Finally laying some paint on - Firebirds - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

Tmic87TPI · 05-30-2008, 02:35 PM

well its been a long project (not as long as some of yours) but I stared working on my Trans Am when I was 14, now Im 16 and finally laying some paint on her. heres my cardomain, the paint pics are on page 6- http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2535588
Ill get some better pictures on monday when I go back to school. and I should be painting the jams on monday or Tuesday then the car itself on Wednesday.

87_GTA_5.7 · 05-31-2008, 08:44 AM

Hey man looks great! I like the Ground Effects on the rockers!

Tmic87TPI · 05-31-2008, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 87_GTA_5.7

Hey man looks great! I like the Ground Effects on the rockers!

thanks man, all the ground effects are off a 91 Camaro.

BLACK ICE · 05-31-2008, 12:16 PM

Im jealous! I can wait to paint my car. Kinda funny with the camaro ground effects I was just looking at the bird in my driveway yesterday telling my girl I wanted to put 91-92 camaro ground effects on the rockers

Tmic87TPI · 05-31-2008, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLACK ICE

Im jealous! I can wait to paint my car. Kinda funny with the camaro ground effects I was just looking at the bird in my driveway yesterday telling my girl I wanted to put 91-92 camaro ground effects on the rockers

yeah, I love the way they look on Firebirds, but it is a good amount of work to swap em.

TIMMYS89GTA · 06-03-2008, 08:59 PM

What I see looks great man,you gonna have it back together by Friday?LOL!
I can't remember but do you have a glass aero spoiler or the original rubber thing.

Tmic87TPI · 06-03-2008, 09:26 PM

I got a glass spoiler, expensive but worth it. and yeah I may have it together by friday... just to get it home and rip apart my interior!

update: got the jams shot today then sanded the overspray off and started taping up, Ill get it in the booth tomorrow to seal it then base it. I may wetsand the base for a smoother finish but then I wouldn't clear it until Thursday.

Tmic87TPI · 06-04-2008, 03:07 PM

today I got it in the booth, sealed it, and after 3 or 4 coats of base I decided it was clean enough to clear, pics are on my car domain but the only pics I have are after the second coat of clear so they're a little orange peely but the 3rd coat of clear fixed that...

mario82z28 · 06-04-2008, 03:58 PM

car looks great nice job still waiting to get fresh paint on mine

87_GTA_5.7 · 06-04-2008, 05:16 PM

Looking good man. What kind of paint products did you use?

Tmic87TPI · 06-04-2008, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 87_GTA_5.7

Looking good man. What kind of paint products did you use?

used ppg for base and omni for clear and sealer

87_GTA_5.7 · 06-04-2008, 10:10 PM

Man I just sold my Ram Air box on ebay for $50 too.. but you might have one allready...

Shift06 · 06-04-2008, 11:01 PM

Looks great man, the paint turned out really clean.

Tmic87TPI · 06-05-2008, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 87_GTA_5.7

Man I just sold my Ram Air box on ebay for $50 too.. but you might have one allready...

damn I wish I knew you were sellin one I would have bought it

TIMMYS89GTA · 06-05-2008, 08:16 PM

Looks very sweet!!!
Now,how exactly did the third coat of clear cure your orange peel problem?
I have never been able to acomplish that.
Just curious,I'm 35 yrs. old and still learning.

Tmic87TPI · 06-05-2008, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TIMMYS89GTA

Looks very sweet!!!
Now,how exactly did the third coat of clear cure your orange peel problem?
I have never been able to acomplish that.
Just curious,I'm 35 yrs. old and still learning.

thanks man, and to answer your question, as each coat dries it becomes "tacky" (as Im sure you know) and while its tacky it will act as a glue to the next topcoat so you can lay it on heavier with each coat and it won't run as easy. don't get me wrong though, it could still use a nice wet sand and buff but the third coat got rid of alot of peel.

gcgarner · 06-05-2008, 09:21 PM

Quote:

as each coat dries it becomes "tacky" (as Im sure you know) and while its tacky it will act as a glue to the next topcoat so you can lay it on heavier with each coat and it won't run as easy.

Wow. I just learned something very useful from someone nearly half my age.

Great job on the car. I'm really jealous that you have a project like that at that age. I got a 64 1/2 Mustang vert w/ Hi-Po 289 and 4-speed when I was 14 to fix up with my dad, but then found out it was ULTRA rare (K code car) and sold it for twice what we paid for it. It would NOT have been a good car to drive when I was 16. I beat the hell out of the '79 Chevy pickup I drove back then. Now I'm 30 and married with a 9-month old and I'm self-employed so I don't have ANY time to work on a car. But now I can afford to have the work done for me

, but I still wish I could do it myself.

Take care of that beauty. I'm sure you will since you've put a lot of your own blood, sweat & tears into it. That's the best insurance policy available for a teen driver.

Tmic87TPI · 06-05-2008, 09:46 PM

yeah, I couldn't agree more, and my parents know since I have so much work into this car already I'm going to be an extremely cautious driver when Im in it.

and on a side note, thats pretty cool you were able to double your money with that Mustang without putting any work into it! but I'll bet theres part of you that wishes you had kept the Mustang, mainly because they've gotta be going for some good money now.

87_GTA_5.7 · 06-05-2008, 11:12 PM

The more you paint the more you learn...I know guys that have painted their 20+ years and still cant paint. Its one of thoes things your born with kinda..Travel speed is a lot of it, angle of gun, and size of tip, brands of clear and reducers..Iv only been painting for 3 years and in High School took 2nd for our state wide test..

Tmic87TPI · 06-06-2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 87_GTA_5.7

The more you paint the more you learn...I know guys that have painted their 20+ years and still cant paint. Its one of thoes things your born with kinda..Travel speed is a lot of it, angle of gun, and size of tip, brands of clear and reducers..Iv only been painting for 3 years and in High School took 2nd for our state wide test..

nice, did you go to a technical high school?

DWH · 06-06-2008, 12:19 PM

that thing looks mean. clean ride dude

Tmic87TPI · 06-06-2008, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWH

that thing looks mean. clean ride dude

thanks man, today I wetsanded and buffed the clear runs out (got a few thanks to new regulations requiring "fresh air helmets" to be worn whenever spraying anything) so now the body is basically done!

Tmic87TPI · 06-07-2008, 10:25 PM

also 87_GTA_5.7 - Im just curious, did the ram air box work with your maf sensor?

87_GTA_5.7 · 06-07-2008, 11:15 PM

My senior year I went 2 hrs or 2 classes in High School then the rest of the 3 hrs was in yes the "tech" School. The Tech Shool had everything from nursing to Auto Mech. Marine Mech. Baking..lots of things. I went half days then to work..school to work program.. Iv also spent summers since I was 16 at a local body shop...and the ram air box look at the pic..it will help you maybe..

Tmic87TPI · 06-08-2008, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 87_GTA_5.7

My senior year I went 2 hrs or 2 classes in High School then the rest of the 3 hrs was in yes the "tech" School. The Tech Shool had everything from nursing to Auto Mech. Marine Mech. Baking..lots of things. I went half days then to work..school to work program.. Iv also spent summers since I was 16 at a local body shop...and the ram air box look at the pic..it will help you maybe..

o cool, sounds alot like the setup at my school. and thanks for the pic, answers my question exactly.

Tmic87TPI · 06-22-2008, 04:57 PM

well a big update but no new pics, I ripped my interior out and found some rot (not too much) so far I've patched one hole and have 2 more to go before I paint my whole floor with "rust bullet". also I sprayed my engine bay to match the outside of the car and tonight or tomorrow I'm going to rip my hood off and spray the underside of it and spray my spoiler again.
also to save some money I'm doing a little fiberglass work with my old beat up interior pieces so I'm going to have some custom interior too, and I'm currently a few hours into fabbing a cup holder into my center console! Ill try to get pics of everything later.

edit: I also forgot to mention that I also undercoated my wheel wells.