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Keep the faith. When mine was red the paint was rough but I managed to polish some up so it didn't look too bad. I did wonder about polishing up the whole car but decided it would be better to sand it back donw, re-primer and build it up from scratch.
I am so glad I did. As soon as I started sanding the bonnet, allof the dips, bumps and scratches became apparent.
I bought an electric dual action sanded and loads of 180, 230 and 400 grit pads. These too off the paint and most of the surface imperfections showing me exactly where filler was needed.
I think the time and effort was well rewarded with the paint finish
Gary its that thought of the shiny bits against the darker colour that keeps me going!
WCA, to be honest, I thought of those pics you've posted, (I saw them when you were doing it) and I kind of knew then that my boot-lid did not look like a Leopard, as your car did, and it should have.
Like you say, the work is worthwhile, and your cars paint work is excellent
because of it.
I have started ripping the boot lid back with 240 grit, and already the Leopard is appearing! Also, by the look of it now, I really skimped on the sanding back the first time round.
Well, at least I know what I need to do to the WHOLE car now!!!!
Also I know I will paint the car myself, and as Towed and IanA said:
Smother it in lots of paint and mop the living daylights out of it after.
Try to keep the sanding even across the whole surface so you don't end up with dips at certain points. Try to get it all down to primer befor you get any area down to glass. Slow, steady and diagonal sanding with each set of strokes at about 30 degrees to the rest.
Don't get tempted to deep sand any one point or it will become a bowl and the paint will never be right*.
One tip i would give, and it may sound a bit strange, but it is: try to view the whole sanding process as 'carving', as in you are carving the car to the shape you want it to be....
So, 'carve' across the whole panel, in sweeping motions, with a sanding block, (not just by hand) untill you are happy with the 'mapping' that you see (as you are getting in your bootlid) Dont concentrate on one area too much, as it will end up looking like a dent, esp on fiberglass cars.
Then lay on some high build primer, and leave it plenty of time to fully cure, (very important, as it sinks during curing, and if you rush this bit, the sinking will appear in your final paint finish instead..)
Then sand all over again with 600 to 800 grit, and viola, ready for paint.
Look foreward to seeing it done, all the best, Ollie.
I have the boot-lid back in primer, lots of it!
And Ollie, I have left it for a day or so before I will flat it and
chuck a guide coat on to see if I've got it right this time!
Will post the resulting mess!
Me again... i have to agree with landmannnn....if you have no way of baking the primer, leave it for ages before sanding. Without baking, it can sink for weeks....(and ruin a nice job..)
Best bet it to get one panel as good as you can, prime it, then move on to the next panel / area, then come back to the first one for sanding..
Patience is a virtue.......!
Oh, me again..again...
Scottie, you say it is well primed already...
Flick over it now with a black aerosol, just a dust coat, then when you fine sand it (with a block) you will see instantly how ripple free is is...or isn't...!
Scottie, just read your previous post..... Really dont want to rain on your parade, but......i'v been in the car painting trade for over 20 yrs, and i'v never seen a rattle can primer that will even get close to doing the job you need...sorry... You may have to look what high build primer you can find to spray on with a gun, its the only way you will achieve the thickness you need....
But its horses for courses, it all depends on what finish you are trying to achieve....
PS.. if you do spray on, please dont forget proper breathing apparatus...
Sorry to (possibly) be the bearer of bad news.............
... i'v been in the car painting trade for over 20 yrs, and i'v never seen a rattle can primer that will even get close to doing the job you need...sorry... You may have to look what high build primer you can find to spray on with a gun, its the only way you will achieve the thickness you need.... But its horses for courses, it all depends on what finish you are trying to achieve...
Ollie - Clearly you know what you are talking about, so can I ask for some painting advice too?
The paint finish I am trying to achieve is one that looks pretty good, but it doesn't need to be show winning.
However, in terms of horses for courses, I am working outside and at best will have a tent over the car when I paint it.
So no spray booth / baking oven, no compressor, spray equipment, or specialist breathing gear.
As mentioned on the previous page, I am planning to hand paint my car with rollers & brushes as per this thread.
I am not a pro by any means, but the first one looks ok from the big photo, his build shots show the finish is very basic.
Skiming through the second link he seems to have got a very good finish straight from the gun, no runs, sags, orange peel etc. It may have been luck but for an amateur it would be very unlikely that it would be that good, I suspect the guy has had a lot of painting experience.
Just setting expectations, there really aren't any short cuts when painting.
Paul - I have a cheap air compressor and paint gun you could borrow for a month or so if you want to wander down to Southampton. It is only small and you my might want to buy youself a better paint gun but it free if you want to borrow it. Same goes for Scottie of course.
i would lend you my paint baking oven too but I need the patio heater
Drive outside, paint, drive inside, bake, drive outside... you get the picture
Mr Towed, as usual you have excelled! Your car paintwork looks very good, and thank you for the detailed pictures.
I now feel very humble, as I already have all these things, including a huge compressor, (which after 30 years of use, finally gave up the ghost and needed a new motor last year)
In years gone by, I have sprayed several cars, ( my own) with varied results, so really, I have absolutely no excuses to give.
Why do I still use rattle cans as well? 'Cos I'm lazy, and sometimes I find it more convenient to do it that way.
To get a professional to admit that a good finish CAN be obtained by the
DIY / rattle- can route, is a bit like trying to convince a baker that home bread-making machines are a good idea! It just won't happen!
But there are a lot of people out there that know it can be achieved, Mr Towed is one of them, and I know my paint job will look okay when its done.
I was tempted by the idea of spraying my whole car by rattle- can just to show it can be done, but it will be faster to chuck the paint on with the gun.
I will probably use 1k paint, a lot of it, and mop it to a good finish.
Paul L, i know where you are coming from, wanting to do it all your self, its very satisfying...
Basically, anything can be polished to a super shiney finish...paint, plastic, stainless, granite, diamonds...(if only..) it just takes time and effort.
As far as the paint goes, so long as there is enough material on the panels, however its applied (spraygun, roller, brush, aerosol...) once fully cured, it can be sanded back and polished....
But i would still reccomend trying to get hold of a small compressor and gun, and, once the body has been vigorously rubbed down, hopefully with a block like i mentioned earlier, spray on some high build primer, then dust with black aerosol, like in mr towed's pics, and once cured, block sand again, and you will see where you are at pretty quick....
If not happy, prime again...
You just wont get the thickness from an aerosol..
(try to view the high build primer as a complete thin skim of filler, filling in the imperfections...)
If you go the aerosol route, you can still get a shiney paint finish, but you will also still have the 'rippely, straight from the mold' finish too......
Its all a bit differant from painting a steel car, as you dont get that fiberglass ripple on steel cars....
Hope this ramble helps in some way......
Well, I did as I was told, and misted a guide coat on the boot lid.
Today after 3 days of drying out, I flatted it and re-primed it again.
I know I never left it for two weeks, but it did appear to be okay. Time will tell.
The surface is improving, it looks, and feels much more smooth and silky than it did.
When I think I've got it right, the top coat will go back on. If it is not perfect, I will start again.
Its out baking in the sun as it was the last three days.
I expect the baking effect will has shorten the curing time somewhat.
Here's what it looked like before the latest primer:
For anyone interested in one of my other projects, I have an update.
Here is the original picture I posted of the "front" propped up on my van:
[IMG][/IMG]
Well, since then I have sourced the two bling rings, which go round the headlights, made clips, and fitted them.
Sourced headlights, bowls and adjusting rings, and got one side assembled and bolted in place. I also have bought some new orange indicators.
My van, unlike a VW is mid-engined and water cooled, which means I would have trouble with cooling if I did not do something with the solid front I will fit.
As most water cooled machines, my rad is up front too.
I have planned to cut out some holes in the nose and glass in some perforated gauze to allow airflow. I will paint it the same colour as the rest of the frontage, so it won't be that obvious.
