Im looking to paint, need some ideas Options

[weird_looking_cactus]

Right now my 914 is a ugly cream color. It has lots of chips in it to. I have look all over google.com to find steps on how to paint your car but had no luck.. Im also decieding what color I wan't. I have the wood lining inside my car. I was thinking maybe a black/green tint or a black/blue tint sence my car also has the black rubber bumbers. But I first need to sand my car down. I have no clue were to start I do have access to a spray gun but I don't have money to have it done by a pro.

[eeyore]

Here's what I've learned from the 4 cars and 2 motorcycles I've done:

90% of the effort invested in a paint job is under the color coat -- meaing lots of metal work, bondo, primer sanding, sanding, sanding and sanding

The darker the color, the more the surface imperfections show up.

Paint comes in 2 flavors: Single stage -- 1 layer of color, or 2 stage -- layer of color, layer of clear coat
Solids and single stage paints are easier to paint and repair than metallics. Solid, single stage paints are also good if painting in a non-clean environment, i.e. outdoors. 2 stage paints have a wet, deep look.

Good paint isn't cheap (mostly using PPG Deltron, NLA, or World System), but I figure I'll put 3 to 4 days of work on each panel (I'm not an expert, so I work harder, not smarter), the cost of materials isn't as important as getting a good, lasting result for my effort.

Tools:
Sanding blocks, the bigger the better
Lots and lots of sandpaper -- 300, 400, 600 grits for primer work -- not so much 1000, 1500, 2000 for color sanding (plus buffing compounds)
For large, simple surfaces, you should always use a block. I just discovered the adhesive backing sandpapers, and they are much easier to use with a block. More expensive, but worth it.

Generally the steps are:
(Assuming you don't want to remove the original paint/rust by acid dipping or sandblasting)

Break the glaze of the old paint with 300 grit, treat rusted areas (POR 15 is recommended by others, never used it myself)

Prime the entire panel. Apply a 'guide coat' which puts a speckle pattern over the primer. Sand again with #300 using a large, but semi-flexible block. Where ever the guide coat remains is a low spot. You can bend the metal under the high spots, or fill in the low spots with bondo. Repeat and repeat, because one area affects another, but don't overbuild and change the shape of the panel. Don't expect it to come out right on the 1st, 2nd or 15th try. You may even have to start all over. Unless your going large scale destruction, stay away from power tools.

With the panel in the shape you like, prime again, then wet sand with #600. Clean panel with paint specific cleaner and tack cloth.

Spray on the color. There are 2 techniques available. Experienced painters can lay on a coat in one smooth, slow strokes and get a run-free glossy coat. I'm not, so I like to make multiple rapid passes, watching the layers of paint mist build, until they coalesce into a layer of paint, and continue until it turns glossy.

If you get runs in your paint, let it dry completely then tackle it with sandpaper or a file. I prefer something really hard like a fine metal file (tape the ends) because a sanding pad bends, and will see-saw over a bump and take out paint around the bump.

If you want a super glossy finish then you wet color sand. This is a pain because if the earliest prep work is off, you'll sand though the color, and into the primer. After that, the buffing. A power buffer is recommended but be careful of corners, buffers can remove paint fast.