My MKI Paint project (pictures)

[YELLOW_MR2]

If this isn't posted in the right section sorry, it said body shop so I figured here.

Well I've been working on my MKI for a while now, Since I'm still waiting for some parts for my MKII. Any ways since I pulled out my motor for rebuild or swap not sure yet, I figured I should paint it and well heres my progress.
My MKI before I started

It has a spoiler I just removed it to sand under

Damage (rust)

4age

My work so far


Thats me sanding








Thats what I got so far tomorrow I want to fix the left tail light damage, and the lip. Also sand the little parts that still need sanding. I'm thinking of painting her a slate it's a gray blue thing going on but not sure. What do you guys think?

[PHOENIX]

not bad but I think you should be pulling more stuff off. Door handles, window trim, etc....

Do you have access to an air compressor?

[YELLOW_MR2]

Yeah im going to do that tomorrow also, thanks for reminding me.. Just wanted to get the hard stuff done first.

Yeah I have an air compressor.

[PHOENIX]

okay.....quit using that sander.

Try to find a DA sander (dual action) for cheap....



A DA sander evenly sands the surface better by constantly moving the sand pad around. The sander your using, which im assuming has the side to side motion will only sand on one spot of the sand paper unless your on a flat surface. This can cause imperfections in the body and in most cases, flat spots What your doing is working, however you will get better results and a lot less work with a DA sander. I prefer the palm ones but the ones like the picture above are usually cheaper. If your near a harbor freight tools they should have one for pretty cheap along with the sand paper.

[YELLOW_MR2]

Sweet thanks, Ill see if I can get my hands on one of those.

[YELLOW_MR2]

Update!! Today I fixed the damage that the car had.. Here are the Before and after pics..
Before( tail light damage)

After

Before

After =) I'm happy with the results since its my first time doing this

[muffinman]

Looks good. Make sure you use some thing like this or the sanding marks will show through when you paint.

[TintedOutDeuce]

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[MR2 Drifter]

If I had a daily driver I would take my car apart, sand it down, prime it, and then take it somewhere to get painted (I heard you can paint it yourself but without an oven to heat/cure the paint that it doesn't look good)

[YELLOW_MR2]

Thought about that but I'm more of a do it your self type of guy, I'm having a lot of fun with this.. Can't wait to see my results!! This up coming weekend I'm going to primer it.
My question is how many coats??

[masagsxr]

Great job man.... can u come to CA and do mine? heheheeh

[YELLOW_MR2]

LOL totally would (so we can also do meets) but no car and no liscense.

Thanks Ill keep posting as i progress

[328FTW]

Originally Posted by YELLOW_MR2

Thought about that but I'm more of a do it your self type of guy, I'm having a lot of fun with this.. Can't wait to see my results!! This up coming weekend I'm going to primer it.
My question is how many coats??

Depends on the primer, a good epoxy sealing primer should only need one good pass where some cheaper stuff you have to do a couple passes and rub it back a little. I prime then sand to see any high/low spots then fix them and reapply. Just make sure there is a good even colour over the whole car because it does show through a lot of paints if you have dark/light patches.

My racecar I sanded then primed with one coat and then rubbed down with a plastic kitchen scrubber (unscented) and then did 2 coats of red over the top, came up really well for a 3 hour paint job Since you don't have a paint oven paint it somewhere warm but not too humid and free of contaminants, under a tree is bad since they drop stuff in the paint. Those cheap pop up pole garages are good, you roll up the sides and paint the car and then when your done with the coat roll the sides down then fasten and if its sunny it can act like an oven. Next coat you unfasten then roll the sides back up and do it again.

Another thing to watch for the the ground, sweep it off and lay down an old clean sheet or 2 (weigh/nail them down so they don't flick up) under the car. The air gun blows up dirt and tends to make concrete driveways a new colour painting on grass yeilds never ending dirt if you don't do this. Last thing if there are a bunch of insects about don't paint, they fly into and make a mess, mostly the midgy/sandfly things. I think that covers most of the DIY painter bases. GL with your paint job, well see how it turn out.

[YELLOW_MR2]

The primer isn't going to be no cheap rattle can thats for sure..
Thanks for the tips and will be sure to use them...
as for painting it I want to use my garage since its really big and will be easy in there (soon as I clean it out)
For the color, I'm really leaning towards black but still not sure.

[YELLOW_MR2]

Did a little work today, I wanted it to go in for primer today but I found a couple more dings and rust that I took out and my garage is still a mess!
Sorry theres no Before pictures on the repairs, it totally slipped my mine so I didn't take any
Fixing the right fender

Results

Had this hole of rust so I repaired it

Washing it getting the dust off

[Resurrected]

ive been seeing that your not using a guide coat. So im going to tell you how to use it, in case you think its needed.

what you do after you think the bondo is sanded straight. use a VERY light coat of spray paint (preferably Primer) thats a diff color as the bondo.

Let the primer u spot painted completly dry. then give it a nice quick sand keeping the sand block flat against the piece your working on. this way if you remove some primer and see the bondo again. your basically straight everywhere else.. BUT if there seems to be abit of that primer that is hard to get. it means you have a low spot. wich will need to be re-bondoed, Or sand around it till you can reach that deep spot.

This will give you a smooth paint job later.
If any questions just ask here. ill be around all day today :d

[lepichichi]

looking good

[YELLOW_MR2]

Thanks guys

Resurrected: Thanks for that. I knew about that but I completely forgot. I'll do that today after I clean out my garage.

[Resurrected]

NP, just looking out.
GOOD LUCK and remember no mater how exited you are to see it get finished, Dont rush it. Paint jobs are one of the most time consuming and delicate procedures done to a vehicle. NEVER rush it. Im sure youd like to have a perfect paint job, patience is the ONLY way to get there.

[YELLOW_MR2]

Thanks man, today hopefully its primered at least.
And yeah it is. 2 full weeks just prepping the car.