Blacking Out the Rear Valance
This is a very simple process with a big payback in appearance. I got onto the idea when I saw a carbon-fiber rear diffuser on a 370Z. I loved the look of it, but since I don’t track my car I don’t need the function the diffuser provides (i.e., to help stabilize the car at high speeds). A simple blackout gives a similar appearance to a diffuser without hardly any of the cost. If you don’t like the look, the PlastiDip is easily removed—it’s a rubberized coating, not paint.
You will need:
• Painter’s blue masking tape (1” and 3” widths recommended)
• Old newspapers
• Tarp to protect floor (5’x 8’), or more newspapers
• A can of black PlastiDip (you will use much less than a whole can)
• Optional: floor jack and two jack stands
Step 1: Jack up the rear of the car. This is optional. The increase in height makes reaching and looking easier, but it’s not a big deal. You can barely see them in the picture, but there are jack stands on both sides of the car just in front of the rear wheels as a safety measure. This picture also shows the car (in gunmetal) before blackout.
Step 2: Mask off. The rear fog light is masked, as are the tailpipes. The masking tape’s edge should sit in the valley where the valance and the bumper fit together. The muffler is protected from overspray, even though it is not normally visible when the car is off the jacks. The floor under the car is covered by an old plastic tarp, although the chances of hitting it with the PlastiDip are small.
Step 3: Spray. PlastiDip is easy to use and very forgiving. That said, you do want to avoid big runs down the valence, so spray each coat lightly, about 10” to 12”from the surface, in a constantly-moving sweeping motion. The first coat will let a lot of the original surface show through—don’t worry. Use four coats with 20-30 minutes drying between each coat.
Step 4: Wait, then unmask. Here is where you can run into trouble: the dip wants to stick to the rough-surfaced masking tape, and not to the smooth-surfaced car paint. If you wait until the final coat is completely dry (at least 4 hours), some of the dip may come off with the tape, leaving an ugly jagged edge.
A technique that worked for me was to wait until the last coat was dry and then remove all the newspaper and the tape on the fog light, leaving only the masking tape on the bumper. Then I sprayed another coat of PlastiDip just on that area, and while it was still wet removed the masking tape. This works because the solvent in the spray softens all the coats of dip already on the car.
I don’t know how the valence is going to hold up, but my PlastiDipped wheels look great after months of use.
