Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

I just got done painting this car so I can sell it!

Just a little history on it. I bought it 4 years ago and shortly after I bought it the paint on the hood and roof started fading badly and flaking off. I assume the person I bought it from had a shitty paint job done on it right before they sold it to me.

Anyways, my friend helped me (and by "help" I mean he told me what to do while he sat there and smoke cigs) paint the hood, bumper, fenders, doors, and roof. I am just trying to get this thing sold and want to get the most out of it. I knew it wouldn't sell for ---- with the paint flaking off like it was. Plus after I took the turbo off I replaced the front bumper with a white OE bumper that I bought from a local kid.

As far as the process goes... I sanded on this thing forever. I mean, it took me probably 8 hours to sand the old paint on the hood until it was smooth. When the old paint started to wear off it got all rough and nasty. I sanded the whole thing, then we primered it and I sanded it again. Then we put down 4 coats of base and three of clear, then I sanded again. Then cut and buff etc.

As far as a total cost goes... well, I work for an auto parts company so I get discounts, but I'll tell you that I paid a total of $120 for everything including primer, base, clear, hardener, reducer, sand paper, masking paper, tape etc. everything.

My back hurts from all the sanding... I hope I don't have to do this again for a long time. I would much rather work on an engine than sit there and wet sand for hours on end.

Here's the before:

Attachment 33741

It actually looked a lot worse than that when I painted it because the above picture was taken a year and a half before I painted it and the paint had gotten much worse.

Here's what it looks like now. Yesterday I put it all back together, the door handles, moldings, head lights etc. then I gave it a quick wash.

Attachment 33742

My reflection, it wasn't totally dry so that stuff is just water...

Attachment 33743

Attachment 33744

Attachment 33745

Attachment 33746

I think it turned out pretty good. I wasn't that hard to do, easier than I thought it was going to be. This was my first painting experience and other than sanding for freaking ever it was a pleasant experience.

Just a few more things to do and it's ready for sale. I can't wait to get rid of this thing.

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

Looks great for a Homemade paint job :y Should def help the value when selling.

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

Damn I expecting a rattlecan but holy smokes thats pretty damn good. Too bad your not local and do this on the side or something cause I'd hit you up to do my Z. 8)

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

looks good im doing a write up right now on how to paint a car for the tech section...it was also my first experience paint a car

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

hers what i did yesterday..wet sand is crazy..it takes forever..i sprayed 4 coats of base and 4 coats of clear
Attachment 33740
i only sanded the first half of the door you can see where i still have to sand

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

good stuff... :y

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

Yeah the color sanding took forever. I spent a lot of time making sure that I got all of the orange peel out (there wasn't much to beging with because the paint went down pretty smooth).

What grits are you sanding with?

I started with 1500, then went to 2000 and finished with 2500 before I started with the cutting compound.

It was kind of scary sanding on new paint! :S

But it cleaned up so well once I started buffing it. My back still hurts from leaning over the damn hood and sanding.

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

damn you got lucky...i had a mad amount of orange peel..my paint laid nice but after my second coat of clear half of my gun got clogged and i didnt know it so 2 coats are messed orange peel is pretty bad...but after sanding it with 400 ( ya i know its a rough paper ) then i went to 2000 and then im going to use some rubbing compund..i did a few test spots with just 2000 here is one of the pics i just did about 10 mins ago
Attachment 33737

its a total night mare for me..i learned all of my stuff off of the internet and from a book i didnt have anyone show me..and im only 17..and the paint costed $330 alone...so its like 3 pay checks...but it only took half a gallon to paint the car so if i mess up i can redo it...if i have enough time

yout paint job looks awsome im not sure if mines going to be that shiney mine looks shiny one direction and then if you look at it in another direction it looks a little daul

( same pic without flash on )
Attachment 33738

i think i may repaint the car in the future but as for now its going to be like this until i get a few other things done to it..like susp, boost it again...and a few little things

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

damn lincoln that looks pretty good?

you guys wanna help me do a red integra next? ;D

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

Right now im in the process of prepping my car for a rustoleum roll on job

Those paint jobs look sick tho

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

to huge of a grit, thats why its not mirror smooth, that 2000 isnt enough to take out the scratches from the 400, neither is buffing.

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

ya thats what i was thinking..im still messing with it, but i think im going to sand it with 1000,2000 then 2500...then use rubbing compund i'll let you guys know how it turns out...if you guys have any suggestions on how i should get the color out a little more hit me up :6

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

Dang, and black and red are supposed to be the hardest colors. That ---- looks bangin.

What kind of compressor/gun ect did you use? I'm kinda worried about how mine will come out, but the important part is if I ---- it up *I* ---- it up.

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

Thanks man. I'll help you if you want. I can get paint as well, so let me know what you need ;)

I'm not sure on the gun. It's my friend's gun that he bought when he went to Wyotech. I remember seeing some German writing on it though. I'll ask him which brand it is. He actually showed me how to spray it and I did most of it. It really wasn't that hard at all, I just used the same technique that I would with a rattle can = light even coats etc.

He did all of the adjustments on the gun though, and got it all ready to go.

Overall it was way less complicated than I thought it was going to be. Getting started was the hardest part.

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

+1
i bought all of my tools at advanced auto...and car quest ....i bought a 4gallon 2hp aircompressor and hlvp spray gun from advanced ran me about 200 for all of it...and at car quest i bought the paint wich ran me 310 and a filter adapter you put between the hose and the gun so any moisture that comes from inside the air compressor doesnt spray on the car ( make sure you teflon it ..i didnt and it dripped on the wet pain :S ) and at home depot i bought a air compressor hose that ran me 10 bux....sand paper is killing me though i buy it from auto zone or wal-mart and its expensive, and i cant find any 2500 grit..but nay way its around 500 for me and its trhe first time i ever sprayed a gun...also i just played with the gun for a while and found out which knob di what....the one on the side is for the fan length the one on the back of the gun is for how concentrated or ------ out the fan is also it can help regulate air to the gun and the bottom one also regulates air to the gun

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

Looking good Lincoln, i hope i can do that well when i start painting stuff.

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

sweet, ill start looking around for a color i want. its gonna be red again but probably not milano. i wanna stay red tho so i dont have to do jams and engine bay.

think we could do it in a weekend? maybe if i did some of the prep first.

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

If anyone's planning on doing this they should definitely invest in an air dryer. Harbour Freight has them the last time I was there, I think there was one there that was ~$20. Working with HVLP, it's all in the setup of the gun. They also need way more air (cfm's) than you would think. I have one of those advance auto guns, it's pretty much my worst nightmare. I always get massive amounts of orange peel, I can never get it to set up right. I'm planning on getting a Devilbiss GFG-670, they're designed to run off of smaller compressors. I think it needs around 9.5 cfm as opposed to over 13 cfm a normal hvlp needs. It also comes with multiple tips for primers, basecoats, clears, etc. I kinda miss the days when I used a siphon feed gun, way easier to set up. 3m makes really good finishing compounds and glazes if you really want your ---- to come out good. Also, I would suggest starting at 1000 grit and moving up from there even if you have hardly any orange peel at all. It will level the surface and get rid of that irregular look in the paint that looks like a fat lady's ass.

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

i hear what your saying...my gun did ok on the base coat but on the clear it was sploodging every which direction...next thing you know its orange peel maddness..i finished clearing my car saturday and im still sanding :S...its looking good thought...but its a ton of work...i need to buy a new gun do you have any links that sell good guns and stuff ..id like to check some out

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

looks good.

lol, the kid in the last picture almost looks photoshopped in for some reason.

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

Hahaha...

He's just a ham. Every time he sees me pull out the camera he has to do the "cheesy smile". You can tell that his mother likes to take pictures of him. lol

Oh, as an update! I sold the car yesterday for $4800 cash. I didn't think I was going to be able to get that much for it. I figure that repainting the front end increased the resale value by a few grand, definately worth the effort!!

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

yeah very well done, who would have bought this thing for more than 1500? you made 3 grand right there.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...s003edited.jpg

Re: Home made paint job finally done! Way more work than I expected.
 

i bet he still woulda got alot more that 1500 out of it unpainted.