Philostang

Sadly, +1.

I had a couple body shops quote me from $475 to as high as $800 (Chicago-land area). They were top notch places, but c'mon people! I just want to correct a horrible horrible mistake I made (not getting the delete)...must I pay so dearly? [:@]

Anyway, I have an alternative plan to the temporary "plug" fix that I'll be trying soon. Instead of plastic plugs, you make sheetmetal plugs (cut and precisely filed down to fit exactly in the oblong stock holes). With Duramix metal panel adhesive (this stuff has been crash tested--very tough, will not leak, and is as permanent as you like), you can adhere them in place. But here's the trick, you cut much larger pieces of sheetmetal and use it as backing. Then, with your plugs adhered to the backing plate, you adhere the backing plate to the underside of the trunk. Your plugs will be flush with the decklid, and be ready for painting (actually, you'll want the plugs to be slightly less than flush, since the primer and paint will "fill in" just a bit. Treat the plug-to-decklid border as a paint chip (mask it off, fill in basecoat, clearcoat, lightly--1200 grit--color sand even to decklid), and you have a temporary fix that should be hard to see, last as long as you need, has no chance of warping the metal like welding might, and looks better than plugs. Oh, and it won't cost you 800 frippin dollars.

For those of you with solid colors, carefully done, I bet this approach can come out nice enough to call it a day. For me, with metallic flake in my Tungsten, I have not dillusions of a perfect match, but the holes are so small that I'm banking on the match being "good enough" until one day I finally have the whole car re-shot. I just can't deal with the factory spoiler anymore--and my CDC is sitting on the shelf waiting...

Best,
-j

tsaints1115

Philostang, If your going to that much trouble your already to the point of having a proper job done. After the plugs are fitted and dry sand the area smooth,apply a seal coat of epoxy primer,apply a skim coat of filler,block sand,apply three coats of primer-surfacer (important),block sand with a guide coat until smooth,seal with epoxy primer, then paint the trunk lid with body color. Your going to repaint the whole lid anyway,(A-it`s a small piece,B- it`s not that much material,paint, so why not). Painting stuff is not that hard. What your paying for is prep. I grew up airbrushing model cars and ended up painting my own cars in my garage. I`ve won best paint awards also against much more expensive cars. For example,I painted my restomoded 71 BB Camaro from complete baremetal strip to polishing it out for $2500. And that price includes everything,sandpaper,spaygun,etc.

fairlane292

A swapped out decklid with a V6 is better than a modified GT one. (don't need to tell you why) Offer a dealership (the one you bought your car from?) $300 and let them do the swap. They do this... ...and YOU WIN BIG.

Your strategy sounds ok but I think the actual process will be more time consuming than you expect and the results less appealing than you expect as well. You're time must be valuable. Try the dealer swap; private party is not realistic. If you get what you want for 3 bills you'll be thrilled, right?

ford4v429

I'd opt for a swap too- run a add in the paper looking for someone who wants the wing/pay a body shop to swap it(no worries for either party that way) you'll both get the look you want and factory baked paint, at less cost than the weld/repaint...JMO

fairlane292

Just my two cents cause I've done a lot of painting as well. ...and even a lot more welding and body prep. Following tsaint1115, you'll need to buy these materials: epoxy primer, filler, sand paper, primer-surfacer, base color and clear. You will need to buy a lot more than you will use and the cost will blow your socks off. This all assumes you have a good compressor, water removal system/setup, top notch gun, high quality spray mask of course a temp and humidty controlled dust free, well lighted environment to paint in. ...AND most importantly the skill to do this. If you had this you would have already just done the job and would not have a post out here.

Especially when it comes to metallics you need a painter who is doing this on late models every day. There are so many factors especially with metallic that can affect the end result (paint mfg, air pressure and paint lay down technique, type of gun, temperature, humidity, underlying primer color, etc.) If you attempt this you are making a big mistake. You have upper qtr adjoinong panels that even if the metallic is right on the clear will look different. Factory clear and shop clear as very different. These two adjoing areas need to be finish buffed by an experienced pro to get the same reflective qualities since they are all on the same light surface plane.

One last comment and you folks can obviously do what you want. If you are paying to have a top quality paint finish done, DO NOT use your plugging method. There is a fair amount of constant vibration here, not to mention the decklid closing. The only method for auto body panel that is guaranteed not to fail is metal welded to metal. with this there is no seam, no adhesion requirements; it's simply one solid steel deckild panel. I know if you tell the painter about your plug method they won't gurantee the paint over those areas. ...but do what you feel comfortable.

Welding in the holes is no big deal for an experienced shop; I did my decklid ornament, lock, antenna, GT emblem, holes; w/o panel shrink/warp. Takes experience, care and patience because the metal is so thin. I prepped mine out to wet sanded epoxy primer but I let the painter do the black and ultimately clear; You have an really nice new car there and some decent money invested; let the pros do the work that you are not expert in. JMO.

fairlane292

Sounds ok. Remember the lock and ornament need to swap as well. The reason I mention the dealer is that they get $300 and the spolier on a V6 which they will believe helps them sell that car. I wouldn't fool around with less that $300; you need to get their attention. Keep in mind a modified GT deckilid will have tell-tale signs underneath unless you're gonna pay the body shop to make that undetectable as well... ...see why for $300 you'd be smiling all the way home. The body shop solution would probably be a touch cheaper but I hate bringing a third party in. What if for unrelated reasons their decklid is leaking somewhere, or doesn't pop open like it used to, or the lock or brake light doesn't always work correctly? ...you're still involved. This is why we bring our junk trade in's to a dealer... gotta wash your hands so you can move on and enjoy. JMO

Forster Bittner

I went though the same issue. I decided to buy a new trunk lid and have the body shop prep and paint. It cost me about $800 in NJ, and that included a new emblem. I have the original lid in storage, in my garage.

Philostang

Thanks for all the feedback.

-j

Psycho79

CDC does not cover the holes, I just had a CDC spoiler painted/installed and the holes filled.




I paid $650 to get the spoiler and louvers painted/installed, and the 3rd brake light kit installed on mine.
Check this thread if you want to see picsmines the 1st post on this page)
https://mustangforums.com/m_1151835/mpage_5/tm.htm

Thetics

attention
you can order a factory ford decklid for about $200-250. Im sure if theyre nice enough, you can convince them to send you one with no holes at all.