I’ve heard it said that wheels make a car, while others say it’s the paint job. But sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference. For Project Buckshot, our 1974 Ford Bronco, after going through a complete frame-off restoration, we couldn’t bear to have a set of rusty brake calipers hanging out there, but at the same time we didn’t need to upgrade to expensive aftermarket calipers either. So, we chose to head to our local auto parts store and give Dupli-Color’s ceramic caliper paint kit a try – we chose their red paint.
Dupli-Color Caliper Paint is available in red, yellow, black, silver, blue and a satin black finish.
| Installation – Dupli-Color Caliper Paint Kit |
| Time: |
30 minutes |
| Tools Needed: |
Kit supplies, old toothbrush and wire brush to remove surface rust |
| Difficulty: |
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Installation
 Dupli-Color is available in both aersol and can paint options. Our local auto parts store only stocked the canned paint, so that’s what we used.
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 Start by removing all of the surface rust from your brake calipers. We used a wire wheel attachment on our bench grinder to make fast work of the job.
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 Apply the supplied Dupli-Color aerosol cleaning solution and scrub it with a toothbrush until the calipers are clean and oil free so that the paint will properly adhere to the calipers.
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 Shake the paint can vigorously and then stir well with the supplied stirring stick.
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  Begin brushing the paint onto one of the calipers, allowing it to dry for several minutes between applications. We found that our calipers needed about 4 coats to completely cover the bare metal. We also found that the supplied paint brush shedded its bristles so we had to run to a local craft store and pick up a new brush (what a hassle).
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  Allow the calipers to dry according the instructions.
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 Install your calipers back onto the vehicle (if you removed them like we did), bleed your brake systems and reinstall the wheels. Step back and admire your shiny new brake calipers.
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The Verdict
 Dupli-Color Caliper Paint is a great product and the paint is very durable, scratch resistant and its color is rich and deep, giving your calipers a great look. The supplied paint brush is a total waste as it shed most of its bristles into the paint, which had to be picked out by hand, until we replaced it with a better brush.
Overall the newly painted brake calipers look fantastic and the paint should last for years to come. It’s a cheap, easy way to make your car or truck just that much nicer.
| Dupli-Color Products Group |
The Sherwin-Williams Company
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Phone: 800.247.3270
Web: www.duplicolor.com |
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