DIY Painting, lessons learned-update w/ pics

[jerry]

1. painting a car sucks

2. painting a car is alot of work

3. painting a car is a commitment, either time or money or both

4. actually completing a paint job is very satisfying

5. having a clean, well lit space to paint would save a lot of grief while wet paint is being applied

6. the color of the base primer affects the final appearance/color of the actual paint to a large extent.

7. don't trust the paintshop salesman to accurately match the existing color.

8. don't mark flaws in bodywork with a black Sharpie pen

9. don't paint a car in a shirt that you wore while ever holding a cat previously.

10. did i mention that painting a car was a lot of work and there's a reason why professionals charge a lot for it?

i finally finished painting my car last night and finished cleaning up by 8PM. i painted the hood and trunklid outside while spraying the car/doors in my makeshift booth. i'm generally pleased with it overall but will not post photos until it's been colorsanded. my 'Malaga' color turned out more brick red than maroon but i'm calling it malaga on general principles.

attached couple photos including an 'oh shit' on the hood. it was painted exactly like the trunk, only exception was that it was left outside today and this morning was misty. it looks like haze appearing where the coating is thickest. the appearance of water drip suggests the morning dew had something to do with it. it looked fine when i left for work. oh well....

can't wait to pull it out in the sun and see how it looks.

[PSloan]

How long did it take you total? How many base coats / clear coats? I had considered doing it myself on my 72 - which I believe will be flat black.

[jerry]

How long did it take you total? How many base coats / clear coats? I had considered doing it myself on my 72 - which I believe will be flat black.

i couldn't count the hours (mostly weekends), but been prepping it since May (including stripping to metal). at least 150 200 hours if i were to guess.

next time i should be able to shave alot of time off because of wasted effort.

3 basecoats and 3 clears. i was told that too much paint would lead to cracking down the road.

[winstontj]

How long did it take you total? How many base coats / clear coats? I had considered doing it myself on my 72 - which I believe will be flat black.

i couldn't count the hours (mostly weekends), but been prepping it since May (including stripping to metal). at least 150 200 hours if i were to guess.

next time i should be able to shave alot of time off because of wasted effort.

3 basecoats and 3 clears. i was told that too much paint would lead to cracking down the road.

Once you've done it it's a great feeling isn't it? Did you wet-clear or sand your base then dry clear? How much did you thin the paint? I know lots of painters who will use yellow as a base under black just so they don't have problems with coverage.

Congrats!!! You've joined the ranks of solvent-sniffing painters that know their stuff!

[TobyB]

6. the color of the base primer affects the final appearance/color of the actual paint to a large extent.

That shouldn't be true. Whose paint did you use?

11. Those Tyvek suits solve several of the above- numbered problems

12. you will be exhausted by the time you get the final coat on

13. let it harden BEFORE you get all excited about working on it some more...

14. Prep really makes the job.

15. the second one is 1/4th the work.

Good job, Jerry! Let's see pix!

t

[Stacey]

16. Cutting and buffing is as big a pain as the actual body work and prep, particularly single stage paint, and probably more stressful.

17. No matter how well a job you do in creating a home-made vented and filtered spray booth, one bug will find it's way through and do the Makarana on the rear hood.

18. Buy your paint supply jobber a 12 pack of his favorite beer the first time you meet him. Things will go much easier.

[Guest Anonymous]

As the paint dries it can flake off the plastic and mess up your paint job..

[esty]

darken over time?....not a chance...paint doesn't ripen like bananas

it'll get brighter as it fades

[JsnPpp]

Hi Patrick,

I painted my '73 two years ago and tracked the hours since I was using someone elses facilities. I did it in something like 200 hours as well (need to look at my notes). I took the car down to metal in most places, had to pull out some minor dings, a couple of larger dings and lots of little dents.

These 200 hours were with expert guidance of course! And the right tools make all the difference. The 200 hours doesn't include reassembly nor all the final waxing, etc.

Jason

[Pinepig]

Sanding is teh suck.

Get to it. LOL

[dubois]

Painting a car must be in the list of things to do before one dies! I heard driving a 2002 is in there too!

It is quite an accomplishment! and a labor of love.

[Biscuit3]

9. don't paint a car in a shirt that you wore while ever holding a cat previously.

Haha, this rule applies in numberous cases, not just with painting cars. Now I just dribbled all over the computer screen laughing at this!

[Biscuit3]

Jason, don't they have laws in Texas about leaving your kids in an unattended car?