OK. I know I may be setting myself up for all kinds of criticism, good and bad. Advise is what I'm looking for. The good, the bad, the ugly...bring it. I just am stammered by the price of paint jobs out there.
So......curiosity makes me ask this question. Can someone with no experience in painting (Full scale) cars, (I can paint the hell out a Revell) actually paint their own car? I have seen many posts about the MANY hours of sanding and tacking, and sanding. Was amazed bu the gentleman that painted his car with aerosol paint...Rustoleum, was it? While I don't believe I would go that route, I am just testing the waters. I know my way around an engine compartment, and general auto knowledge. But never any body work.
When it comes down to it, is it worth it. I have been to 4 different shops and have got $4300 - $8500. I told each guy that I was looking for a nice paint job...but no need for a "Show Car" paint job. Any and all advise is welcome. Time is no issue. I have plenty. Just don't ....really...want to dump the same amount into a paint job, that I paid for the car in t he first place. But, of course, don't want to hack it up. Can it be done?

 

im 16 and have a few jobs under my belt. its easy when you have some one who knows what there doing help you on your first one. after that it was easy for me. i just soaked up all the knowledge i could.


im 16 and have a few jobs under my belt. its easy when you have some one who knows what there doing help you on your first one. after that it was easy for me. i just soaked up all the knowledge i could.


please don't do that.

i would say 45% is prep work 10% is painting and 45% finish work, color sanding est.



you can save a lot of money by sanding the car your self (not hard) and doing the color sanding your self. that's what i think you should do if the price is right. you could also primer it your self with out too much headache, i find it hard to mess up when shooting primer. ive never had it run. then have maco shoot the color and clear coat. normaly i would say stay away from them but thats because of there crappy prep work but if you do it like i said then all the prep work would be done so they cant messit up that bad.

 

If you don't need any body work, give it a shot. I recently painted a stripe on my car, not quite the same as painting a whole car, but if I needed to paint the whole thing now I certainly wouldn't be afraid of it. I started by trying that Duplicolor Auto Shop paint with my air sprayer but the paint was junk, went to Napa Auto Body and had them mix me some stuff that laid out real nice and had a good appearance. I clear-coated the whole hood and back end of the car (so you couldn't feel the stripe) and it looks just as good as any shop would have done.

I had about $100 in the paint and clear (already owned an air sprayer, respirator, and everything else I need). I figured for the money why not give it a try, if I wasn't happy with it I could always still take it to a shop. Fortunately it worked out (after I sanded the junk paint off and repainted it with the Napa paint) and I'd do it again without nearly as much hesitation.

Check out the thread if you want, it's kind of an interesting read - you can see how I went from having no idea what I was doing to being confident enough to paint the whole car, and how the type of paint made all the difference in the world.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1991892

 

You will never know if you have a knack for body work and paint unless you try it. There are many places to get info from, that's the easy part. Taking the time to do it, is definately something you can do. Doing it and having it come out "right" (and right has lots of different meanings to lots of different people) is the hard part.

I say if you want to try it, go right ahead. Eveyone has to start someplace including proffesionals.

Do your research ,ask for advice from people you can trust(this is a great place for that), and proceed from there.

You may be surprised at the good results you may get in the end

And in the event you arent happy with your progress or decide it isnt for you, you can send the car to a shop then...

 

If you are really interested in doing it, get a small quantity of paint supplies and a decent gun, find a body part and prep and paint it and see if its for you.

The biggest problem is(besides making sure the prep is perfect) is setting up a make-shift booth that will ventilate while keeping dust and bugs out.

I was lucky back in the late 80's when I was in high school to have the opportunity to spend three periods a day doing body work/paint and get credit for it. Painted lots of cars and did lots of sanding and prepping. Painting the car is not going to be the challenge, its getting the car ready to paint that will be.

 

Very good point!!!

 

If you are worried go to a paint supply shop and buy a paint gun that is of the highest quality that in itself will help with first timers mistakes. Pm if you want a hok (house of kolor) how to that I have.

 

Thanks all. Good advise, and I appreciate the pat on the rump...ooops, the back, to get me motivated. Ron R and Road-Race Vette. Found your talks inspiring. Also looked at your link Ron. Cool. I noticed the other day my 2000 Cherokee Sport has some areas that are starting to show signs of early stages of cancer. If you have a Jeep, you know exactly where I speak of. But there are numerous stone chips, kids trying to wash it with a Deck brush etc., So I figure I'll start there and see how I do.
Quote: The biggest problem is(besides making sure the prep is perfect) is setting up a make-shift booth that will ventilate while keeping dust and bugs out.
Thanks Bruthish! I was just about to ask on the importance of the tent/ventilation. I share a 2.5 stall with my wife and her new Tahoe. Obviously don't need to elaborate what would happen to me Sex life if I spoojed on the wifes Tahoe.
Can I partition the garage with a tarp? I am installing a garage heater (Gas) this Summer (for my Vette of course) and know that I have to have a vent or two for that. Should I add two vents on my side of the garage and get a fan set up for increased ventilation? Or am I way off here?

 

sorry...not trying to hijack, but it's related since he's asking general info, and i'm interested too...

When you say "needs no body work", what exactly does that mean? my car has no dents or holes, not even any noticeable door dings or anything, and i looked. is there some other 'body work' that lurks under the paint?

 

I did all the prep work myself. Removing the trim and emblems is really easy. I did quite a bit of body work on it. I think working with fiberglas is easier than metal. I had Maaco shoot their top of the line (I know, an oxymoron!) base coat-clear coat along with their "value prep" primer and the total cost was $1439. I bought about
$200 worth of adhesive, fiberglas products, 'bondo", and sandpaper to do the bodywork. It looks darn good for the minimal investment. Plus, it only took them a week and one day to turn it around.

Temvette72

 

Good question Double_0_7. Maybe I should stae what I mean also. I refer to the "No need", as I see no dents, nicks, deep gouges, unmanidgable holes, waves in the glass, bad seam, or riidge bumps. Or any other real anomaly that I can't live with. When I stand on either side from the front or back down my fender lines, it looks great. So that's what I mean. But maybe there some things I am taking for granted in my body that may need help.

 

This is in no way professional grade, but it did the job:



It took about two hours to do that (you wouldn't think it would take that long, but going up and down the step ladder, moving it, stapling everything to the ceiling the time just went by). For ventilation basically what I did was shut the garage leaving about a foot or so crack at the bottom, set up a couple of fans blowing outward to the driveway, and then dropped another sheet of plastic in the back all the way to the floor, taped at the seams, and cut out around where the fans were, taping the plastic to the edge of the fan so the only exit for the air was through the fans and nothing was coming in. You can't tell from this pic, but my entrance/exit to the booth was due to a double-lined right side (I would walk between the two sheets to get out). With the fans going it sucked all of the fumes out, my wife complained non-stop when I did just the hood (you can see the "little" masked off area in an earlier pic before I did the whole garage) because of the fumes going upstairs, but when I did it the second time with the fans sucking everything out she said she never smelled it.

Get a good respirator too, not just those little cotton/paper things that just covers your nose and mouth with a little strap. You want something with a rubber nose/mouth surround with the cartridge on each side. Harbor Freight has them pretty cheap if you don't know of anywhere to get one locally. That makes all the difference in the world, when I started I just used the little mask and ended up with both a headache and raspy voice for a couple of days. Second time around I used the respirator and I couldn't even smell it.

Learn from my mistake!

Also ... do it during the day so you're less likely to have bugs land in the paint.

 

I forgot the front bumper. Can I do that my self? I hear it is next to impossible to get the paint to match. But is that because most of the posters had the body painted previously, then added the bumper and tried to match it then? If I paint them the same color together, and then put the bumper on...it will match...right?

 

I think the bumper is original, and now that i'm really thinking about it, on the seam is a little hairline crack. not sure, but i believe it's on the body, and about a centemeter long, one of those things you find when you hand wash your car, so i guess that would qualify as 'body work'...but i'm still curious about an answer. like michigan vette dude here, I was getting at too. there might be some other things that we don't think are 'body work' that a painter would...also, i'm just looking for a driver quality paint job.

Thanks man. and your post is showing just where I'm at too, aside from the crack i just remembered. edited to add: except i don't have any bumper damage or holes. but i think we're still asking the same question.

 

this is the quote/post i was talking about when i asked about the 'body work' statement.

and ron, i watched your thread, and checked back as you posted more pics. i love your car. turned out great.

 

You'll need much more than that. A heavy cloud buildup of those paint fumes can ignite by static or from an improper fan, like the ones we use indoors. They have the potential to ignite a heavy solvent fumed area and turn you into a BBQ so I've been told.
I've done it this (wrong way) plenty of times myself w/ house fans (4) and have been lucky. I regulate the amount of buildup of fumes though, let them evacuate, then continue, and paint piecemeal because the lack of a pro setup.

Also you'll need to ground the car by hanging a chain from the axle to the floor,(not on plastic), and wet that area a bit for insurance.
Since this would be your first time painting, what I would suggest is doing it piecemeal, ie: front fenders, hood, then later doors and rear. I've heard that the rear window area is a tough spot but haven't painted a vette yet myself.

The L88 scoops were a bit tricky for me in the past but I can shoot them good now. Painting piecemeal you won't have so much buildup of fumes and can take your time, and get a better job should something go wrong (which it most likely will). Have some large cardboard pieces handy beforehand and adjust your gun on that before shooting the car.

If you get a run during paint, leave it alone, you can most likely sand it out once dry, trying to fix it wet will cause you a major headache.
Not everyone can shoot paint, there is some talent involved. Good luck.

 

Thanks for those tips Stang! Those are some excellent pointers to know. Also, are saying to dismantle the fender and then paint, then the hood, and paint. Or jsut tape them off, and paint them. I am thinking you mean the latter...but jsut checking.
As far as venting, I like Ron R's set up, and could get away with that with the Wife. Thanks again for the tips on the grounding the car, the cardboard spray for adjustment, the "Don't try to correct when wet" tips...all great!

 

I'm not sure how most paint a vette, as I said I never painted one yet but have done plenty of other cars.
Just trying to give you any helpfull advice I can, I learned a lot here myself also and will use that info next time I pick up a spray gun. So far I've never removed any body parts before paint.

Pollen and bugs are the hardest thing to keep out unless you build a filter system. I had 3 outgoing fans and one incomming at the opposite end of the garage in a window w/screen. Definatly take Rons advice on the respirator, base coat/clear coat I've heard is very toxic. Never used it yet but will be soon enough. Post pics if you decide to DIY.

Edit: The Rustoleum paint job mentioned was done by LowBuck w/ foam rollers I believe, he did an outstanding job and changed my mind that it couldn't be done and look good.

 

As far as my front bumper goes.....should I paint it the color of the car first? Or mount it to the car, then paint it witht he rest of the car? Also, I plan to paint the whole car. Would ya'll suggest chemically stripping the old paint? Or sand the old paint down and paint over it? If I just sand and paint, do I have to sand it down to a certain point?
I am looking for the easiest No, bad word. The most cost effective, keeping quality in mind. I am assuming many hours of sanding and prep. Is it best to use a block with the sandpaper? Or have any of the resourceful Vette heads out there constructed any sanding devices to help ease things. I am also assuming you don't use any kind of a power sander?
A lot of questions here. But I'm trying to soak up as much heads up knowledge that I can before starting.

 

From the painting posts I've read here some take the paint off w/ a razor blade, and i've seen it done w/ a pressure washer
I've yet to hear of it being chemically removed, I would assume it may degrade the fiberglass?, I'm NOT the expert to ask on that.
A painting search here should reveal a lot you need to know.

As for any type of homemade tools to use, I used a 1" and 1-1/2" thick x 8" long piece of PVC wrapped in that foam water line wrap to mold in the last L88 scoop I did on a non vette wrapped in different types of sandpapers. Used it at 45% angles up and down the length of the scoop where it met the hood and then around to the front. It worked good and would think it would do OK with some other areas possibly. Thats about all I can offer.