Painting Step Side Tail Gate Letters

[fredhlynch2]

Has anyone attempted to paint (white) the raised tail gate letters on a step side. If so, how did you do it and get them to look right? Did the factory a template? Just mask it?

Photos I have seen show the letters to be rounded and not squared off. A bit tricky. Need help.

[Nappers]

I've seen stickers that match it.

If you mask it, that 3m super thin masking tape can bend to go around corners then supplement that with masking tape next to it. Seen it on those Power Nation shows, I'm pretty sure it was 3M tape, blue. They did it to paint stripes on a square body Chevy and it bent pretty sharp.

[StepSide1965]

Paint letters first, then tape them off and spray the rest. Also wanted white
letters, until I saw black with red gate. Will try to post pictures.

[fredhlynch2]

Thanks guys.

[nsb29]

My brother painted the area white then Applied the vinyl letters as masking and removed them after it was painted he dirtied up the adhesive so they would come off easily

[rpmerf]

I did this on my tailgate about a year ago. Paint it white. Let it dry a couple days. Tape the letters. Paint the rest of the tailgate. My tape lines weren't great, but it looks good from 10 feet away.

[heavy71chevy]

The whole trick to taping the sharp edges is the tension on the tape..You can curl it and as long as the edge of the letter has a nice hard line rub it down and the overlap it with another straight run of mask to cover the edge further.A better example of what im talking about is the same way youd back mask a flame job but the steps are the same.You can do this with a razorblade to just dont cut in the metal if you can help it

[doobiebro]

I helped my friend do mine 8 yrs ago. I purchase the very thin tape line for making flames and he masked around the lettering the best he can. He shot the paint. Came out decent. I took the tailgate to a pinstriper and he went around the letters with black paint and it looks very good now.. Cant even see the pinstripe paint.

[jbgroby]

When my truck was painted, the painter took his time and painted the correct reflective silver/aluminum on the GMC lettering as the stock colors (night tie reflective). Chevy trucks' lettering were painted white. I wonder why they painted them different colors?

It took a bit of time, but it was worth it.