Based on G7's mod on the hiptop forum, I first lightly sanded the hiptop back panel (after removing it first, of course). I then applied two coats of the black base, then several coats of Krylon Mystique Blue/Purple, then several coats of the clear laquer to seal and protect it. After the laquer was dry, I buffed and polished the laquer to a smooth shine.

I apologize for the photo quality and angles. These pics were taken of the sidekick using it's own camera in the mirror. I'll try to take a better set of pics using my Nikon Coolpix 995 later. You can also see G7's higher-quality pics on his Geocities page.

I thought this was a phenomenon last night, but confirmed it this morning under various conditions. The metallic bits in the Krylon Mystique when sprayed on the back panel appear to be working as a partial antenna. I've noticed a 2-5 ASU improvement between using an unmodded panel (my old panel, which I kept) and the newly painted panel (which I had as a spare until now). I used both for comparison, held in the same area in the same positions, and the modded panel received high signal strengths. Hmmm...