3SGuide

A common wear item on the 3000GT is the black strip at the base of the hatch glass where the rear wiper sprouts from. It turns to a very dull gray and looks ugly. Fortunately, it is fairly easy to take care of this in your garage.

(dull, faded)

First, you will need some supplies:

• Degreaser (I used Orange Blast)
• Scotch-Brite pad
• A roll of 3M masking tape
• Duplicolor Enamel (flat black or semi-gloss)
• A few quality trash bags
• Scissors

Before you get started, make sure you are in a well ventilated area. Wear safety goggles and a mask or respirator. Spray paint is not good for your lungs or eyes.

Next, remove the rear windshield wiper arm and clean the panel with the degreaser to clean off any contaminants, wax, or dirt. Be thorough. Follow up with a Scotch-brite pad to ensure it’s as clean as possible. Wipe off the area one final time.

Mask the area off with the masking tape and the garbage bags, following the contour of the panel all the way up to the car’s roof. This takes a lot of time, but make sure you cover all area you dont want to get sprayed. I covered the car from the bumper up to the front windshield to ensure no overspray.

Once everything is prepared for paint, shake the paint can well and apply several thin layers of paint in smooth, even swiping motions. Doing thin coats one at a time will yield better results and less dripping. While you’re at it, you can clean and paint the rear wiper arm that you removed. Chances are it is faded too and will match better afterwards. Let the paint dry overnight then SLOWLY remove the masking tape. You now have a much better looking hatch. Furthermore, the paint is weatherproof!

(Looking good again)