paint your wagon.

[Duke Blues 15]

I'm facing a bit of a short fall in resto funding so I may end up.painting my own car. At the mo it's fern/onix green but I'm told that met colors are hard to get right for the novice. So I may have to paint it some other color. Has anyone tried repainting their car in metallic. How did it turn out.

Any advice would be welcome.

Graham.

[Messer 2]

I remember my dad did a previous car in a metallic grey and had a nightmare much less forgiving for an amatuer and difficult to get the metallic particles to lay uniformly.. I read somewhere that you should always paint mettalics in the way they will lie on the car, so of your doing a door and it's removed for paint, don't lie it flat but hang it just like it would be on the car?

[Duke Blues 15]

Ah ha,

I would have fallen fowl of that one. Thanks for the tip.

[canadian_Mk3 9]

I would definetly look it up, or practice on a spare panel. Thats what my dad is going to do before he paints my car. Metallic paint has a tendency to 'tiger stripe' which is when the spray overlap is off and the metallic particles build up in one area giving it a striped look.

[Mangler 20]

You can always use a big brush :thumbup: till funds are available.

[Duke Blues 15]

If I end up having to paint the car myself then going to have to be in a hard color. I've never painted a car before and after spending time surfing the net. I can see Nowt but problems should I try to spray the car in met colors. As for using a paint brush. :)

Naaaa mate. Nice pic though.

[Mk1madness 1]

metallics are easy to paint if you follow a few simple rules, make sure your compressor will give even pressure throughout the whole job because the colour will alter if the pressure is uneven, dont apply it too wet which is when you get stripes, use a good quality thinner in the basecoat, most importantly use a good quality gun cos even a pro will struggle with a cheap gun , but the fact is that by the time youve bought a good gun and compressor you could have paid for a body shop to put the paint on for you, i,m based in doncaster yorkshire and if you got the car ready and bought the paint i could put the paint on in our spray booth without breaking the bank. call me on 07810 711376 if u wanna know more, regards craig

[Duke Blues 15]

Cheers Craig,

My car won't be ready for paint until October. I've only just started with the body prep and who knows what I'll find along the way. I'll put your number in my phone and keep you in mind.

Graham,

(my 2XL resto)

[cortinapaul 7]

Go for it :thumbup:

[Steve 5]

I found metalic pretty simple ,Especially as its laquered

A decent gun and paint it panel by panel willsave you loads of cash ,Just buy an extra litre of paint and practice on a panel ,Remember that the laquer had to go on at a certain time or it wont work iirc ..

Edited July 23, 2012 by Mk1Steve

[Duke Blues 15]

Go for it :thumbup:

 

I do like the idea of painting my own car as I've done all of the work so far and I've got to the point where I don't want anyone else to touch it. I really want to do the whole car myself. Foolish pride really. I've only got a small compressor but my mate also has a small compressor and I was thinking of connecting the two together and wearing ear muffs. :) the problem I found last weekend when I was applying the primer was that the gun/filter and air line make for a cumbersome pice of kit. Trying to maintain a 8 to 10 inch distance from the area to be sprayed was'nt easy. Particularly when spraying the top of the bulk head under the scuttle. And behind the head light apertures. No real probs with primer but not so good with met paint. What spray gun did you use. Mines a HVLP but I'm not sure of the make.

Graham.

[Duke Blues 15]

I found metalic pretty simple ,Especially as its laquered

A decent gun and paint it panel by panel willsave you loads of cash ,Just buy an extra litre of paint and practice on a panel ,Remember that the laquer had to go on at a certain time or it wont work iirc ..

 

I've been reading up on the net. The basics seem to be.

Maintain an 8 to 10 distance from the panel.

Overlap each stroke by 50%.

Keep a constant pressure from the compressor.

Keep the paint well mixed.

Keep an eye on flash off time.

Don't rub down between coats.

Apply the lacquer with great care.

Spray the car in a clean dry well lit place.

Easy :o

I'm tempted.

Even if I only do the bay and see how I go.

[the-ford-cortina.com 226]

I've been reading up on the net. The basics seem to be.

Maintain an 8 to 10 distance from the panel.

Overlap each stroke by 50%.

Keep a constant pressure from the compressor.

Keep the paint well mixed.

Keep an eye on flash off time.

Don't rub down between coats.

Apply the lacquer with great care.

Spray the car in a clean dry well lit place.

Easy :o

I'm tempted.

Even if I only do the bay and see how I go.

 

CLEAN IS IMPORTANT dust in the air will get in your paint on the car also the weather is ideal now it will be harder to get good results when its colder.

[AERO_ADY 10]

CLEAN IS IMPORTANT dust in the air will get in your paint on the car also the weather is ideal now it will be harder to get good results when its colder.

 

You'll need a water trap in the air line as condensation will spoil it too

[Duke Blues 15]

CLEAN IS IMPORTANT dust in the air will get in your paint on the car also the weather is ideal now it will be harder to get good results when its colder.

 

I'de like to get the car painted by October as the weather is normally quite warm and dry in October. What I don't wan. Is for the car to go through winter with nothing more than primer on it. As long as I don't have any delays/problems preping the car then it should be done by then. The only question is...... Am I doing it or is it going to a spray shop.