Repainting my POS/Progress thread

[lordmatt]

Re: Repainting my POS/Progress thread

I do plan on taking off the weatherstripping, but I won't be cutting out the windshield. What I like to do is work something small (like a putty knife, butter knife, or very small flat screwdriver) under the molding around the windows and shoot a small amount of the new color (in this case, my black primer doubles as a quickie "base coat") in the area. I find that I don't have any trouble with the old color being visible, and it cuts down a LOT of time that I would be spending cutting out the windshield/urethaning it back in.

I think in this kind of job, there's "shortcuts" and "time savers". If you can find something that will work as well as the "thorough" job without being a half-assed "shortcut", use it. ;)

But guys, I'll make that continuation of the last post tomorrow, my day went like this:

Wake - 6:30 AM
Actually "wake up" - 7:00 AM
Run my IPod to my other half for her trip - 7:30 AM
Get out my supplies for the day and plan what to do - 8:30 AM
Start working - 9:00 AM
Break/eat sandwhich/post - 12:30 PM
Go back to prepping - 1:30 PM
Get bored and start the temp booth - 5:30 PM
Too dark to work outside anymore, pull car into garage and prep some more - 7:00 PM
Too tired to do anything else - 12:00 AM

Basically 14 hours of prep work today. I had one meal and four Red Bulls. I'm exhausted. Tomorrow I'll make a post or two.

[StrtRacer98]

Re: Repainting my POS/Progress thread

this is good so far :)

where did you learn to do all this work, did you work at a paint shop?

[99BlackMaro]

Re: Repainting my POS/Progress thread

great write up! i can't wait to see the end result!

[lordmatt]

Re: Repainting my POS/Progress thread

this is good so far :)

where did you learn to do all this work, did you work at a paint shop?

I did, for 2-2.5 years. I also took a basic restoration class that my local college offered for two semesters.



There is my Vette progress, it started out as Dark Brown Metallic that was aged beyond belief (the paint itself had stripped off, not just the clear). It took about a month to do it, working about two hours a day. But I also had three guys helping me then.

[lordmatt]

Re: Repainting my POS/Progress thread



The proper formula for poly/bondo and hardener is "a pea sized amount of hardener for every golf ball size of poly/bondo". Personally I put in a bit more hardener because I don't want to wait a year for the poly to settle. However, you have to keep a couple things in mind - letting your poly sit longer will allow it to shrink as much as possible. If you just wait until it's "good enough to sand", expect more shrinkage, especially once it's hit with primer. Primer will ALWAYS shrink your poly. (Notice my CD case lid/mixing board. I lost my actual bondo board, lol). Also know that putting in TOO MUCH hardener will result in a LONGER dry time (I've heard if you put in way too much, the poly will never actually cure the way it's supposed too. I've never tried it, though, so I say just stick with what works.)



I hate putting on multiple coats of poly, so I just cake it on there first go-around. I made sure to cover a large area so it feathers out properly.

(cont later, I'll snap pics as I finish up but I want to be in clear today. ;))

[loser]

Re: Repainting my POS/Progress thread

amazing write up so far, two thumbs up. really nice to see someone taking so much time out of their busy life to take pictures and make a write up.

car is coming along great,i too bought my car wrecked but i didnt do all the work on it, i helped primer and sand alot of stuff but thats it. nice job, the car is going to come out amazing i can tell already.

[lordmatt]

Re: Repainting my POS/Progress thread

Well I'd like to say it went off without a hitch today, but I had an unforseeable circumstance pop me right in the mouth.

Halfway through the clear job, my compressor up and locked up on me. It was too hot from having to be running constantly for three hours of painting (Yes three, I had a spot get fussy with me and I had to wait on the base to dry so I could wetsand it)

Looks like tomorrow I'll be wetsanding again. lol

I do have more pics as well. I'll put them up later, I'm too tired from the work all day and finally eating my first full meal of the weekend. ;)

[lordmatt]

Re: Repainting my POS/Progress thread

Just a quick note to everyone, since I haven't updated:

Turns out when the compressor locked up, it was the shop's fault. It had been oiling bad before and they were supposed to fix it - they did, but didn't put any oil back in it! I'm surprised it ran as long as it did.

I do have some more pictures to put up, but my cat decided it would be fun to start chewing on whatever it could find, and that included my USB cord for the camera. I'm waiting on a new one to come in.

As of right now, I'm wetsanding what I did manage to clear and scuffing the rest, I'll have to shoot a couple more base coats on it now before I can clear. But I have a couple ideas that popped into my head during this ordeal, and I think they'll make the car look even better than it would have been if the compressor would have kept alive.

Luckily a friend of mine is a buddy of one of the local bodyshop owners that just got a brand-new downdraft booth. He's going to speak with the guy and I should be able to use it - probably this weekend at the latest.

I'll throw up more pics as soon as my cord comes in!

[homedog119]

Re: Repainting my POS/Progress thread

Dude where are these pics and kill the cat