To Paint Or Not To Paint?

Poison Heart · 08-27-08, 02:07 AM

poncholvr2, has got me thinking about painting this car myself.

I've never painted a whole care (actually I rattle canned a '74 Dodge 4x4). Where should I start? Should I use a chemical to take it down to bare metal or should I use a sander or do it by hand?

The body is pretty straight, one fender has some previous body work but they did a pretty good job, few rust spots but not bad.

What do yall think?

Poison Heart · 08-27-08, 02:07 AM

Also, Where can I get the paint I need? I want to go with the original colors. Will I have to get some matched or can a company use the original numbers to mix some for me?

Mr. HARDCORE · 08-27-08, 12:01 PM

If your old paint is good, don't bother with taking it down to the metal. It'll cost you more than it's worth. You can get your paint at any automotive paint supply in your area. They can mix the paint to the exact color you want, especially if it's a GM color.

Poison Heart · 08-27-08, 03:23 PM

Thanks Mike, I wouldn't say my paint is good but it's decent for being 50 years old.

so start sanding and then use filler where needed? What grit should I start with?

Mr. HARDCORE · 08-27-08, 04:24 PM

Any place filler is needed, take it to the metal with 40 grit. Any place the paint is good, and no body work it needed, use a 220 grit, and wet sand it. Wet sanding keeps the dust down and makes your paper go farther. If you have original paint, it's gonna cut really easily. If you find that it gums up the paper, it's not good paint. You'll know what I mean if it happens. Do one panel at a time. Don't skip around. You'll never get finished that way. Pick a part and finish it to the point of primer. Then move on. It's a simple process that gives great results. If you have to stay on one panel for a month, so be it. Get it finished, or it will come back to haunt you. Be a perfectionist. Your car is like a young woman's body. Caress it, and feel the smoothness. No waves! Just smooth and sexy! You'll see what I mean when you get there.

Poison Heart · 08-28-08, 12:02 AM

Will do

ytwoktt · 08-29-08, 12:06 AM

i got some parts for my car and drove them to the body shop today. i got a trunk lid , because after i had opened the trunk with a butter knife (the key hole and key are missing) i noticed the underside of the lid was laden with rust. i found a nos trunk lid on ebay for 40 bucks (WHAT A DEAL HUH?) i bought 2 front fenders a nose and 2 doors from the people that sold me the car. they didnt need the parts, so i bought them from them. the doors are good the body guy said it may be better to keep one door cuz it was in good shape but the other door for sure needs to be replaced ---- the passenger door. the 2 fenders i got were way better than whats on the car ..... the fenders on the car have got to go. metal work is being done on the roof on the area behind the doors where the plastic ground effects are right in front. they are doing new metal all the way up above the door on that fender just to be safe, on both sides. when i was there they were sanding the entire car down to bare metal i was happy to see that ...... i know when this car is done it will be brand new!!!!!! i didnt take any pictures cuz not that much was done because thety were waiting on the parts i had to bring them. they had sanded down the drivers door and they were working on the hood it was almost completely sanded down. im painting the car black and making it a bandit car. im pulling the olds 350 and automatic out and putting a rebuilt 455 pontiac motor in with a manual trans. when it is done this car will be pushing out about 425 horse. thats more powerful than my vette!!!!! wont be done till next spring, and i dont plan to rush them...... i want them to take their time.

Poison Heart · 08-29-08, 01:05 AM

Sounds sweet! What kind of car?

ytwoktt · 08-29-08, 01:09 AM

it is a trans am of course 1979 check out my gallery --- i have pics there

Poison Heart · 08-29-08, 01:12 AM

That thing is SICK! I'd leave it grandpa Brown. It's different than all the Black ones you see.

That reminds me, I need to make a gallery

Mr. HARDCORE · 08-29-08, 08:06 AM

The picture of his hood is a good example of what needs to be taken down to the bare metal.

Poison Heart · 08-29-08, 11:56 AM

Why is that?

Poison Heart · 08-29-08, 01:24 PM

What kind of primer should I get?

Bandwagon Man · 08-29-08, 02:22 PM

dont use 40 grit you'll eat the metal up, start with a grit that will get you there with out eating up the metal, the metal is only so thick- then you'll end up patching
ppg is good paint,they can color match with your codes,and have books to find the exact color
start with 160-180 see how it goes, 40,60,80- are for ripping it down quick
use the same companies ( bare metal primer,sealer/surfacer,-paint supplies)-- so there will not be any,problems with adhesion
choose the right paint -( lacquer,enamel,urethane enamel) ect...
is your car a shell?- there might be a local sand blasting company that will blast it cheaper than all the time/ work that it will take to sand by hand!
fenders ,doors,hood,trunk lid- all can be blasted ,and prepped, and moved around easier

harbor freight has inexpensive supplies for air tools/painting tools
spray/ bomb your area first-(for bugs)- or the little bastards will come out of no where!lol
mosquitoes are bad for this- so are some nats ect..
fresh paint is like a magnet
but if you do it right take your time- you can make it look like a show car for wayyyyy less than someone else doing it
and have fun while your at it

Poison Heart · 08-29-08, 02:25 PM

Thanks for the tips. I'm gunna get it running and then start on the body work.

Bandwagon Man · 08-29-08, 02:27 PM

it is fun to do it your self, and see progress no problem- i hope you get her done the way you want

Poison Heart · 08-29-08, 02:37 PM

I'm weird when it comes to old cars. I want it to look decent but look old at the same time. I don't really want a new paint job but it's too beat up to leave as is. I like where the paint is rubbed off on my dash from years of use. It adds character. Same with paint.

Bandwagon Man · 08-29-08, 02:42 PM

i hear ya - but imagine it all new color, nice and fresh,the wheels all polished, armerall on the seats-
dammit i wish mine was done

Mr. HARDCORE · 08-29-08, 09:53 PM

Using 40 grit to remove old paint is not going to eat up the metal unless you're grinding on the metal. Especially on a car that old. Remember, you're just removing the paint. If prepping the metal for filler, you're gonna need a rough surface for the filler to "hook" to. So yes, 40 grit. You can remove paint with a lesser grit, but remember, the longer you spend machine sanding an area, the hotter the metal gets. Heated metal is not a good thing, as it tends to cause you more problems than not. This is why I tell guys that are relatively new to this, that hand sanding it the best way. It gives you a better understanding of how all this shit works.

When blasting a large car, you have to take into consideration that the entire car is bare now. How are you going to keep rust and moisture off? You'll need to seal that metal quickly. Then, to work on that part, you may need to remove that sealer. Therefor, you're going to end up paying out more on a blasted car, than one you do piece by piece. Supplies add up quick, and this is one thing folks do not take into consideration when blasting. Your project should not be about saving time, but coming out in the end with a good understanding of what you have accomplished. Not to mention, a car you can be proud of. You're skill building as well as car building here. If you carry a hurry up and get it done attitude into this project, you're not gonna be too happy when it's done. trust me, I've been there.

Don't worry about paint until your body work is complete. What makes a killer paint job is not the paint, or the tools, or who applied it, but the time and care spent on the body work. Once the body is perfect, then you can worry about paint. Don't get ahead of yourself. One panel at a time. Learn as you go, and by the time you're on the last one, you'll have built a great deal of knowledge about what you're doing.

Bandwagon Man · 08-29-08, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.X.

Using 40 grit to remove old paint is not going to eat up the metal unless you're grinding on the metal. Especially on a car that old. Remember, you're just removing the paint. If prepping the metal for filler, you're gonna need a rough surface for the filler to "hook" to. So yes, 40 grit. You can remove paint with a lesser grit, but remember, the longer you spend machine sanding an area, the hotter the metal gets. Heated metal is not a good thing, as it tends to cause you more problems than not. This is why I tell guys that are relatively new to this, that hand sanding it the best way. It gives you a better understanding of how all this shit works.

When blasting a large car, you have to take into consideration that the entire car is bare now. How are you going to keep rust and moisture off? You'll need to seal that metal quickly. Then, to work on that part, you may need to remove that sealer. Therefor, you're going to end up paying out more on a blasted car, than one you do piece by piece. Supplies add up quick, and this is one thing folks do not take into consideration when blasting. Your project should not be about saving time, but coming out in the end with a good understanding of what you have accomplished. Not to mention, a car you can be proud of. You're skill building as well as car building here. If you carry a hurry up and get it done attitude into this project, you're not gonna be too happy when it's done. trust me, I've been there.

Don't worry about paint until your body work is complete. What makes a killer paint job is not the paint, or the tools, or who applied it, but the time and care spent on the body work. Once the body is perfect, then you can worry about paint. Don't get ahead of yourself. One panel at a time. Learn as you go, and by the time you're on the last one, you'll have built a great deal of knowledge about what you're doing.

What makes a killer paint job is not the paint, or the tools, or who applied it ???

i car can wave at you while its sitting still- if the paint is good quality,and the person applying it does it right it will still look so good that most people will be put to shame-
but the poor body work will suck
40 grit- will eat up metal- i dont care who you are,or how soft you take it down- ive used it ive done it
do you need primer to hook into the metal?- no- i use to think that but no you dont-
it needs to be clean so it will bite ,and adhere to the metal