i just read the topic "jealous kids" i am so scared to paint my car.

here are my paint plans. i already have a "new" hood (off an 84 TA) the powerbulge hood. i am getting a night rider nose to put on there, then i am painting the entire thing black. but after reading all that i am scared some *** whipe is going to key it.

does anyone in this board NOT have a problem with vandalism? on second thought don't answer that. if you do you will get keyed the next day.

ok so the question. my car is white now. the paint is shot. what can i do to save money toward the paintjob. the money i have i want to put toward the painting, not pying the painters to do baisic prep. what can i do in in advance?

heres what i have so far:
remove tail lights
remove spoiler
remove nose and bumper
remove mirrors
remove door handles
remove trim around headlights
remove stuff on t-bar
remove door molding
remove fuel filler door and inner black plastick thingie
remove side markers
wash car completly

should i remove the doors and hatch glass as well?

any help would be apreciated

 

nah, don't remove the glass. A problem you may have is the front window moulding - it doesn't come out easy. I masked mine when I painted, but it doesn't look all that great in that area.

Like you, I took off the spoiler and mirrors before painting. The only problem you risk is that they will be painted separately, and there's a 'chance' it may look slightly different (especially if your using pearl colors, but you're painting black so less to worry about unless it's not solid black).

Are you planning on doing any other prep work? Maybe remove the old paint? Even if you're not doing it yourself, have someone else do it. Don't paint on top of the original paint - you'll be sorry down the road. If the paint and body are in decent shape, you could get away with sanding the old paint down to the primer. It's a lot of work, but worth it in the end.

 

You can paint on top of your old paint if you do the prep right. Just make sure any spots that are peeling you sand down and feather out appropriately and you'll be fine,l otherwise it'll peel again.

 

i do plan on removing old paint, probably down to metal. that may soundike alot of work but check this out. i beleave somone had big plans for this car, the sanded it down to metal, and then sold it, but before they sold it they did a home/garage job with crappy one stage paint. everytime i get a minor ding or scrape, it goes right to metal instantly, so some basic sandin will strip the car completetly. neat huh.

 

Take it to bare metal than, but make sure they use a GOOD etching primer or nothing will stick. One guy I took my car too wanted to take it to bare metal than just shoot it. I was like um NO. Etching primer is needed on bare metal. To save money, remove the interior and drivetrain. Really helps.

 

drivetrain? no.. there only painting the parts that you see. i'm not striping the entire car of paint. just the outside.

i will be removing some of the interior. like all the molding around the door frames, the headliner (since i don't have one in the car now) and probably the weatherstriping as well.

 

any one have any more ideas? or a reason why i should remove my drivetrain?

 

I agree - don't pull the motor unless you want to paint the engine bay. Painting the fenders may require a little work with masking tape and paper, but it's not so bad.

Definitely use etching primer if you go to bare metal! Don't forget to put down regular primer on top of the etching stuff, though. Etching primer is only to promote adhesion to the bare metal, but may mess up color coats. Also, you want the regular primer thick, so you can sand it smooth. Don't sand the etching stuff. You only need one coat of that stuff.

 

thankyou. i did not know that. in fact i had never heard of etching primer before.

one thing though. I am not painting the car. i may be doing some of the sanding myself, but i am having pros do the painting

 

The reason you would pull the drivetrain is to have a complete paint job. Trust me if you dont do it you will hate yourself later everytime you open up the hood.

As far as etching primer, I have NEVEr heard of not sanding it. You want it same way your primer. Just like "regular" primer is what you use to stick the base coat to your car, the etching primer is what you use to stick your primer to the car. Most complete, yet expensive way is the old. 2+2+3+2

2 etching, 2 primer, 3 base coat, 2 clear coat
Now that's a paint job to last you a lifetime. IF you take care of it of course.

 

thanks, now i know..... (G.I.Joes voice) AND KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE! ::::GIJOE!!!!!!::::