Painting the Lebaron soon!!!

[Wink]

Well folks, I've gotten to the point that I'm fed up with the current condition of the car's paint. Ever since I purchased the car (over 10 years ago) it's been needing a paint job. Well, enough is enough. I've been doing some research on painting the car and having it painted by a shop. Well, I came to the conclusion that I cannot afford a custom paint job for her at the moment. So having a body shop do the deed is out of the question. However, in my research, I've come across a process that works out really well, and it cheap as hell to boot.

Now bear with me on this. It sounds rather ghetto. But a few people have done this with great results. And their cars look awesome.

Basically it's using Tremcal (Canadian version) or Rust-oleum, mineral spirits, and a roller brush. The basic process is that you thin out the paint with the mineral spirits so that it's just slighly thicker than water. Then you use thin coats, with a foam roller, and wet sand between every 2 to 3 coats. After the fist two coats, I'm going to wet sand with 800 grit paper. After the 4th coat, 1000 grit. Then after the 6th coat, 2000 grit paper.

I'm not sure how it all will work out for myself. I'm only planning on painting the hood for now, since it's the worst of all my panels. I purchased the paint, mineral spirits, rollers, tape, mixing cup, sand paper today. Total was less than $60 out of pocket. If this works out as well as the cars that I've seen, then I'll grab more supplies to do the rest of the car. I'll post up pics when I have something done. I'm hoping to start tomorrow on the process. If time doesn't allow, I'll try to get at least 2-4 coats on the hood by the weeks end.

[Wink]

Today I painted a patch on the hood. Used two coats and it seems to be doing well. However, I think I didn't thin out the paint enough.

I also painted the rear decklid. But this time I thinned out the mix more than the first batch. I really think I thinned it out too much. It started running and wasn't as solid of a coat as the patch on the hood.

This process is really a fine art on how to properly mix the paint properly. I guess I'll just wait for both to dry overnight and wet sand in the morning. I'll snap pics of the first coats after I wet sand. Then I'll most likely put a couple more coats on the rear decklid and let it cure during the rest of the day.

I'll try to get a couple coats on the painted surfaces each night and wet sand in the morning.

I'll post results each step of the way.

[Whorse]

I'm looking forward to this. My friend wants to try a patch on the back of his RX7, and if it works might do my trunk which is getting bad.

[Wink]

DAMN BUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went outside this morning to find out that about 30 or so bugs got embedded in the paint of the rear decklid. Man am I pissed!!! Well, I guess I'll just have to sand them out and start fresh again.

[Wink]

First two coats applied. Started to wet sand the paint. Top of the decklid is sanded. Back part still needs a bit more sanding.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/mwinkle353/The%20Headless%20Horseman/Paintjob/IM000569.jpg

You can actually see some of the factory clear coat showing through the paint I applied on the top of the panel. This will fill in much better once more coats are applied. Trust me. I couldn't even see those marks before I sanded. I honestly think I sanded over half of the thickness of the two first coats off. I used 800 grit paper for this so far.



After I sand the rear part of the decklid, I'll apply another two coats to the panel.


More to come.......

[Whorse]

What're you doing for mixture, and for a finish coat?

[Wink]

mixture is Rustoleum thinned out with mineral spirits. I have yet to get a great mix as of yet. But I'm working on it. The first two coats on the decklid was too thin. I'll mix less mineral spirits in the next batch.

Finish coat is just going to be the 6th coat of the paint I'm using. Wet sand with 2000 grit paper. Then I'll polish with Turtle Wax and an orbital polisher.

If all goes well, it'll look like glass when all is said and done. But the whole process takes alot of time. Especailly with all the wet sanding that is required.

[Whorse]

Sounds like you'd be required to keep the car off the road for a good week to do it well eh.

So there's no need for any priming with this?

[Clay]

Personal opinion here, but I would just use straight paint out of a spray can, and wet sand between coats that way. The idea of applying paint to a car with a roller makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time! ;)

[Wink]

Sounds like you'd be required to keep the car off the road for a good week to do it well eh.

So there's no need for any priming with this?


That's the thing about this process. The paint is has self etching properties. So there's no need to use primer. Plus, it's self leveling. When you roll it on, it has the bumps of the roller on it. But if you let it set, and come back to have a look at it later, it's smoothed out.

I'm not keeping the car off the road, since it's my only daily driver. What I do is wait for the sun to be down low enough so that the surface isn't so hot. Let it cure overnight. Then wet sand it in the morning.

[Wink]

3rd coat is on.......

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/mwinkle353/The%20Headless%20Horseman/Paintjob/IM000570.jpg

[LynX853]

wow thats definetly good so far

[GLHS592]

I'm speechless. I don't know if I'm amazed or shocked.

[Wink]

I'm speechless. I don't know if I'm amazed or shocked.



I'm not quite sure as to how to take that comment.

[WVRampage]

Its looking good a freind of mine back a few years ago did his dads 3/4ton 2 wheel drive chevy truck with rustoleum and a foam roller he didnt wet sand but at 10 feet it loked great and 5 years later I still see it out and its still looking good.

[Whorse]

Wow, I'm excited. You might be on to something given how cheap most of us are. NICE.

[GLHS592]

I'm not quite sure as to how to take that comment.

I'm amazed that anybody would think of it and shocked anybody would actually do it.

It just amazes me how cheap some of you are. I'm all for getting the best deal for the money. I just can't see doing so with a paint roller.

[Wink]

For me it's not a matter of being cheap. It's a matter of not having the money for a professional paint/body shop to get it done.

Not all of us can just go out back and pull the fruit off the money tree.


Bills OWN me!!!!

[Whorse]

I agree. I have so many other places I need to invest money into my car before the paint. There's a difference between being cheap and just plain not being able to afford something too.

[GLHS592]

I know from experience that you can get a really nice paint job if you buy some supplies and are willing to trade out some work. If you want something bad enough, you can find a way to do it. For example, you can save a ton of money if you forgo a few cartons of smokes and a few cases of beer. How about a yard sale? I offered a friend some free labor on one of his projects in return for helping me with my car. Don't give me the "I don't know anybody that owns a body shop" stuff. I didn't know the guy that painted my car until I walked in one day.

I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything. I just think a paint roller shouldn't be used on anything other than wood or drywall. I'd save up the cash and go with a $200 Maaco job before I'd roll paint onto my car. I'd also live with mismatched body panels before I'd do that.

[Darkwolf]

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=2331682&page=0&fpart=1&vc=1
huge thread on this. I doubt I would do my mustang but my van sure, it can't look any worse.

[Whorse]

Well you're right about how bad you want it. For my red car, well for now I'd be happy just to make it all red so it's not fading and not going to rust. For my Van, I could care less how good the paint is, so if I can make it all match and look ok for cheap, I'm in.

For those of us that quit smoking, hardly ever drink, and don't have enough posession to even consider a yard sale, those options are a bit tough. I'm already cutting back spending on things I shouldn't be, like clothes and groceries, so I can afford to fix my clutch.

[Wink]

No problem. Each person has his/her own opinion.

I for one wanted to try something different. If it works, then I'm happy. If not, then I'm no worse off than when I started.

The panels that I'm painting really need paint. And I for one won't just spray some primer on a panel and keep it that way for months/years on end.

I was just told that painting the car this way, you save over 2/3 of the paint that you would apply if you were to spray it on the car. And if this doesn't turn out the way I've seen, then I'll just go out and get a bunch of cans and spray on the color.

Most that know me, know I dare to be different. I usually don't conform to the normal venue of standard operations. That's why I'm working on twin turbos for my v6, and not just a single turbo. I realize that everytime I take on one of these tasks, it's a hit or miss situation. And that's what I like. Hell, if I could, I'd get myself an AMC pacer and throw in a big V8 with a blower sticking out of the hood. But until that day comes, I work on what I've got on hand. And right now that's a Lebaron Convertable that I've had for 11 years and a Shadow that has been burned via engine fire.

[Wink]

After the 4th coat of paint and some wet sanding, this is what I've got....


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/mwinkle353/The%20Headless%20Horseman/Paintjob/IM000576.jpg



Still needs more sanding to get rid of the layered spots. Then a few more coats and sanding/polishing.

[Domino]

not too bad

[WVRampage]

im sure its gona look real good when its done and be real durable

[rhubbard]

FOr all of you that are still skeptics and non-believers, a local guy to me is doing the same on his RX-7. All the he has done so far is after work/end of day. Here are some pictures and the link.

http://www.xceedspeed.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46781&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d67/10thAE_RX-7/IMG_1218.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d67/10thAE_RX-7/IMG_1230.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d67/10thAE_RX-7/IMG_1253.jpg

[WVRampage]

I sprayed my F-250 with tractor and implement paint from tractor supply and it is real hard to scratch up and its always shining.

[MopàrBCN]

Hi, I find it quite encouraging what you are doing. We shouldn't forget that this is the way cars got painted 30 years ago! If that technic works, then it should help a lot of people pepping up the looks of their cars meanwhile having funds to invest where the fun comes from, the performance.

I am absolute positive that I will give it a try. My car is that bad from the outside that it is worth while trying it. I am equally sure that this method doesn't achieve what a properly done paintjob does, but hey, there is a time for everything. Keep posting. I am seriously curious of your results.

[WVRampage]

if it is applied right and the last coat is wet sanded with real fine paper and buffed it should look just as good as any other paint.

[LynX853]

TAKE MORE PICS! i went to that fourm with the rx7, and he has a link to the guy who was the first one to do it. all i gotta say is HOLY CRAP THATS AWESOME! im definetly doing the same thing when i get home from school in july,

hell it cant look any worse then my fading paint and peeling clear coat, plus if you take your time on it, its awesome! and I can do my whole car for under 100 bux? is it being cheep? yes! but is it smart and well worth it? HECK YEAH! definetly a believer now that i seen those other sites!

great job so far, just take your time!, im sure its gonna be awesome

[87glhs232]

Wonder how it does on flexi parts, like SC air dams?

[Whorse]

Or intercooler pipes and valve covers?

[Wink]

Personally, I'm half afraid to apply this to plastic parts. I'm tempted just to use a good spray on paint for those items that have flex. I'll try it out on the rear bumper, when I get that far, just to see how it reacts to the flexability of the part. But, from what I hear/read, this paint cures wickedly tough.

[WVRampage]

Or intercooler pipes and valve covers?

Should work real good on that stuff.

[LynX853]

i want more updated pics of the baron!

[Wink]

Haven't been able to get more done to the paint as of lately. Working on things that are "needed" at the moment.

Baron grenaded it's water pump this past week, and that took priority. Plus, I am trying to get my other vehicle back on the road. And that's taking most of my free time. But...... I did take a few days vacation this week. So, we'll see how much time I get (weather permitting) to maybe finish the paint on the trunklid.

[Whorse]

I would love to see more pictures. I'm curious to what mixture worked well for you, and how you varied your sandpaper grits along the way.

Jason

[Mario]

Wonder how it does on flexi parts, like SC air dams?

I'm sure it'd be fine.....until they get pressed in or bumped into. Then you'll probably have a bunch of spiderlines everywhere.

To me it looks like a decent paint job if you don't have $200 to your name and you have a lot of time and patience.

I still remember the first spray bomb paint job I loved. It was Chod's (justa4 on td.com if I remember his name on their correctly) kick --- omni. In pictures and 20 feet away it looked like pretty decent black paint job. Up close was another story. Still sweet though for the time and money put into it.

[87glhs232]

I'm sure it'd be fine.....until they get pressed in or bumped into....
...or do 115 plus and the force of the air flexes things.

[86lance]

so im thinking painting the plastic pieces with the rustoleum paint would be fine,everyone says the stuff sticks to anyone and the guy who originally made the thread swears by it. Pix to back it up also...

[Mario]

I never said it wouldn't stick. The problem is the paint isn't very elastic, if at all. So once it gets pushed in, you're going to end up with spiderlines everywhere more than likely.

....but hey, it's a $30 paint job.

[ShelbyZD]

I dont mean to nitpick as I will be doing some cheapo painting here soon. But, That RX-7 .. although it looks a lot better likely than it did.. I can see the orange peel in the paint easily.

I would suggest if your gonna be Super cheap to at least get some color matched paint in a spray bomb. If you know how to spay paint it would look 10x better than using a roller.

Also, there are people out there that will do cheap paint jobs too.. not perfect but I was told I could get my car done for $1000 Canadian... which isn't bad at all. If I wanted to get cheaper I could just have the top 1/2 of my car painted (as the bottom 1/2 is almost perfect) and likely drop the price to around $500-600.

Just some thoughts. :)

[86lance]

it really isnt in the painting that gets the roll on job to look nice. Its the wetsanding and polishing. Like the guy said he spent 20 minutes alone JUST polishing his trunk. And FYI i worked at menards for 2 years in the paint department and let me tell you that paint is DAMN strong. I remember painting it onto a paint sample card and bending it and i still couldnt get it to crack! jeez that was a long time ago.

[89ShelbyGuy]

At first i was like WHAT ROLLING ON PAINT? Are you high?!?!

Well after reading all the post and doing some research on the internet i found that alot of people are doing this with great results. So, this weekend i will be doing it myself. I will be making a little site about it too if it works.

You say you can see orange peel? You think you won't get orange peel with just spraying it on? I KNOW it will orange peel...cause of the roller...but thats when wet sanding comes along..As long as you know how to do that...why not try it? I will DIFF post my results on my test hood...Polishing is also a big step also..always do a 2ft by 2ft spot...

With guys in the same postion as me...(Short on cash, no paint booth) i think this is a great idea....that is..if it work..

I'll let yea know.

Tom

[86lance]

Tom call me when you do it id like to see it

[86lance]

well,i started painting my daytona this weekend using the roller method and i can say it definately sticks very well to the plastic pieces. I have two coats of paint on my rear bumper and i can twist the thing like a wetrag and it doesnt chip split or spidevein AT ALL. after the first two coats of the body last night/early morning i tried scratching it.........i couldnt. This stuff is extremely tough and self levels just like they all say. Now i am on the third coat and will be doing the 4th shortly following up with 800 grit wetsanding. then 5th and 6th coat followed by 1000 grit wetsanding. Depending how smooth it is by the 5th and 6th coat i may go ahead and do two more coats to level things out a bit. But for the money you CANT go wrong. Plus with the horrible paint our cars have usually it cant look anyworse than it did!

[87glhs232]

sweet.

[ShelbyZD]

I was just in the other day and picked up some color match paint for my Daytona. It only cost $31 Canadian for a 340g can of the paint and a 340g of etching primer. My opinion is your wasting your time with a roller. There is no way you can smooth it out enough to make it look good.

[86lance]

it isnt a waste of time to roll it on. ITS SELF LEVELING PAINT!!! meaning it evens out if you mix the stuff correctly. i just finished buffing my paint job i did this way and for spending only 50 bucks it looks fine. Looks damn good from about 10-15 feet away. Get up close and you see alot of imperfections but i dont care. youre not going to see the tiny things or the big mistakes when your going fast which is what these cars are about.

[87glhs232]

Just like any paint job, the difference is in the prep. 86lance would get better results if he cared enough to take the time to prep the car well. But since he's not interested in a show stopper his 10'-15' paint job is good enough. This stuff does level and smooth out quite well on it's own. And if you care enough to do the proper prep, and wetsand between everyother coat, then wetsand and buff the final coat, you'd end up with a 5' or better paint job. Look at some of the pics of the white RX-7. He took some decent highlight pics of the hood.
Since not many people come with in 5' of our cars this is a decent alternative to a 5k + job.

[89ShelbyGuy]

There is no way you can smooth it out enough to make it look good.

Wrongo...lol..i was putting the idea down at first but i decided to try it...its all about how much you thin the paint....if you thin it too much, it won't cover and its almost like a clear coat...if you thin it to little, it orange peels way to much...thin it just right and all your sanding of is little dust crap and your good to go..

Don't get me wrong, i would rather spray the car with the regular 2 stage paint....BUT..theres 2 issues with that...first, i don't have a paint booth (got a garage, but neibors have complained before when i did my granprix hood..) and second....its over 150 for a gallon of the paint..plus the thinner your need with is like 20 -30 bucks more..and then you NEED the clear coat, which is 150-200 bucks more...so say, 500 bucks if you are a autobody guy like me and can do it yourself...

And lets see...
Time: UNLIMITED
Money: VERY LIMITED

So as you can see...rolling it on it is! :amen:

[86lance]

most definately. and exactly glhs 232

[87glhs232]

Any progress Wink/86lance?

Which paint is it for us in the states? This stuff (http://www.rustoleum.com/product.asp?frm_product_id=48&SBL=1)?