Have you ever painted a car yourself?

SteveSS · Nov 21, 2020

How did it turn out? Is there any specific article or video you followed? I want to do one and it doesn't have to be perfect perfect.

Budnicks · Nov 21, 2020

I've done a few
my last one I'm not really happy with
long story

it'll do for now, did it back in Oct. 2017
this was right after I took off all the paper & installed most the trim
nevermind the date stamps they're wrong

I didn't paint the inside of the engine bay
it's dingy old LL1 org. paint

68 RR LL1 Clear #1 before cutt & buff.JPG

I painted it Ultra Flat Black 12 or so years before too
that was easy, compared to a metallic surf turquoise metallic base clearcoat

68 RR #16 Driveway front ds Apr 26 2011 Buddy #1.JPG

lots of work & lots of mess

sand, sand, sand & sand some more, prep is everything
paint is the easy part, for the most part

I wish I would have sanded & prepped even more
I blame my eyesight, bad lighting & don't like to wear my reading glasses
I see pretty well but not so much the close details, I should have
I thought were all good
& when I work, sweat gets in/on them & it's a hassle

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

there a few good photos on here
a guy in the Racers Hangout just did one too @bobtile it came out great

Lionized · Nov 21, 2020

Totally agree with the above. A good paint job is 90% prep.
An excellent paint job is 98%.

It's messy and time consuming but if you're willing to put in a LOT of effort, the finished product is worth it. Not everyone has body/paint skills. You may actually find you enjoy it.

Good luck.

Richard Cranium · Nov 21, 2020

Lionized said:
T Not everyone has body/paint skills. You may actually find you enjoy it.

I do not posses those skills, so I leave it to a professional.

Big Bad Dad · Nov 21, 2020

I have done several, but many years ago. Back when the high schools had vocational education shops. I took the adult night school classes that were offered. Had a blast. Painted my 67 and 69 Coronet R/Ts, two of my pickups, my buddy's Road Runner, and even sprayed a Toyota for a lady that was in our local car club. I don't see those classes offered any more......

VitaminCRR · Nov 21, 2020

You need a lot of patience because all that sanding gets old.

bandit67 · Nov 21, 2020

I have done many. Best way to learn what NOT to do is to arm up with what you think you need to do and go for it. Pretty sure you can not mess up anything that cannot be sanded back down and fixed if needed. It will help you much if your paint supply guys can help you select whats needed. Remember, buying auto paint and supplies is NOT for the faint of wallet....Purdy costs. U Tube is your friend as there is so many vids to get you aimed in a good direction. Same goes for learning auto reupholstering. Back then a set of seat covers cost $250 as set. What the worst the could happen if you muck it up learning something new, your out another $250 for a new set and then to pay a pro. But it turned out great and yours will too.....get you a squirt gun and do it. As all have said , the prep, the primer, the sanding , the sealer , is where the work is at. Then, a good place, good light and good eyes seals the deal.....

64SF · Nov 21, 2020

Steve, I've done three (two shown). I'm by no means a professional body/paint guy but did the jobs myself after horrible experiences with the retired paint and body guys with thousands of years of experience that can do it for a bargain price.

As posted above prep is 90% or more in order to achieve good results. There's a ton of videos and articles out there and for me some of the older Eastwood videos helped me more than most. Both of these jobs were done without a paint booth using an enclosed canopy or small garage. MALEX on here does some incredible work in his home garage ( I don't know how he keeps the place so clean).

BC/CC is very forgiving and a good job can be had if you're willing to put the time it takes to prep it.

BTW the brown SF (after paint) is the one you looked at for me several years ago prior to me making the deal.

Hey-O · Nov 21, 2020

I also do not posses those skills, so I leave it to a professional.

Curiousyellow71 · Nov 21, 2020

I have painted a bunch of cars and trucks.I have not used the water based dupont paint( supposed to be easier) but the last one I did was a base/ clear coat...doing a clear coat you can buff out a lot of imperfections. Enamels are harder to get right painting...especially outside without a booth. But any painting seems to go easier when it on the cooler outside w less bugs and pollen in the air.
Painting " usually" is the easy part...prep work is what makes it straight and is time consuming. good primers w a filler with lots of block sanding seems to work well.

Curiousyellow71 · Nov 21, 2020

18BB88B5-E2AE-475A-A5BD-21DD3F39ADA6 (1).jpeg

This was the first one we did from 1986! LOL,
Charger still rocking the paint job from 1988
65 dart in '92, and the 72 satellite we first painted in '89, it's paint job didnt last as long and we are in the middle of sanding and a repaint. Last one I painted was my parents Ferd expedition, and I have lost count how many gallons I have sprayed.

3833D26E-CEC5-4CC3-A436-2C327370557D (2).jpeg

threewood · Nov 21, 2020

I've painted two in my garage. I'm happy with both. Gotta disagree on bc/cc being more forgiving. Single stage was very easy to do and buff out. I used AkzoNobel U Tech single stage on my 62. Great paint.

I used AkzoNobel Wanda bc/cc on my 69. I'm not a fan of spraying clear coat but that is the only option for metallic finish.

Builderguy · Nov 21, 2020

This is a pretty simple video. He is doing some repair but does paint some large sections. There are a lot of things I do different (like not using the green "spot" putty opting for a two part glaze instead) but this will give you the basic idea of what takes place. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...6188335026E62CF27619618&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

Slap Stick · Nov 21, 2020

Painted a moorsickle once, came out well.
Only done a door or qtr panel on a car, twice using rattle cans.
Its surprising how well you can do with a rattle can.

slimt · Nov 21, 2020

Just finished the wifes car yesterday.

Not a Mopar though.

.

dadsbee · Nov 21, 2020

1977 (I was 15), after doing the rotted lower quarters on our '69 Fury II so that my sister could drive us to school. Wagner electric spray gun and lots of thinner. It actually came out really nice, only one run at the bottom of the passenger door I missed in a badly lite garage. Last one I plan on painting.. I'm with RC on that!

Slap Stick · Nov 21, 2020

That Fury on the left seems to be listing...
Nice Fury on the right!

dadsbee · Nov 21, 2020

LOL, one wheel in the mud, the other up on ice. Dad's new '76 Fury Sport on the right..

Mike67 · Nov 21, 2020

Did mine I guess last year, for the first time was pretty happy wit it. Painting was pretty easy, but I've sprayed a panel or two in the past. The biggest recommendation I have is buy the largest cup you can and have some one mixing the next batch. These cars are pretty big and I painted it assembled, so you go through or at least I did, a lot of paint. Mine also has some super fine flake so I didnt want to overlap on to a dry panel...This may have been a non issue but I was concerned after watching a lot of Kevin Tetz with Eastwood.
The body work is what will make or break you final product. There are things I now see now that it has paint on it.

#41 · Nov 21, 2020

My first car, a 69 Charger, I did all the body work and then had it sprayed at an economy place for $100. I have painted 5 cars since, and a couple or repair jobs. All have been single stage jobs sprayed in a garage or carport. I use plastic sheeting, venting with box fans with furnace filters on them, and a wetted down floor. I have also had a hand in painting a couple of race cars and demo cars which were good practice in using a gun because the result was not that important.

Yes, the body work and prep is key to a good job, but if you don't get it right at first you can just keep working on it. I still think spray day is the most nerve wrecking. Overall it's a lot of work and messy, but you save a ton of dough and it's also very rewarding when complete. If you are not a patient person, willing to rework things, or don't normally follow instructions... painting is not for you! There are no shortcuts to a decent paint job.

Have you ever painted a car yourself?

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