# strut bar boredom



## sethwas (Apr 30, 2002)

So,
I have this faint blue strut bar which used to be all color coordinated with my car. Blue washer ricer lights, blue EL guages, blue neon inside the car, blue hose techniques hoses.
The neon and ricer lights are gone. The EL stays but it's nice looking kind of VWish.
The engine bay I want to clean up. I'm going back to a black OEM airbox and possibly removing the hose techniques (or switching to black or silver if I have some laying around).
Only thing left is the strut bar. I have 3 choices:

1) remove it
2) paint it flat/satin black
3) paint it flat/satin bronze

Which is it?

Seth

P.S. edit - this was a poll, where did it go?


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

black wrinkle finish.


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## myoung (Apr 15, 2002)

no paint at all... polished

sell all that neon crap on ebay and buy some real performance parts


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## sethwas (Apr 30, 2002)

myoung said:


> no paint at all... polished
> 
> sell all that neon crap on ebay and buy some real performance parts


I'm just throwing it out. I just sold my ES bushings and Motiv. rear mounts. I'm just cleaning up the car. I want everything subtle and clean, no flashy color and easy to repair or fix as I'm not the primary driver anymore. 
I was holding onto the suspension parts with the hopes that when the OEM ones finally get removed I'd throw on teins with them, but after holding them for months and not happening, I decided to sell them to someone who will use them now, and down the road when this original suspension finally dies (I think it's dead now but...) then performance.
But I'm never doing engine mods, all that is staying bone stock or replaced with new stock parts. Only the chassis would see modifications.

Seth

P.S. The washer lights were a phase. I only had them on the car for like 3 months back 3 years ago when I was in college.


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

1.6pete said:


> black wrinkle finish.


That would look horrible!


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

wes said:


> That would look horrible!


i love wrinkle finish paint. have you seen tims old CAI?
























i think that looks damn good. on a strut bar it would make it blend right in to the engine bay.


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

1.6pete said:


> i love wrinkle finish paint. have you seen tims old CAI?
> 
> i think that looks damn good. on a strut bar it would make it blend right in to the engine bay.


HAHA where do you think Tim got the idea? And have you looked at my bay? My piping has been black wrinkle for quite some time now as is my strut bar...


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## tony200 (Mar 23, 2005)

polish polish polish. go all out blinging. i like the wrinkle finish though


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## sethwas (Apr 30, 2002)

I found a can of rustoleum satin black spray paint I had so I went with that.
It's not flat, and not glossy. Free is good. It's finished and installed. I'll take a pic tomorrow in the light. I don't know what it looks like yet as it was dark when I installed it.

Seth


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

wes said:


> HAHA where do you think Tim got the idea? And have you looked at my bay? My piping has been black wrinkle for quite some time now as is my strut bar...


i see.......it was sarcasm. well played wes, well played. :thumbup: 

i love the way that looks, i havnt seen your engine bay. ill take a look :thumbup:



sethwas said:


> I found a can of rustoleum satin black spray paint I had so I went with that.
> It's not flat, and not glossy. Free is good. It's finished and installed. I'll take a pic tomorrow in the light. I don't know what it looks like yet as it was dark when I installed it.
> 
> Seth


satin is always a GREAT finish too. its like the brushed aluminum of paint, it fits everything well. when in doubt go satin.


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## sethwas (Apr 30, 2002)

before:









after:









Of course the hood rubs slightly so it removed a button size of the new black paint. Oh well.
I need an OEM airbox and OEM washer nozzles if anyone has.

If I'm feeling adventurous I may re-spray the VC regular duplicolor rim silver and just keep it two tone. OEM black with some grey trim.

Seth


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

sethwas said:


> Of course the hood rubs slightly so it removed a button size of the new black paint.
> 
> Seth


A ballpene hammer will cure that, just bump that section in with decent force and it will go away!


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## sethwas (Apr 30, 2002)

wes said:


> A ballpene hammer will cure that, just bump that section in with decent force and it will go away!


Of the hood or the bar?
I could always just bang the mounts where the bar sits so the thing will be somewhat lower.
I'll do that next week probably when I re-paint the VC, I'll remove the bar to get access and while it's off I'dd see what can be done. Just when the mounts are lower the bar has to be resized and those nuts are tight.

Seth


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