Berger panel, cut antenna

[lookout4theyeti]

I've had this done for about 2 months now, but didn't get around to taking some pics until the other day.

Did the berger panel is Satin black, its a semi gloss. Came out exactly how I wanted. I plan to buy some stainless letters. I got the vinyl ones and they suck, but I'm gonna leave them on for the time being.

As far as the antenna, I cut it down to about 8". Took it to my grinder and kinda rounded off the end (didn't want to put the ball back on the end). Repainted and put it back on. Reception is slightly hindered, but I rarely listen to the radio so it was well worth it.

These pics came out like crap. It was about 7pm, so the sun was shining towards my garage. All that reflected off to my car and washed out these pics terribly. I plan to go and do a nice photoshoot sometime soon.

On with the pics







and a whole car shot, looks the same as last summer from the front end... Forgot the tire shine too. Dont worry though, I put some on.



Yea I know my passenger side exhaust pipe was hanging a little lower too. I fixed that the other day too, so they're both flush now.

[IwannaCamarosoBad]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

Beautiful car!!! Nice mods man, especially like the antenna

[lookout4theyeti]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

Beautiful car!!! Nice mods man, especially like the antenna

Thanks, I appreciate the compliments. Next on the appearance list is tint and then wheels. Or wheels and then tint... but I think I'm just gonna get the tint now cause if I don't get it soon, I have a feeling I never will (It was the first thing I wanted to do to my car, when I bought it in 2004 LOL).

[HyperHawk]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

nice color same as mine :)

[Shad0wguy]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

Do you still get the same radio reception with the cut antenna?

[3800SoloWing]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

How did you do your berger panel? I'm looking to do mine the same way soon. Help is appreciated.

[FirebirdPhil]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

Nice! :rock: I say tint before wheels, just my .02.

[lookout4theyeti]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

Do you still get the same radio reception with the cut antenna?

As far as the antenna, I cut it down to about 8". Took it to my grinder and kinda rounded off the end (didn't want to put the ball back on the end). Repainted and put it back on. Reception is slightly hindered, but I rarely listen to the radio so it was well worth it.

:P

Yea, its not terrible, but spots where certain stations would cut in and out with the regular antenna now get even worse with it shorter. If I listen to the radio though its just country and I don't play it real loud so It's not a problem for me.

Not sure if its true, but I heard if you cut the antenna down to a "multiple of its total length" it will retain the same reception, may be :bs: but you could check into it. I didn't know that before I cut mine.

How did you do your berger panel? I'm looking to do mine the same way soon. Help is appreciated.

Get some 3m sandpaper that you can use with water (wetsanding). I believe I got 600, 800 and 2000 or something like that. I had it all left over from wetsanding my headlights.

First thing is to get the panel off. Inside the trunk, pull the carpet near the tailights back and there is a few wing nuts and nuts to unscrew. Pop the taillights out, and the berger panel will pull off.

Now take your sandpaper, and a small tub of water with a little soap mixed in for lubrication, and start sanding the panel. You don't have to go all the way through the paint. I just got through the clearcoat and roughed it up some so that the primer will stick. Rinse the panel really well to get any crap off from sanding, let dry.

Now you need to prime it. Between coats of primer you should sand with the finer sand paper to work out imperfections, so your color coat will be smoother. Once your done priming, you can start doing your color coat. I used a satin black that I got at walmart. Its "Krylon FUSION for plastic" "Satin". It says no sanding or priming on the can, but I wanted to do this the right way since this is a part of my car, and not some chairs in the back yard that I was painting lol.

I think I did about 6-7 coats before I got a final finish that I was happy with. I used the 2000 grit paper between a few of these coats as well, but the last 1-2 coats I didnt sand between, and managed to get the paint perfect without sanding. BE PATIENT, thats gonna be your make it or break it.

I should note that I painted the entire panel, minus the inside (back) that you cant see. I wanted every part of it that you will possibly see to be painted with no sign of the original color. Also, between coats of paint, I didn't wetsand, just dry sanded and used my compressor with an air blaster fitting to blow off any dust, and then wiped it down with a microfiber before the next coat of paint.

Any other questions feel free to ask!

[Sean_99_3.8]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

Looks good :tup:

[sjw515]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

looks beautiful. nice car!

[IwannaCamarosoBad]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

I would think for the antenna reception that if you wrapped copper wire around the antenna it would pic up better.

[u441105]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

From the close ups I'd like to say that your paint looks extremely nice and the color of the berger panel really sets off the lettering.

I know this is kinda side tracked from where you were going with this thread but you mentioned it and I have to ask. What did you find wrong with the vinyl lettering? I'm in the market for some myself so I'm just wondering.

[savagecamaro96]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

From the close ups I'd like to say that your paint looks extremely nice and the color of the berger panel really sets off the lettering.

I know this is kinda side tracked from where you were going with this thread but you mentioned it and I have to ask. What did you find wrong with the vinyl lettering? I'm in the market for some myself so I'm just wondering.

im pretty sure most people buy theirs on eBay,

i paid 8 bucks for mine including shipping

[lookout4theyeti]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

I know this is kinda side tracked from where you were going with this thread but you mentioned it and I have to ask. What did you find wrong with the vinyl lettering? I'm in the market for some myself so I'm just wondering.

It just looks cheap to me. After the work I did to the berger panel, putting those vinyl decals on kinda bummed me out because they didnt fit right, one ripped, etc... I'll be getting stainless letters soon enough though.

[u441105]

Re: Berger panel, cut antenna

That's the problem I'm having searching for lettering. The only ones I find are from sketchy websites I've never heard of or eBay stores whose quality I'm not assured of. If anyone has had good experiences with their lettering please let me know, because like yeti, I'm afraid I'll be disappointed after buying mine off some random shotty vendor.