I have an 2006 f150 XL. The front has a gray metal bumper and a plastic upper-bumper directly above this. I would like to get a different one that I can have painted to match the body. Does anyone know what this peice is called? How much would it cost? How hard would it be to install? thanks

 

Poking around www.directfordparts.com, it looks like it's called the bumper cover. The version for trucks w/out wheel moldings is just over $244. Can't tell you how hard it is, probably depends upon your experience with removing body panels.

 

I just finished putting the nose back on my truck from the doors forward after buying it a few feet shorter in the front. The upper cover comes off pretty easy. The one you buy is paint to match, but is actually the standard black one already on your truck. Pull the old one and have it painted. To remove, take out the headlights, 2 bolts on inboard side, one on top. Directly below each headlight is a bolt (10 MM head I think). Take those out. At the extreme outboard ends there is a horizontal bracket running from the core support to the edge of the upper cover, held in by one bolt at the end. Then there are 2 more bolts on each side that connect the cover to the fender edge. Look up under the front and you should see the heads. May have to use a swivel socket to get to them. Then right next to those bolts is a plastic push pin. It may be a type that just pushes in, or have a center pin that has to be pulled first. Then as you pull it forward, release the spring teeth that are right below each headlight in the area the single bolt was. It should come straight off. I removed all the cover's inner supports and had it painted to match the body color and then reassembled it. If you don't care about overspray on the reinforcements then just take the whole assembly to a body shop and have them paint it to match the existing color. Make sure they use a "flex agent" in the paint so it won't flake off when the cover flexes.


Hope this helps...

 

That was very helpful. You say its the same part? I considered having the black one painted but it almost seems like it has a "texture" and would not match the body after being painted

 

It's possible it could be different when it is from the factory. A dealer should be able to check the part numbers. I was under the impression the service part was the same number but I ordered the whole nose from doors up so I might have missed it.