt04, do you have any pics of your finished product? Did you use chrome colored spray paint? I'm going to do this mod, but I'm trying to determine which color and technique I want to use.

I'm trying to decide between chrome, silver metallic, or gun metal. Also, I'm thinking about maybe painting just the ring, and leaving the door and screws the original color (which is moonlit blue). If anyone has pics of their setup, I would appreciate it.
 
#10 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

tibbygt04, do you have any pics of your finished product? Did you use chrome colored spray paint? I'm going to do this mod, but I'm trying to determine which color and technique I want to use.

I'm trying to decide between chrome, silver metallic, or gun metal. Also, I'm thinking about maybe painting just the ring, and leaving the door and screws the original color (which is moonlit blue). If anyone has pics of their setup, I would appreciate it.

yeah , i have pics of it on my cardomain , just check it out and see what ya think
 
#7 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

Stay away from chrome spraypaint....it don't look chrome...more like a flashy silver.
 
#8 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

It's nice to see that I've inspired others to repaint their "should be recalled" chipping fuel doors!
 
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#11 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

I did this DIY before you posted and I had a problem with the color. I don't know if you ran into this, but after I sprayed the metalic silver on it looked fine and close to matching my tib, but after I sprayed the clear coat on the damn thing came out darker and doesn't match my car very well.

part of me thinks it was in my process because I would only give 30 mins to dry in between paint and clear coat.
 
#79 ·
Re: DIY: Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

I did this DIY before you posted and I had a problem with the color. I don't know if you ran into this, but after I sprayed the metalic silver on it looked fine and close to matching my tib, but after I sprayed the clear coat on the damn thing came out darker and doesn't match my car very well.

part of me thinks it was in my process because I would only give 30 mins to dry in between paint and clear coat.
Same thing happened to me!! Looking really shiny after paint, but clear coat ruined it. Looks so dull now. Will post pics soon. Might re-sand and re-paint tomorrow, and not even use clear coat...
 
#12 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

No, didn't run into that problem...but, my car is black so if it got a little darker, I'd hardly notice.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

bwhahaha priceless

anyways nice write up. Im thinking of doing this now. I wondering what would be good with silver tib though (want to do a different color). Im just thinking black or possibly gunmetal
I just recently painted mine, I also have silver,....I painted it sort of a gunmetal color.......I think it looks pretty sweet..:3_yummie: ..here are some pics of it...................:3_smiliec
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#22 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

just received my new gas cap and tried to exchange the doors, and I cannot get the two top screws out!?!?! bottom ones came out easily, top ones are in like *****es. I tried hammering them a bit and also used WD-40. no success. any other ideas what I can do?

same problem

i think you need to drill and tap the screws if not they'll strip.

would appreciate any other insight
 
#20 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

That looks great with gunmetal wheels.
 
#24 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

I really like this mod. I am actually considering doing this even though my paint hasnt faded yet but I am going a little different route. I am thinking of only painting the ring black and leaving the door itself white. Anyone know if the door is removable from the ring to ensure no overspray of any kind? I know it could be done as is but it would just make it a heck of a lot easier separating the two.
 
#25 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

I really like this mod. I am actually considering doing this even though my paint hasnt faded yet but I am going a little different route. I am thinking of only painting the ring black and leaving the door itself white. Anyone know if the door is removable from the ring to ensure no overspray of any kind? I know it could be done as is but it would just make it a heck of a lot easier separating the two.
What I did was tape plastic bags around door flap, and painted the outer ring black, then once it dried I did the same for the inner part and just taped plastic bags on the outer ring. Just be sure not to do what I did and make sure the plastic does not get blown by the wind and ruin it while it dries lol
 
#26 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

Uh the door is removable from the ring. Very simple. Just unscrew the two screws that hold it on and pull it out at an angle.
 
#29 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

Well, doing mine as we speak. Painted the ring w/ Dupli-color chrome despite all the warnings, and the fuel door w/ Dupli-color black. The chrome looks pretty chrome until you clear it, then it turns a greyish shade. I would be greatly disappointed, but anything is an upgrade over what my gas cap looked like previously.

Did 3 coats of chrome + 3 coats of clear on the ring.

5 Coats of black + 3 coats of clear on the door. Would have done 3, but had an imperfection I had to sand down + threw 2 more coats on.

Will post pics up after I'm done clearing the door. I recommend this to anyone, very simple DIY. I have never painted anything before and this is a breeze. Cost $20 for all the supplies. (Black paint, Chrome paint, Sandpaper, Clear Coat [I did not use primer])

Thanks Carpenter!
 
#32 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

Now with all tha painting on tha engine and interior pieces do u sand them down 1st?its kind of a dumb question...jus let me know tha proper way to do all this and tha proper materials,thnkz!jus PM me cuz i prolly wont find this again lol
 
#34 ·
Re: DIY -Metallic Fuel Door & Ring

Great DIY.. Did this myself. I used Duplicolor chrome and clear coat for the door and black vinyl for the screws, Turned out pretty well. I still need to go over it with a little buffing compound to smooth it out and put a coat of wax on it. I would recommend against the vinyl on the screws, it comes off too easily, but that was all I had lying around. I'll have to redo them in the future.
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