Sidenote:  When I bought my '85 back in '89, it came with a chunk out of front grill.  About 1/3 of a Half Dollar piece.  Always bugged me.  I found some scrap aluminum sheet.  Trimmed to size, bent a small flange with pliers to provide stiffness.  Glued onto back of Front Grill with 5 minute epoxy.  Added Bondo onto the front side, and sanded into shape.  Did the Satin Black spray procedure, and all good 25 years later.

    On Monday, May 30, 2022, 10:25:16 AM PDT, Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net> wrote:  
 
  A very thorough scrubbing with a brush and mild detergent works well on both front grills.  Thorough dry in sunshine.  Mask off VW emblem; give up on the "chrome paint" around perimeter of upper grill.  Next, 2 very light coats of "Satin Black" spray paint (I just use ACE hardware stuff and I don't use primer), each one baked in the sunshine.  Perfect long lasting results.  I also used the same treatment on Exterior mirrors (the floppy ones...although that is easily eliminated too with a cross drilled hole and SS dowel pin).  I also use the satin black on the Rear engine vents.  Looks very nice.  If you use some "restore" product on plastics, I think it would get impregnated into plastic, and then make painting in the future a non-option.  I definitely prefer "satin" black to gloss or flat.

    On Monday, May 30, 2022, 10:03:39 AM PDT, Moritz Schmid <schmidm90@gmail.com> wrote:  
 
 I used to have a Volvo V70XC and used a product called Back to Black. It’s
a trim restorer and that worked really well. I have heard some people say
you can also use a heat gun or propane torch to bring the color back from
plastic like that.

On Mon, May 30, 2022 at 10:39 AM Jim Arnott <jrasite@eoni.com> wrote:

> I’ve painted mine with Krylon Fusion matte black in the past. That being
> said, Someone on the Volvo FB group suggested wiping graying plastic with
> linseed oil and I tried it on the cladding on our XC70 (A whole lot of
> graying plastic.) I couldn’t be happier. What was gray is now black and
> it’s been so through 4 weekly automatic car washes so far.
>
> You might give it a try.
>
> Jim
>
>
> > On May 30, 2022, at 7:14 AM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
> >
> > Hi helpful Vanagon enthusiasts.
> >
> > Anyone have a recommendation for black paint to be used to restore the
> front black plastic grill on a vanagon?
> >
> > I went to clean one of mine and the wipe of the cloth with plastic
> cleaner r wiped it right down to grey material.  I’m thinking I need a plan
> to prep and spray black.
> > Anyone done this or similar work on exterior plastic and have a
> recommendation for the process and materials, especially correct paint or
> primer.
> >
> > Eric Caron
> > 84 Westfalia Grill
> >
> >
> > If I can get the materials
>