Auto body repair & detailing: Fixing scratches on lower unpainted part of Mustang front bumper, grit sandpaper, propane torch

Question

bumper   QUESTION: Hi Gary,
I noticed some scratches on the lower part of my 2011 Mustang's front bumper. It's the unpainted lower corner. I think the scrape came from driving out of a steep driveway onto the street. Any ideas how I can smooth out the scratch? Right now there are white marks on the corner, and I'd like to find a way to restore the smoothness and color. Maybe 1000 grit sandpaper? Here is a photo to give you an idea which part of the bumper...thanks for your suggestions in advance:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2045/5816687774_e98ef5e8c8.jpg

ANSWER: Hi Nido,

If it's a smooth bumper with no texture 1000 grit should work out fine. Just a thought, To blend the color in you may need to sand a bit further out (in all directions) than the actually damage and the further you go just sand lighter and lighter until it blends the color in.

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QUESTION: Hi Gary,
just a follow up question. It is textured plastic...I can try sanding it lightly. Will using a heat gun also work? I read that some guy got rid of white scratch marks on an unpainted bumper by blowing some heat on it with a heat gun. This restored it to the orig. color. Would you advise to take this route? Thanks.

Answer
Hi Nido,

I have heard of guys using heat to restore plastic before. As a matter of fact, I talked to one guy who claims to have used a propane torch to restore the body of his 4 wheeler atv. I saw the body afterward and it looked good. Not quite as good as fresh paint, however, but pretty good nonetheless. I have not done this myself so I won't give recommendations how to do it. But I'm sure that you can find a tutorial online somewhere to do this.