Any blacked out convertibles? Quoted $1,300 to complete. - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

xcarolina23 · 10-08-2012, 12:57 PM

Just bought my SS last weekend. Liked the coupes but with how tall I am the sunroof was a little too close for comfort. Anyways, I am thinking of blacking my car out next weekend and talked to a local shop that does some great work. They quoted me $1,300 to powder coat the wheels, tint all of the windows, black out the bow ties, and black out the lights. I also am trying to choose a brake caliper color, I see black and red a lot and it looks really good, but I want to do something a little different, was thinking maybe a deep blue or bright blue like some of the late model vettes.

I wanted to see pics of anyone with a similar setup and also to see what you guys think of the mods/pricing.

Ebbsnflows · 10-08-2012, 01:04 PM

Sounds expensive to me. Local powder-coating charges $100 per wheel (bare wheel with no rubber mounted). So figure:

-$400 for PC wheels
-$100 to dismount/remount balance wheels
-$200 for window tint
-$80 for pre-cut tint for lights (several vendors on here sell kits). They're simple to install yourself.

So you're at $800 by my estimate...I can't help you with emblem black outs. I'm guessing you could buy emblem black out vinyl cutouts for $60 or less (I'm guessing)? That still puts you around $900.

Of course around here, you'd have to factor in $300 or so for the "fix-it" ticket you would get for tinting your lights.

2011*Camaro*SS · 10-08-2012, 01:09 PM

I powder coated my wheels for 350 and blacked out all my lights and bowties for like 100 so i think that is way to much! I got my lights and stuff from Bigwormgraphix.com the only hard part was trying to get my car on a lift to get the wheels off. The shop I used for powder coating was very quick and did it in 1 day. So my car sat on jack stands. I would do it my self. oh and a can of plasti dip for the taillight bezels and fender emblems hope this helps.

2011*Camaro*SS · 10-08-2012, 01:11 PM

oh yeah forgot about the tint my dealer did that for me so i dont know how much it was sorry. id say anything over $700 is too much

DRKS1D3 · 10-08-2012, 01:14 PM

I got my black bowtie vinyl from a vendor on here. $30. As for the wheels, many guys have used Plastidip and all the pictures I've seen look great.

xcarolina23 · 10-08-2012, 01:23 PM

Thanks for the help guys, it is appreciated. I may look to do some of it myself. That price did include dismounting the wheels and tires, which I don't really feel comfortable doing myself. So what do you guys think about the brake caliper color?

Kind of off topic, but what do you guys use to wipe down the car? It gets a little dusty and spots here and there but i don't want to completely re-wash. Maybe a microfiber towel and some quick detail?

DRKS1D3 · 10-08-2012, 01:38 PM

Lucas Speed Wax and microfiber towels are always in my trunk. No white haze, totally clear.

2011*Camaro*SS · 10-08-2012, 01:42 PM

California Duster, as for the brake calipers do something out there like orange or lime green..?

xcarolina23 · 10-08-2012, 01:58 PM

Thanks for the tips guys. When I get the build underway I will take some before and after shots. Also, I do like the lime green idea, but I would keep the brembo tag in black I think.

Obzen · 10-08-2012, 02:49 PM

Quick detailer and a good microfiber. Please don't use a California duster. Especially on a black car. It'll be swirl city.

jkupa10 · 10-08-2012, 05:58 PM

Plasti-dipped wheels: 5 cans = $30 + a Saturday
Plasti-dipped bezels: 1 can = $6
Custom-painted bowties = $115 off ebay (you could also plasti-dip the bowties yourself, I got mine painted CFM to match.)
(coming soon) Red calipers VHT spray paint = ~$30 (we'll see for sure when I get to doing it!)

Total: Less than $200 and a few weekends

The only thing I don't have is tint. You can save a lot of money doing it yourself though, as you can see. The plasti-dip is really holding up well and looks much much better than I expected it to. I was considering powder-coating my wheels until I tried the plasti-dip. For me, I can peel it off and go back to a stock 45th if I want! Win-win!

With plasti-dipping the wheels, you can leave them on if you do a good enough job taping everything off. Or you can do like I did and take the entire wheel off, mask off the tires, apply plasti-dip let dry and then put em back on. Voila!

Ryan2011RS · 10-09-2012, 11:56 AM

I painted my wheels for $25, tail lights tinted for $10, windows $160, and bought some carbon fiber and did my emblems . And did my brakes bright metallic blue which cost $40 a can .

lscamaro · 10-09-2012, 02:19 PM

I would do the plasti-dip to test out if you like them black but I definitely recommend powder-coating. If I had the money for it, I would have done it a long time ago. Also, as many have told you, yes you can get it done for much cheaper. You can paint the bowties yourself or even get them custom painted from vendors on here like gary's customs and lupe over at rivercity creations. You can save a lot of money!

Angrybird 12 · 10-09-2012, 02:26 PM

Nice car, I really never cared for totally blacked out cars because they just remind me too much of the base model econoboxes of the 80's. I think it cheapens the car's look.

10-08-2012, 12:57 PM	#1
xcarolina23 Drives: 2011 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Wellington, FL Posts: 198 View My Garage	Any blacked out convertibles? Quoted $1,300 to complete. Just bought my SS last weekend. Liked the coupes but with how tall I am the sunroof was a little too close for comfort. Anyways, I am thinking of blacking my car out next weekend and talked to a local shop that does some great work. They quoted me $1,300 to powder coat the wheels, tint all of the windows, black out the bow ties, and black out the lights. I also am trying to choose a brake caliper color, I see black and red a lot and it looks really good, but I want to do something a little different, was thinking maybe a deep blue or bright blue like some of the late model vettes. I wanted to see pics of anyone with a similar setup and also to see what you guys think of the mods/pricing. Attached Images

10-08-2012, 01:04 PM	#2
Ebbsnflows Drives: 2018 Camaro ZL1-1LE Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Western NC Posts: 405	Sounds expensive to me. Local powder-coating charges $100 per wheel (bare wheel with no rubber mounted). So figure: -$400 for PC wheels -$100 to dismount/remount balance wheels -$200 for window tint -$80 for pre-cut tint for lights (several vendors on here sell kits). They're simple to install yourself. So you're at $800 by my estimate...I can't help you with emblem black outs. I'm guessing you could buy emblem black out vinyl cutouts for $60 or less (I'm guessing)? That still puts you around $900. Of course around here, you'd have to factor in $300 or so for the "fix-it" ticket you would get for tinting your lights. __________________ 2018 Camaro ZL1/1LE

10-08-2012, 01:09 PM	#3
2011CamaroSS Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS/RS Vert Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 421 View My Garage	I powder coated my wheels for 350 and blacked out all my lights and bowties for like 100 so i think that is way to much! I got my lights and stuff from Bigwormgraphix.com the only hard part was trying to get my car on a lift to get the wheels off. The shop I used for powder coating was very quick and did it in 1 day. So my car sat on jack stands. I would do it my self. oh and a can of plasti dip for the taillight bezels and fender emblems hope this helps. __________________

10-08-2012, 01:11 PM	#4
2011CamaroSS Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS/RS Vert Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 421 View My Garage	oh yeah forgot about the tint my dealer did that for me so i dont know how much it was sorry. id say anything over $700 is too much __________________

10-08-2012, 01:14 PM	#5
DRKS1D3 Drives: '17 Corvette Grand Sport M7 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3,748	I got my black bowtie vinyl from a vendor on here. $30. As for the wheels, many guys have used Plastidip and all the pictures I've seen look great. __________________ MY RIDE: 2017 CORVETTE GRAND SPORT--TRIPLE BLACK, 7 SPEED MANUAL, VARARAM TCR-7 INTAKE, BORLA CATLESS X-PIPE, CARBON FIBER STAGE 2 AERO, MGW SHORT-THROW SHIFTER SOLD2011 TRIPLE BLACK SS CONVERTIBLE--6 SPEED MANUAL, MANY MODS, 455 RWHP/435 RWTQ DAD'S RIDE: 2012 ZL1 #1866--BLACK, 6 SPEED MANUAL, EXPOSED CF HOOD, POLISHED WHEELS, SUNROOF, ROTO-FAB INTAKE "Silly Americans, taking from the rich and giving to the poor only works in fairy tales. Success is earned here!".

10-08-2012, 01:23 PM	#6
xcarolina23 Drives: 2011 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Wellington, FL Posts: 198 View My Garage	Thanks for the help guys, it is appreciated. I may look to do some of it myself. That price did include dismounting the wheels and tires, which I don't really feel comfortable doing myself. So what do you guys think about the brake caliper color? Kind of off topic, but what do you guys use to wipe down the car? It gets a little dusty and spots here and there but i don't want to completely re-wash. Maybe a microfiber towel and some quick detail?

10-08-2012, 01:38 PM	#7
DRKS1D3 Drives: '17 Corvette Grand Sport M7 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3,748	Lucas Speed Wax and microfiber towels are always in my trunk. No white haze, totally clear. __________________ MY RIDE: 2017 CORVETTE GRAND SPORT--TRIPLE BLACK, 7 SPEED MANUAL, VARARAM TCR-7 INTAKE, BORLA CATLESS X-PIPE, CARBON FIBER STAGE 2 AERO, MGW SHORT-THROW SHIFTER SOLD2011 TRIPLE BLACK SS CONVERTIBLE--6 SPEED MANUAL, MANY MODS, 455 RWHP/435 RWTQ DAD'S RIDE: 2012 ZL1 #1866--BLACK, 6 SPEED MANUAL, EXPOSED CF HOOD, POLISHED WHEELS, SUNROOF, ROTO-FAB INTAKE "Silly Americans, taking from the rich and giving to the poor only works in fairy tales. Success is earned here!".

10-08-2012, 01:42 PM	#8
2011CamaroSS Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS/RS Vert Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 421 View My Garage	California Duster, as for the brake calipers do something out there like orange or lime green..? __________________

10-08-2012, 01:58 PM	#9
xcarolina23 Drives: 2011 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Wellington, FL Posts: 198 View My Garage	Thanks for the tips guys. When I get the build underway I will take some before and after shots. Also, I do like the lime green idea, but I would keep the brembo tag in black I think.

10-08-2012, 02:49 PM	#10
Obzen Pull up Cougar! Drives: 2016 2SS Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,875	Quick detailer and a good microfiber. Please don't use a California duster. Especially on a black car. It'll be swirl city.

10-08-2012, 05:58 PM	#11
jkupa10 Drives: 2012 45th Vert 2LT/RS Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: SE MI Posts: 298	Plasti-dipped wheels: 5 cans = $30 + a Saturday Plasti-dipped bezels: 1 can = $6 Custom-painted bowties = $115 off ebay (you could also plasti-dip the bowties yourself, I got mine painted CFM to match.) (coming soon) Red calipers VHT spray paint = ~$30 (we'll see for sure when I get to doing it!) Total: Less than $200 and a few weekends The only thing I don't have is tint. You can save a lot of money doing it yourself though, as you can see. The plasti-dip is really holding up well and looks much much better than I expected it to. I was considering powder-coating my wheels until I tried the plasti-dip. For me, I can peel it off and go back to a stock 45th if I want! Win-win! With plasti-dipping the wheels, you can leave them on if you do a good enough job taping everything off. Or you can do like I did and take the entire wheel off, mask off the tires, apply plasti-dip let dry and then put em back on. Voila! Attached Images __________________

10-09-2012, 11:56 AM	#12
Ryan2011RS Drives: 2013 2SS/RS dusk edition . Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: NE, Ohio Posts: 232	I painted my wheels for $25, tail lights tinted for $10, windows $160, and bought some carbon fiber and did my emblems . And did my brakes bright metallic blue which cost $40 a can .

10-09-2012, 02:19 PM	#13
lscamaro Drives: 2011 CGM Camaro LS A6 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 10,305	I would do the plasti-dip to test out if you like them black but I definitely recommend powder-coating. If I had the money for it, I would have done it a long time ago. Also, as many have told you, yes you can get it done for much cheaper. You can paint the bowties yourself or even get them custom painted from vendors on here like gary's customs and lupe over at rivercity creations. You can save a lot of money! __________________ Click Picture for Build Thread

10-09-2012, 02:26 PM	#14
Angrybird 12 7 year Cancer Survivor! Drives: 17 Cruze RS, 07 G6 GT, 99 Astro Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 21,547	Nice car, I really never cared for totally blacked out cars because they just remind me too much of the base model econoboxes of the 80's. I think it cheapens the car's look. __________________ Cancer's a bitch! Enjoy life while you can! LIVE, LOVE, DRIVE... The Bird is the word!