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.

[rdracrdave]

Haynes has a book that describes the painting process pretty well. It's about $15.00 at the local Autozone.
I was going to paint the racecar last week , but the roller was stuck to the pan. (wink)

Good luck

Dave

[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.

[tracks914]

If you want to learn how to do a good job on a cool car, don't learn how to do it on a 914. Too many of them have been messed up this way.
Find a local body shop that works evenings. Volunteer to work a couple of nights for free, starting out with just watching then helping out more and more. You will be amazed at what you can learn and never pay for a course. The best part of all this is, after you have "helped the owner out" enough, when it comes time to paint your car, he may let you do it in his paint shop. (or even help you out with it)
The hours you will spend at his shop will more than pay for final job you will end up with when your car is done.
Tx
Doug

[Chris H.]

OK I 'm not trying to hijack here, but what is the general consensus on stripping all the paint off first with aircraft stripper or something? I think my car has a few coats on it(at least) so I want to take a look under there and make sure it's all good before re-spraying. I know dipping or media blasting is great and all, but in my case I do not need to do a full tear-down. Is stripping necessary or should the surface just be sanded smooth?

[tracks914]

If your paint is chipping off now, it will continue to chip off in the future, even with new paint over top. It might have a bad bond on a previous paint job. If the car is in good physical shape, take it down to bare metal (one panel at a time) and start fresh. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blowtorch.gif)

[eeyore]

If you want to learn how to do a good job on a cool car, don't learn how to do it on a 914. Too many of them have been messed up this way.
Find a local body shop that works evenings. Volunteer to work a couple of nights for free...

Tracks,

THAT is a brilliant idea on so many levels!!! You learn, while not having to live with the consequences of your mistakes (at least somebody is there to correct them), and earn a clean place to work on your car.

Now I feel extra stupid.

[TheCabinetmaker]

I don't think you'll find too many body shops that will go for that. I own a cabinet shop and people are always wanting to "come use my shop" for their projects. I always say no.

Several reasons.:
#1. I've been there all day and I'm tired
#2. You break my tools, I'm s.o.l. the next day.
#3. You want a wood working lesson? get out the checkbook.
#4. You get hurt, sue me, and take everything I own.

The liabilities are just too great. Enroll in a Votech school. they get paid for teaching.

[tat2dphreak]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

unless you are living in the fifties... no body shop guy will let you use their shop, and they won't "hire" you for 1-2 nights a week just so you can learn... the exception is if you have a close friend that owns a body shop... but if you had that... you would just get a great deal from him...

IMHO... don't start on your car... go grab a door panel and a fender or 2 from the junkyard... and practice... you don't want the trial and error to be on your vehicle... this will at least teach you the technique and get you used to the equipment... do those parts 2-3 times and you will be much better at it when doing your 914...

either that, or save your dough for a pro job..


I'll share what a friend did: he wanted a new paint job on his Buick... so he took it to Midas for one of their 299$ paint jobs... they told him " don't wash it for a few days" he washed it the next day... of course the paint peeled a little... so he took it back a cday or 2 later... they repainted it for free... he did this 2-3 times... each time they would reprep the area that was peeling... and repaint the whole car... but put an extra layer on that area to make sure it was smooth... after 3-4 coats of paint... even a crap-ass 299$ paint job looks good! it's now a beautiful, chip resistant shade of blue (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[tracks914]

If your not a total idiot, and get to know the owner of a small shop, he will let you in to watch his guys work. (so that you can pick up a few tricks) If you pick up a broom and help them clean up, help them wash to odd car and start with little stuff like that, you will be surprised how co-operative they can be. I know because that's how I learned!!!
Sure they aren't going to let you practice on the new Lexus that just came in but to show you how to block sand and prime on the Civic with a rusty front fender, show you how to set up the gun before they spray a car, to show you the difference between priming and painting....
This is all stuff that you would rather not practice and use the trial and error methood in your your garage with $600 worth of paint on the bench.
If you have the time and want to do the whole job on your 914 yourself....., you might even find a new career in the process. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)