[MAUSS]

The plastic bumpers on my '94 Impala SS are in need of paint... the paint on the front is cracking up as well as being really pitted from lots of highway driving. The rear bumper has a lot of fine cracks in its paint. Any tips on stripping the old paint and prepping for new? I've used a flex agent years ago on 70's plastic bumpers (Firebird) painted with acrylic laquer... is that type of thing still required with newer paints?

[jcclark]

All bare plastic should have adhesion promoter first.
You can paint right over that but it's better to prime it.
if you want durability against rock chips and scratches,
a couple coats of epoxy primer makes a world of difference.
I use to use 2K (urethane) primer on all the bumpers
I did and it worked great, but since I switched to epoxy
I can tell a big difference on them not getting pitted
as much from the road.

If you have cracks, you need to strip or sand at least down to
below the cracks.
I've used strippers without any problem, if you have a large portion
that needs redone then stripper may be the way to go.
Some fear it attacking the plastic, I haven't had that happen,
depends on the stripper, so test a spot on the backside first to be sure.
You'll get a better job the more you can remove.
You want min. film build on bumpers.

I don't use flex agent and have noticed my older bumpers
stayed flexible long after I've painted them.
I guess which clear you use would make a difference.