[Firaga]

So, I'm going to have a good amount of free time after the holidays, since I won't be in school, and my hours will get cut at work, so what better way to spend it then finally painting my car?
My dad has been painting cars for years, but he doesn't have the time to show me how to do any of it, and our schedules just clash so I think I'm going to try this with the help of my friend while I have the free time.

I have all of the equipment, air compressor, a few sprayers, the tape, masks, and the space in our garage that he's used to paint cars in the past. All I need is the paint (I assume). I know how to sand the car down, i had to do it to my old Accord a few years back; but that's about it.
I'm really really set on the Calypso green. I've had others that I've liked the idea of, but this one has stuck for the longest. (Over a year at this point!) Does anyone know the paint code for that?

So, the help I need from you all, what are some really good online readings for this kind of job that you recommend. I know I can google this, but I'd like stuff that's been peer-reviewed so to speak.
I've never used a sprayer to paint before, so anything on good technique/practice will help.
Also, since I have the GT kit, I'm going to spray that too, so what would be different about doing that compared to the rest of the car since it's plastic or whatever material it is.

I've been told it really isn't that hard, and to be honest, I'm not all that concerned about it coming out looking crappy, and I'm sure it won't look pro, but I don't wanna pay Earl Scheib since I want the experience.... and (just about) anything can beat the 20 year old coat she has on now, right?

[Digsj7]

just make sure prep work is perfect! prep work makes the paintjob imo. Dont buy cheap primer, paint or clear, obviously spray evenly, make sure there is no moisture in the lines, take your time, and wet sanding sucks but it's a must! Good Luck.

[Firaga]

Thanks for the faith
What grit sandpaper sould I use? And how exactly would I go about doing the GT kit?

[Digsj7]

I would start with 6 or 800 and finish with 1500. Then wetsand with 2000. Thats what I did with my bike bodywork and it turned out really nice.

[NoColoradoGT]

Start with about a 100-120 grit to get everything off of there. I can't tell you, that of the 13 cars i've painted, nearly all of them that had been previously painted had an owner or painter who didn't sand past the original primer and it created really akward layers of paint. After sanding, then go ahead and do your coats of primer, and wetsand with a 330-400 grit. As far as the GT kit is concerned, I'm not totally sure because most of the cars I have painted have all been much older with metal bodies and very little fiberglass, and nooo plastic.

Honestly, if you want to go budget, throw a rustoleum roller paint job on there. i know it sounds ghetto, but if you do it right it can look amazing. I know a guy around here who wins car shows with his 1966 Mustang with a Sunrise Red Rustoleum paint job that he spent $120 and as many hours on.

I'm doing it to my winter beater Jeep right now. It's only in the sanding stages but starting tomorrow she is getting primer and paint begins as early as Sunday or Monday.

Stay tuned for results. 1990 Jeep Cherokee Build is Underway!

[NoColoradoGT]

Originally Posted by Digsj7 I would start with 6 or 800 and finish with 1500. Then wetsand with 2000. Thats what I did with my bike bodywork and it turned out really nice.

+1, after your done with your final coats, you've ensured that there is zero orange peel, and your ready to do your clear coat, 1500 then 2000 grit wetsand for sure. If you can find any higher grit than 2000, go for it.

[ryanw]

Originally Posted by NoColoradoGT Start with about a 100-120 grit to get everything off of there. I can't tell you, that of the 13 cars i've painted, nearly all of them that had been previously painted had an owner or painter who didn't sand past the original primer and it created really akward layers of paint. After sanding, then go ahead and do your coats of primer, and wetsand with a 330-400 grit. As far as the GT kit is concerned, I'm not totally sure because most of the cars I have painted have all been much older with metal bodies and very little fiberglass, and nooo plastic. Honestly, if you want to go budget, throw a rustoleum roller paint job on there. i know it sounds ghetto, but if you do it right it can look amazing. I know a guy around here who wins car shows with his 1966 Mustang with a Sunrise Red Rustoleum paint job that he spent $120 and as many hours on. I'm doing it to my winter beater Jeep right now. It's only in the sanding stages but starting tomorrow she is getting primer and paint begins as early as Sunday or Monday. Stay tuned for results. 1990 Jeep Cherokee Build is Underway!

Why would you sand past the original primer ? If you did that it would be bare metal.. Now ive never painted a car before, but what ive seen unless the old paint job already had spots showing through to the metal you wouldnt normally sand that much off. Id think you would sand the clear coat off and smooth out the original paint, clean, and repaint, then shoot some clear. Of course this does not include any body work that would need to be done.

[NoColoradoGT]

I always do because it's best to often hit the bare metal with guide coat in order to make sure panels are dead flat. If you're not looking to do any body work, then going down to the original primer is fine, but if you want to be thorough and get the best job possible, it's best to get down to the bare metal and to flaten out any spots that need to be done.

[bigjohnstud4200]

Originally Posted by NoColoradoGT +1, after your done with your final coats, you've ensured that there is zero orange peel, and your ready to do your clear coat, 1500 then 2000 grit wetsand for sure. If you can find any higher grit than 2000, go for it.

-1

You need to follow the instructions on the tech sheet of the particular paint.

In most cases, you will rough the area up or remove paint completely, depending on the bodywork required with 80 grit.. do you body work / filler, then 180.. then 320. After you've smoothed it to 320 you spray a good primer, I prefer epoxy primer (epoxy primer will not stick to a slick surface of 600 - 1500 grit). Once you have the primer laid down, then you block sand and smooth every imperfection out and and filler or glaze if need be. Once that's done, you rough it to usually 400 - 600 grit and seal it (to make a uniform color). After sealer, you DO NOT sand, your basecoat goes right over the sealer. Once the BC is down, you then clear coat it. Usually you'll wait 24hrs after the clearcoat has cured to allow some of the solvents to dissipate then you cut and buff.. wetsand with 1000 grit, then 1500 grit, then 2000 grit to get rid of the highs and lows in the orange peel (all the shiny spots). Once you've got it cut well, then you compound buff (machine) followed by a polish (machine) and it will come out slick as ice.

I would not suggest having a paint NOOB try to cut and buff straight to the basecoat as the inexperienced painter will likely cut too much basecoat and ruin all the hard work (be careful not to cut too much clear also. I would also suggest at least 3 coats of clear if you are going to cut and buff).

A couple of pics I took from a "demonstration" job last week.. took about 3 hours to show how to bang out dents, prep and spray.. no cut and buff yet.

[scotth@kn]

My first paint job was on a '87 GT. I had to do some minor body work. If you have any small dents bondo will do the trick. Make sure you use the regular bondo and get it as smooth as possible. Primer it, sand it smooth to find the low spots until you get an even finish. Do not use any type of finishing bondo. I found it was difficult to get primer to stick to finishing bondo. I practiced on a few junkyard fenders. Once I got a nice smooth surface with the primer I worked on my speed and stroke for the base coat. It helps to have a good booth for paint. I covered my garage in tarps and made sure the compresor was outside so I didn't get any extra unwanted dust floating around. Once you are dialed in hit the car. I found it was easier to get a smoother coat on plastic body parts than the actual metal of the car. So spraying the body kit should be fairly easy. It looks way cleaner if you can get inside the doors and under the hood. You may not need a clear coat on these areas but, it looks alot better if the areas you don't see as often are the same color as the car. Spraying clear coat is a little more tedious. With a smooth and steady stroke you should be able to pull off a professional look.

Since you are painting the car green I would go with a darker primer for more depth.

Have fun with it.

[Tony Silva]

YOU WILL NEED TO ADD A CHEMICAL KNOWN AS "FLEX-ATIVE" TO THE PAINT otherwise when you paint the 2 fiberglass GT pieces on the sides (behind the rear tires) as well as the rest of the rubber GT ground effects, the paint will crack........IT WILL CRACK!!!! Catalyst is added to paint to harden it. Flexative allows it to flex, duh..........Don't bother taking the body down to bare metal unless you plan on going for a car show quality paint job. Taking a car down to the metal will probably lead to you taking away previous body filler, and that sucks. If you don't know how to work body filler then I wouldn't even mess with it. It is an art all in itself....many men (and women) spend years perfecting it to make it look easy. But trust me, It's best left to professionals. If you want to do just a basic paint job, I would suggest sticking with the original color otherwise you will find yourself spending days and days doing the doors...the door jams...inside the hatch...the inside of the trunk...the engine compartment...my god the list can go on and on. Pulling glass, trim, mirrors, handles...etc...etc...etc.....You could just sand the entire car just enough to remove the glossyness and any chips or scratches can be feathered out and filled with the type of filler that comes in a big tooth paste lookin' tube thing (forgot what it's called though).

[Tony Silva]

yeah...the finishing filler is tricky though, just as scott@kn said.

[xxvicarious]

Go to autozone, by 20 spray cans of grey primer, and 10 cans of black primer for accents. Tape off your windows. Cover the cowl. Spray until your fingers bleed... outside. In the wind. At night. DONE.

...sad, this is how I just painted my '85 gt. Sadly, it looks good.

[ryanw]

Originally Posted by xxvicarious Go to autozone, by 20 spray cans of grey primer, and 10 cans of black primer for accents. Tape off your windows. Cover the cowl. Spray until your fingers bleed... outside. In the wind. At night. DONE. ...sad, this is how I just painted my '85 gt. Sadly, it looks good.

Lets see a picture

[93lxreef]

Unless you want countless ours of work for a show quality car...Stripping to bare metal is sensless. Remove the dead paint,then stop. If the car has multiple layers of paint, take it down to the factory stuff until you find good paint or primer that is still adhered well. If you paint over dead paint, It will let go and you will lose all of your hard work. If you need to redo old body work, then take it to bare metal in that spot, shoot epoxy primer and then use a good filler like rage brand. I like the rage gold. Never apply filler deeper than 1/8 inch or it will eventually release. Don't use bondo brand, it is shit. for filling the small holes in the filler and minor surface scratches use 3m SPOT PUTTY. It comes in a tube. wipe it on with your finger and let it dry. feather it out with 400 grit. No, it's not hard. After that, shoot primer over body work and sand. Before shooting wash car thoroughly with AJAX. that's right. the gritty bathroom cleaner. It will help remove trash. rinse rinse rinse and let dry. Now, use a 3m tack cloth to remove dust. Shoot a sealer right before color.. velva seal is one brand, use a color that will be a good base for your paint color. Shoot paint, then clear. Pull tape when paint is still plyable to cut a good line. pull tape directly back over itself and it will cut well that way. Allow at least 24 hours before wet sanding. more is better... Soak 1200-1500 paper in a bucket of water to soften it, and use a sponge backer. only sand until orange peel is gone, then stop. use a big sponge to keep work wet. wash car off and buff out with 3m perfect-it II on a foam buffing rotary pad until sand marks are gone. mirror paint job.

[Tony Silva]

93lxreef...you see my avatar pic of my red convertible, I painted the hood and the entire passengers side with five $.98 cent spray cans from wal-mart. I haven't painted the front nose piece yet. I got 2 cans of red in the trunk of my car...just waitin' for a warm day. So far I've got about ten bucks and about 5 hours of time into this!!!! LOL..........The whole trick to a decent spray paint job as far as spray paint jobs go is to get the can as close as possible with out having the paint drip and holding it far enough away so as to not let the paint look foggy on the surface.

[xxvicarious]

Originally Posted by xxvicarious Not too good of a picture. Off a webcam.

No, my good is not aligned. No, there is no blue oval on the front, car didnt come with one.

[xxvicarious]

$40 paintjob.

[Firaga]

As soon as I started seeing sanding to bare metal, I was thinking "no way". Yeah, I'm not looking for show quality, and I don't want a rattle can finish, haha.
When I did the Honda, it was all wet sand, and then my dad did a little bit of bondo on the side. I don't have anywhere on the body that is messed up enough to bother me, except for on the GT kit where girlfriend backed into it, but I can't fix that...


So the primer, am I loading this stuff into the sprayer as well, or are you guys talking about stuff coming out of a can? I know I'm clueless, but that's why I'm askin all of you.

[xxvicarious]

You can do either. Rattle can or spray gun. If you do spray gun, mix with 10% thinner.