My Paint Project From Hell

[280Z Turbo]

I'm pretty sure you need a real deal catalyst/hardener nasty-type car paint if you want it to adhere and hold up to weather and washing over time.

+1

It's not even that much more expensive.

[sportyaccordy]

O yea you need real car paint. I don't know the details, just that folks call it the "$50 roller paint job" and that they come out great. If you can deal with the prep + finish work that's def an idea.

[280Z Turbo]

O yea you need real car paint. I don't know the details, just that folks call it the "$50 roller paint job" and that they come out great. If you can deal with the prep + finish work that's def an idea.

Those paint jobs use rustoleum or tractor paint and they look like shit. They will always be gummy/soft and never shine like real car paint applied properly.

Its better to have maaco shoot it.

[Byteme]

+1

It's not even that much more expensive.

The last auto paint I bought, about 6 years ago, was well over $200 for a quart of colorcoat and clearcoat and reducer and hardner for each.

A can of Rustoleum is about $15.

See:  http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?40341-My-quot-rustoleum-50-roll-on-paint-job-quot  for an example of a rustoleum paint job. 

[Byteme]

Those paint jobs use rustoleum or tractor paint and they look like shit. They will always be gummy/soft and never shine like real car paint applied properly.

Its better to have maaco shoot it.

Why would it be gummy/soft?  Rustoleum isn't that way when used on anything else.

[Rupert]

Yeah, pretty sure I've addressed the repaint-whole-car option a couple times...

[Eye of the Tiger]

Flock it!

[Rupert]

I saw a guy walking his sheep through a town yesterday. It was bleating happily. Awesome.

[Soup DeVille]

I saw a guy walking his sheep through a town yesterday. It was bleating happily. Awesome.

So... the stories are true then?

[Rupert]

No; the sheep wasn't scared.

[280Z Turbo]

Why would it be gummy/soft?  Rustoleum isn't that way when used on anything else.

Yes it is. All cheap enamel paint is.

[Rupert]

Got the paint on. Looks OK for not having clear on the panel.

[Rupert]

Got the clear on.

It's a rough surface, so I need to make it not rough. Buffing compound? Wet sanding?

[Rupert]

Psh, never mind. I had to re-do the color coat.

I dunno, the paint shop is looking pretty good.

[AutobahnSHO]

I dunno, the paint shop is looking pretty good.

LOL    Sorry it's such a hassle. My thread would be 3x longer trying to fix the paint on subie though.... 

(Front bumper cover has been scratched a few times, paint is starting to flake off.)

[Rupert]

Yeah...

I put clear on (again) today, and it looks better. I think it needs one more good wet coat, and then I can move on to the side trim thing. That should be a lot easier.

Also got the rest of the gaskets on the door handles/mirrors replaced. That's cool.

[Secret Chimp]

y u no pichurs

[Rupert]

'Cause it looks like shit!

I'll post one when it's done. I'm bad at remembering to take photos. :P

[Rupert]

Alrighty, it's done, and it doesn't completely suck! I'd call it a solid 10 foot job, at least in the right light. I bet most people won't be able to find the spot without getting up really close. The color turned out to be pretty good.







I definitely learned a lot about painting and stuff, particularly that it's gonna look a lot worse before it gets better. It would have been easier with a non-metallic color. I should have dove in two-feet first and just removed a bunch more paint than I did.

[Secret Chimp]

Damn, that looks good. Was it on the outer edge/corner of the top of the rear quarter? I'm having trouble seeing it at all in the pics.

[Rupert]

Green was the original damaged area, orange is what ended up getting painted, roughly:



Thanks! I think it great at 10 ft in the sun. We'll see what it's like under street lights and stuff.

[S204STi]

Nice job!

[Rupert]

Thanks!

[Secret Chimp]

Oh, now I can tell... :P

How much polishing work have you done on it? That might blend it in more...

[Rupert]

Well, it's got a clear coat on it, and it's a metallic paint, which apparently shouldn't be polished. Like I said, it would have been a lot easier with non-metallic paint.

I'm at least happy with it for a while, before I go crazy and paint the whole car.

[CJ]

I've polished many metallic cars, but not with fresh paint. I feel like it helps the metallic flake really pop.

[Rupert]

Which is fine if it's the whole car and not just one panel.

[CJ]

Which is fine if it's the whole car and not just one panel.

So...polish the whole car?

[Rupert]

The rest of the was already under clear coat.

[CJ]

The rest of the was already under clear coat.

Do it anyway to make it look better and get rid of the swirls?