Tourer Roof Rails

ardvark · 20th May 2011, 16:00

Has anyone stripped the paint off the black roof rails from a tourer or ZTT? Are they made of steel or of some sort of alloy? I fancy painting them bright silver.

lamuff · 20th May 2011, 17:21

why would you need to strip them ,just paint over the existing paint finnish, but if you really must know try a magnet... if they are alloy you have them polished ?

capese21 · 20th May 2011, 20:48

My ZTT has grey roof rails

ardvark · 20th May 2011, 20:52

Loads of reasons why we don't paint over original paint. 1) paint reaction, old paint could blister/ new paint could craze. 2) old paint wrinkle finish I want smooth. Besides I like to do things properly (no offence) As for polishing, take it from me that is one hell of a job to do right. I'm thinking stripping, priming, clear over base in bright silver. ATM that is.

llynclaslad · 20th May 2011, 21:11

I wonder if they could be chromed

, now that would be nice

ardvark · 20th May 2011, 22:25

I'd like that to. Bet nobody have pic's tho'

lamuff · 21st May 2011, 10:58

None taken...
I apologise I did not realize that you wanted to do it properly!

But I guess 23 years as a vehicle paint refinisher doesn’t give me the right to comment LOL, as for reaction of old paint with new... that really does not happen now a days with modern water born base coats as there are no solvents present to cause a reaction with existing paint finishes, and to be fair anything under 20 years will almost certainly be done in a 2k system anyhow and this does not react with over coating hardly ever.
The rails on mine are textured and the paint film is sound with no bubbles flakes cracks etc. so best left alone imo, if i were doing this job myself without the use of profesional gear ,i would prep them the coat them in a high build primer to burry the texture and flat that down then go for your colour of choice, mine are an alloy as a magnet does not stick so if you do end up stripping them you would need a acid etch primmer to adhere to the alloy as std primmers will not as they a formulated for steel, or get your local bodyshop to do the job for you their products will be far better than and rattle can job

but the choice is yours mate, what colour is you tourer ? i have seen bright silver rails on the audi avants and looks good on the darker ones, so cant see why not on a rover, unless its silver or a very light colour may just camoflarge them else...

ardvark · 21st May 2011, 12:42

My tourer is Silver. I've see various estated/tourers with polished roof rails but to do ours would be a right pain hence the idea of painting them bright silver. Some wheels have a nice silver at work so I may go down that road. I don't know atm we'll have to see.

lamuff · 21st May 2011, 13:14

post some pics if you do.. i have a silver one and quite like the dark greyish black bits on the roof and around the windows etc... i think it breaks it up but would be interested to see what it looks like ... dont know who makes it now but the mclaren F1 cars are painted in a very chrome like paint finnish might be worth a few emails or even a black chrome on both the rails and the wheels could look good on a silver car ?

lamuff · 21st May 2011, 15:33

just a rough idea how it may look

20th May 2011, 16:00	#1
ardvark Al 75 CDTI Tourer Auto Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Studley Posts: 1,457 Thanks: 1 Thanked 69 Times in 48 Posts	Tourer Roof Rails Has anyone stripped the paint off the black roof rails from a tourer or ZTT? Are they made of steel or of some sort of alloy? I fancy painting them bright silver. __________________ ARDVARK

20th May 2011, 20:52	#4
ardvark Al 75 CDTI Tourer Auto Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Studley Posts: 1,457 Thanks: 1 Thanked 69 Times in 48 Posts	Loads of reasons why we don't paint over original paint. 1) paint reaction, old paint could blister/ new paint could craze. 2) old paint wrinkle finish I want smooth. Besides I like to do things properly (no offence) As for polishing, take it from me that is one hell of a job to do right. I'm thinking stripping, priming, clear over base in bright silver. ATM that is. __________________ ARDVARK

20th May 2011, 22:25	#6
ardvark Al 75 CDTI Tourer Auto Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Studley Posts: 1,457 Thanks: 1 Thanked 69 Times in 48 Posts	I'd like that to. Bet nobody have pic's tho' __________________ ARDVARK

21st May 2011, 10:58	#7
lamuff Avid contributor ROVER 75 TOURER CONNOISSEUR SE Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: plymouth Posts: 234 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	fair enough None taken... I apologise I did not realize that you wanted to do it properly! But I guess 23 years as a vehicle paint refinisher doesn’t give me the right to comment LOL, as for reaction of old paint with new... that really does not happen now a days with modern water born base coats as there are no solvents present to cause a reaction with existing paint finishes, and to be fair anything under 20 years will almost certainly be done in a 2k system anyhow and this does not react with over coating hardly ever. The rails on mine are textured and the paint film is sound with no bubbles flakes cracks etc. so best left alone imo, if i were doing this job myself without the use of profesional gear ,i would prep them the coat them in a high build primer to burry the texture and flat that down then go for your colour of choice, mine are an alloy as a magnet does not stick so if you do end up stripping them you would need a acid etch primmer to adhere to the alloy as std primmers will not as they a formulated for steel, or get your local bodyshop to do the job for you their products will be far better than and rattle can job but the choice is yours mate, what colour is you tourer ? i have seen bright silver rails on the audi avants and looks good on the darker ones, so cant see why not on a rover, unless its silver or a very light colour may just camoflarge them else... Last edited by lamuff; 21st May 2011 at 11:10..

21st May 2011, 12:42	#8
ardvark Al 75 CDTI Tourer Auto Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Studley Posts: 1,457 Thanks: 1 Thanked 69 Times in 48 Posts	My tourer is Silver. I've see various estated/tourers with polished roof rails but to do ours would be a right pain hence the idea of painting them bright silver. Some wheels have a nice silver at work so I may go down that road. I don't know atm we'll have to see. __________________ ARDVARK

20th May 2011, 17:21	#2
lamuff Avid contributor ROVER 75 TOURER CONNOISSEUR SE Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: plymouth Posts: 234 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	why would you need to strip them ,just paint over the existing paint finnish, but if you really must know try a magnet... if they are alloy you have them polished ?

20th May 2011, 20:48	#3
capese21 This is my second home MG ZTT 180 Sports Auto. Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: London Posts: 3,930 Thanks: 18 Thanked 180 Times in 143 Posts	My ZTT has grey roof rails

20th May 2011, 21:11	#5
llynclaslad Avid contributor Rover 75 CDT Tourer Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Shrewsbury Posts: 131 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I wonder if they could be chromed , now that would be nice

21st May 2011, 13:14	#9
lamuff Avid contributor ROVER 75 TOURER CONNOISSEUR SE Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: plymouth Posts: 234 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	post some pics if you do.. i have a silver one and quite like the dark greyish black bits on the roof and around the windows etc... i think it breaks it up but would be interested to see what it looks like ... dont know who makes it now but the mclaren F1 cars are painted in a very chrome like paint finnish might be worth a few emails or even a black chrome on both the rails and the wheels could look good on a silver car ?

21st May 2011, 15:33	#10
lamuff Avid contributor ROVER 75 TOURER CONNOISSEUR SE Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: plymouth Posts: 234 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	just a rough idea how it may look