I went to an auto body paint store today to see about getting paint for my GTA wheels. To my dismay they said I need a spray gun, which requires an air compressor, plus I have to mix the paints which I think requires a special tool. Can somebody explain this process briefly to me? I didn't want to ask them because they seemed kind of busy. I know they can sell me the paint but what else do I need and how much is it going to cost? I don't have a compressor btw.

Thanks

 

F*ck the auto body store! Just go to the local parts store and buy some good Hi-Temp spray paint! I have the same wheels as you and when I painted mine that's what I did! That was over two years ago and they still look good! See the pic below! (front wheel is red too, but it's in the shade so you can't tell) I just took some masking tape and taped up the polished aluminum part of the wheel and took off the center caps and spray painted the wheels! It works just fine!





[This message has been edited by 86TpiTransAm (edited April 28, 2001).]

 

Yea.. I did that once before and it looked like **** because the color was wrong. Super Track only sells one color gold and it's too bright. Here's a picture of what I want them to look like:

http://www.li.net/~rsalerno/ttapicrs.htm

I called back Mattos to ask some more about painting them and I found out some more. First off, there are two ways.

[ul]Single layer:
no clearcoat
you don't have to use a compressor and spray gun
you don't have to mix the paint
minus - it doesn't last as long since there's no clear coat but it's cheaper

Dual layer:
clearcoat
lasts for 10+ years
unfortunately you need a compressor and spray gun
you have to mix the paints
total cost for just the paint, activator, thinner and clear coat is $140 (she said there were 3 qualities of clearcoats.. I said I wanted the best)

I'm pretty much set on the second method since it seems worth it for the little extra money (hey it's going to last like 5 times as long).

Has anybody else done this? Are there any tips? The person at Mattos said I might need a water separator since my neighbor uses his compressor for tools.. how do I know for sure if I need one and how much do they cost.. sounds expensive.

Thanks