Hey guys, my current project has old black paint on it, and we have started sanding it down. It is pretty thin. The car needs some minor bodywork that I have started that required some filler to get perfect. I do not own a compressor or spray gun. I have never painted a car either. I just used some rattle can primer over the areas I worked on. We want this car painted atleast semi gloss so here is my question. I read a post on here that all the rattle can primer will need to come off before it gets painted. Is this true? Should I not be covering the worked areas in rattle can preimer?
All rattle can paint is not very substantial and may react with any type topcoat. If you are going to use rattle can semi-gloss, use the same brand as the primer. You should test a spot first to see if the primer reacts with the topcoat. Also doing a large area with rattle cans could cause an uneven finish that may show stripes. It's hard to keep the coats wet enough to blend into each other.
I'm just now starting to color sand my first project/attempt and have found you can mix up and roll small batches of epoxy primer on your bare metal after stripping (if your doing small areas at a time) and then come back and scratch with 80 grit do your filler/body work and cover with 2 more coats of EP. Then some folks start blocking and spraying high build primers, I just start blocking the epoxy and if I need more build I add more epoxy. Rolled with a smooth sleeve if thats what you have. I bet a good heavy coat rolled is as thick as 2 sprayed, just takes longer to dry before sanding. I use one rung above rollers... a HF purple gun. For me it's not a question of how well you get the paint on.... it's how good are you at taking it off?
The reason I am asking is because I have litterally no money for a paint job. I have asked around and I was told the Maaco near my house does a good job if you give them the car ready for paint. It is a Model A coupe that I am building as a kid would have around 1946. I thought I could spray on some primer, do a couple guide coats and give it to them but if there is a problem using rustoleom primer in a can, then I have to look into something else.
No friends/relatives that have a compressor and a spraygun? I painted my first one with a borrowed ******** type compressor and gun. It was Christmas eve 1968 in an unheated garage, witn alkyd enamel called Dulux (for cars). Yes epoxy primer call be rolled on. Your spraycans are so thin that it won't/can't be used to add any surface to be blocked out. Guide coat is a thin spattering or a thin coverage to "guide" you, as you sand through it, down into your filler primer. It guides you by letting you see where highs and lows are while using a sanding block. Find ways to work around the money thing. I did that my whole life.
You're topcoat will likely react to the rustoleum spraycan primer and lift off. How do I know? I put some very expensive paint over the same **** and had to do it twice. Now, that said, maybe if it was fully g***ed out you could get away with it. I would still try to get some better primer even if you had to roll it on. Look at the brush painted cars thread on here for ideas too
That is a good idea. I have a friend who paints his own cars but when I asked him, he kinda backed off and said he doesn't like to do other people's cars, only his own. I have no family that is into cars at all so there is nobody to borrow equipment from. I have always bought cars that has perfect original patina (that's how I like them) but this car has no original patina and needs paint. I could probably do it but just nervous as this is something I have never done before.
At least use some Duplicolor filler/primer that has a "high build automotive formulation" that "improves topcoat adhesion". I've used it on smaller parts I've painted with urethane car paint with NO problems. Heck, you're talking Maaco here, don't think it can hurt..
If you are just nervous because you have never done it before, then just do it.... If you never try anything new, you will limit yourself for the rest of your life. If you do it, and are not happy with it, save some money, buy some more paint and do it again later. It just takes patience and some practice. I would suggest test panels, but if your funds are that limited, you may only be able to buy enough paint to do the car. But they are a good idea. The harbor freight purple guns are not bad for a one time thing, might be worth the small investment if you can swing it. Good Luck on it
Rattlecan primer under good paint never works. On a buget I would get some: SEM Self Etch Primer = $25 per quart. or SEM High Build same price Harbor Freight spray gun=Sale Price $9.99 to $24.99 Borrow a compressor with a water seperator= Free Give it a try yourself just keep the gu the same distance from the surface and use full even strokes. Good Luck
Thanks guys, I guess I will ask around again and see if I can borrow some equipment. One more question. Should I stop doing the body work until I can shoot some real primer on it myself? I just started replacing the wheel wells and lower quarter patches which required some filler to blend in. Don't worry, not that much was used, most of it would up on the floor. I don't want to strip it down and then have it sit with nothing on it. My dad has been sanding it down when he comes over but guess I should tell him to stop huh?
Never stop doing bodywork! You'll never want to start again the car will be that much straighter when it comes time to paint
I am not sure he was making a joke. Building a car is not cheap or easy. If you want a trueful answer to the question dont do anything to the car until you saved up the money to try to do it right. A half *** job always looks half ***ed.
Seeing the different cars you have worked on, I'd save for an air compressor you'll find plenty of use for one. You can pick up a spray gun fairly reasonable. For individual panels, I've had good luck with those cheap touch up guns. O'Reilly's handles Lacquer primer surface and paint. Once set up, prep an area, prime. Once you're satisfied, (make sure the primer has dried really good before topcoat) Then shoot some color on it. Lacquer is easy to work with and easy to sand out & reshoot if you're not happy. You'll get that 40's look you want. The paint on my Model A is lacquer I put down in 1986, has some chips, but that's it. The modern single stage paints go on nice, but are expensive, & more hazardous to deal with. (I wouldn't paint those without a breathing air supply)
Life is learning new things so do some reading and youtubeing and have at it ya just mite like it! good luck Roger
Just thought that I'd add my 2 cents. SEM does offer self etching primer in an aerosol (rattle) can. It does cost more than buying by the quart (16 oz can cost roughly $15.00) but does offer decent coverage. It's intended for small touch up jobs but it'll work the same as their regular etching primer - it's just more expensive. Any leftovers can be stored on a shelf without going bad for months, and is ideal for guys in your situation - i.e. no air compressor.
I agree, if it doesn't cause too much damage, I would hold out and save up to do it right. I've done too many fast roundabout cures to avoid full charge on something only to pay double in the end and eventually have to redo everything to make it right. Remember, one of the main reason's guys rolled around in flat paint wasn't by choice, but simply a transition period for them while they saved up and finish it right with a proper paint job.
When your ready for the final spraying of color let me know as I have a kick **** gun you can use. Now the air compressor is a bit too big & bulky to lug around
Pick up some on body work and auto painting books or do a search.I spent a few hours reading these and went for it.9 years later after all body work was done,i painted my own.Not perfect but i can say i did it
Thanks Kirk. What size compressor does it need. Maybe I can rent one of those. What did you use on your 34? Seems like a semi gloss to me and that is what I would like to put on mine.
You'll want to avoid Rustoleum anything under your final finish. I saw Duplicolor suggested and that's fine for your current conditions. Rustoleum contains an oil base for rust prevention which means it won't be stable below a final finish. All is not lost when you become ready for a primer build, and I suggest this at the risk of creating some flame in your topic, but here goes. Get yourself a qt of JP202 primer/surfacer from Painter's Supply and get the proper hardener and a gallon of (JR?) 506 reducer. It's Shopline PPG 2K primer. Get a few small plastic throw away trays and some nice dense foam throw-away rollers. When you mix your primer add a small amt of reducer to it so it will settle some once you roll it on the panel. That's right, I'm suggesting you ROLL THE PRIMER on your repair. You have no gun, no compressor, and this is a damn good option for you to get a professional substrate over your work. Primer doesn't care how gets on the car. If you're good with a brush and can get it on there without too many brush marks, that works too. The trick is not too thin, also not too thick, and don't mix up as much as you may initially think you need. Maybe a 3rd of what you buy which will go a long way. How viable an option is this? There's actually a primer surfacer designed for roller application on the market for just your scenario, and I did this on a $300K car for small spot repair. I'd defy anyone to see where I did it. Good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions if you need some "coaching" along the way.
God no!!!! Bring your car over ill prime and paint it for free, im broke too, just give me a hand one day when I need help with something.
I would be talking with snopeks garage and work out a barter system that works for both of you. It's a good thing to have good friends and connections in the car hobby. The paint products you use find a product and supplier you like and use the same product all the way thru from etching primer to top color, as far as cost of product be prepared to have some $ in hand. Good luck and enjoy the ride!!
I 2nd this. Years ago i had Maaco paint a dodge pick up i had. Awesome job for the money. Layed down some nice paint. I still see the truck, still looks great. Fastforward a few years, I was attempting my first limited bodywork and sanding on a jeep. Rattle can primer(ignorant at the time). I had the same Maaco paint it. Peeled off like a onion.
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